Batmobile Original Car (1966)

The iconic 1966 ABC TV series Batmobile "atomic batteries to power; turbines to speed".
The original car was in almost all 120 30-minute shows, made between 1966 and up to 1968 filmed at the 20th Century Fox Studios starring Adam West as Bruce Wayne AKA Batman and the infamous Burt Ward as Robin (Dick Grayson).

The basis for the car was the Lincoln Futura shark-like look,with its popular for the time large tailfins and hooded headlights the car was built in Italy in 1955 by Ghia, and Designed at Ford based as a concept show car. The Futura cost $250,000 to build .that year it was the centrepiece in the New York's Central Park after being driven to the event by Benson Ford. Henry Ford’s very own grandson on 3 May 1955.The concept car was later Repainted in red from its original light blue colour, the Futura also starred in the film it Started with A Kiss Debbie Reynolds and Glenn Ford in the 1959 MGM movie .

By the 1960s the car was acquired by Hollywood custom-car legend George Barris. Later by the summer of 1965 ABC asked Baris to
complete a special car for its TV incarnation of Batman a popular comic book hero from the original DC Comics strips. He was only given  as little as three weeks to build, but the Futura car was half-way there already. He kept the basic chassis but was lengthened to 21 ft, and basic profile unaltered, but the whole of the body underwent a fibreglass re-styling by Owens-Corning fiberglass. while customising the front nose section to resemble a more bat-like appearance while the already twin-cockpit theme and individual plastic canopies over cockpits, were virtually unchanged from the original car and extended the trailing edges of the already large rear fins to give a more bat look so that Batman and Robin are now protected by 84 inch bulletproof Steel bat fins..
The previous concealed wheel arches of the Lincoln Futura were now opened up, with the cars colour now changed again to the black with fluorescent pinstriping we all know and love unique to the batmobile. The car has 40 coats of Acrylic black velvet glow bat fuzz from Metal flake Inc and outlined by is fluorescent pin stripes. decorative mouldings are extruded in Reynolds Aluminium satin finish.

The saying for the Batmobile "atomic batteries to power; turbines to speed". Of course, was not so... the car had a Ford Thunderbird 428 cu V8 engine of the original still.
The special innovations by Baris Kustom City in North Hollywood,told in a launch checklist read out in the opening show by Batman's assistant Robin. As the series progressed other gadgets were incorporated along with the originals such as a Bat scope, revolving closed-circuit camera which consisted of a revolving camera with 360-degree vision (and in the 1960s). The matching Duel streamlined aircraft-type, Plexiglass bubble windshields and top section are also bullet proof. Twin body-contoured, air foam bucket seats of Scottish grain black naugahyde in horseshoe pleat & roll design fitted with shoulder harness and safety belts for Batman and Robin by Cummings & Sander Impact. Interior sound is provided by duo-stereophonic tape deck with speakers by MuntZ.

The center safty roll bar arch is equipped with flashing lights, twin parachute brakes to aid high speed-turns and for quick braking, The center consul incorporates the power accelerator T-arm and Bat fire extinguisher, along with a Ansen Posi shift with reflective T-arm has been mounted into the floor consul.The antenna reactor is co-ordinated with an electronic unit installed in trunk and relays messages, through a computer in Batcave. A Detect-a-Scope can locate Batman Robin at all times.

The front mouth are mounted within the grille cavity concealing a set of rockets.The rear upper panel has triple rocket tubes capable of shooting colored fite rockets at the touch or a trigger. It has its own miniature helicopter in the boot called a Whirlybat.a chain-slicer mounted in the nose at the point is a hydraulically operated steel chain and cable curter, smoke and nail spreaders to deter pursuers. Along with the Bateyeanti-theft device. The Bat eyes are dual 450 watt lasser beams headlighting behind reflective amber lenses. Hidden inside the bat ears are normal headlights for street driving and bullet proof Wheel wells guard Firestone tires that are mounted on 10" Rader wheels. and not forgetting the rear turbine exhaust tube, featuring air cooling fins.

The car still in protectve custody of George Barris. He built three replicas for promotional use, after taking moulds from the original Show demand meant five separate Batmobiles were produced altogether for the long running show , the original costing $75,000, with the other four, from moulds off the original car.

The original Batmobile made its final offcial TV appearance in 1979 in a special show entitled Legends of the Superheroes. The car was again covered in flocking material known as Bat Fuzz' but today it's in its shiny black paint once more, complete with the Batrnan logos on the doors.The 1965 original established the style for nearly all Batmobiles since the original George Barris design.

Specifications

• Wheelbase: 129 inch .
• overall length: 225 inch
• Height: 48 inch
• Weight: 3.000lbs
• Seats: 2
• Produced: 5
• Engine: Ford Thunderbird 428 cu V8 
• Gadgets: many gadgets