$4,200,000.00 for a Lincoln?

[Old Henry]

Yup. That's what the original Batmobile was made of - the original 1955 Lincoln Futura Concept Car made by none other than our beloved Ford Motor Company (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Futura).

George started with this:



And converted it in three weeks with $15,000 to this:



It was just sold last Saturday by George Barris for that price.

Here's TIME magazine's report that includes a bunch of great excerpts of the Batmobile from the original '66-'68 T.V. series. http://entertainment.time.com/2013/0...the-batmobile/

How much did George Barris pay Ford Motor Company to buy the original Lincoln Futura? 100¢

Pretty good return on your investment George!

[TonyM]

I like the white one better.

[Old Henry]

Yeah. I could probably have afforded the 100¢ to buy that one.

[FLA48]

I may be different, but I would have preferred the original unmolested concept car.

[PeteVS]

Maybe the new owner will put it back like it was. (Has anybody been following Flop's thread on the Model 'A' forum about resurrecting an A roadster body that had been hot rodded back in 1956? He could do it.)

[jim1932]

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It may have come from a lincoln, but it was sporting a ford emblem.

[1949FORD]

Original is best... just like with every classic auto!

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by PeteVS

Maybe the new owner will put it back like it was.

He's actually going to put it in his living room!

(Honest! Read all about it. http://entertainment.time.com/2013/0...the-batmobile/)

[Old Henry]

More Futura shots:





Speedometer and idiot lights on the steering wheel hub and turn signal's on the spokes. Pretty innovative. (What? No airbag?)



That bubble is a compass:

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by jim1932

It may have come from a lincoln, but it was sporting a ford emblem.

Right you are.
And here's George himself in the Ford Batmobile.



(Is he smiling about what he was just paid to part with it?)

[3738]

"Atomic batteries to power, turbines to speed!"

[Old Henry]

Interview of George Barris about the batmobile just before it went on the auction block: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uuloG9dnFU

And here's the actual exciting auction. It's pretty amazing to hear an auctioneer calling out million dollar numbers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNIpjHy7500

[37 Coupe]

Originally Posted by TonyM

I like the white one better.

Mayby it was white as the pictures show or mayby there was more than one but I seem to remember it was a very light green. I always liked the original and built the model kit when I was 10 or 11 years old and it was light green. Checked on Ebay and a few light green Revell kits are offered some unopened. Years ago I saw the Batmobile and I thought it was junky,Barris said himself the "jet turbine" was a discarded gallon paint can. I was more surprised at the auction the 46 Ford pickup that went in the $90,000 range and the 57 Sunliner retractable with supercharger that went in the $300,000 + range. Either one of those vehicles could have been put together better than new for far less,ridiculous.

[Jason in TX]

The Futura is Gorgeous. The Batmobile.......

[Fordors]

Barris is nothing more than a media and money whore. Nothing the man has done since maybe the late '50's- early '60's has been relevant to anybody even remotely serious about the car hobby. Any decent, well executed custom (or Kustom if you prefer) left his shop long ago.
As a promoter the man is second to none; as an example just check out the color picture of the Batmobile in the first post, it has no Ford logo on it. I do not know when the Ford emblem was put on but I'm sure it was in place for the big auction and for sure Ford paid for that. Can anyone name one noteworthy thing that Barris has done in the last 20 years? Unless maybe it was a commission by some Hollywood producer who didn't know any better?
As for the buyer, well I guess he had more money than the other fool in the room at the auction.

[richard crow]

was the car steel or fiberglass

[Torchie]

I believe that somebody pulled a fiberglass mold of the Futura body before the transformation into the Batmobile and I think that at one time they were for sale. Original car was steel if my memory serves me.
The other thing to remember is that most of these concept cars went straight to the crusher when the companys were done with them so like it or not the way that it is, this one is a survivor.
Also I guess I don't understand why people feel the need to trash George barris all the time. He is in business to make what his customers want and are willing to pay for.
He has survived to see his and his brother's creations considered Art as well as creating a higher profile for all the old customizers.
I met him almost 40 years ago at the Detroit Autorama and even though I was a grungy looking kid who had just got off work from the body shop and smelled like paint and Bondo he went out of his way to spend time talking with me about the "old" customs that I loved so much.
And as far as naming one noteworthy thing that Barris has done in the last 20 years I say this. He just sold a car for $4,200,000.00

[3738]

Ford didn't take the best of care of it.

[Bob NH]

I have forgotten most of the things in my life but never forgot going to Hartford, Ct. to the Autorama show and seeing the Batmobile there. I believe the Munster Coach was also on display at the time. I talked to Joe Kizis < ? the show promoter and told him he should do a show in N.H. which he did and I think it turned into a flop. I felt quite bad about that. My kids loved the series on TV.

[Conrad Rossi]

Thanks for sharing!

[51 MERC-CT]

Whether you're rich or poor it's always nice to have money

[Automotive Stud]

While we all seem to agree the original car was much "cleaner" ascetically, the fact of the matter is that few cars appeal to car people and non car people alike and remain relevant across generations like the batmobile. I think anyone would be doing a disservice to turn it back to it's concept car roots and obviously the new owner has no intent to do that.

[117harv]

Originally Posted by Fordors

Barris is nothing more than a media and money whore. Nothing the man has done since maybe the late '50's- early '60's has been relevant to anybody even remotely serious about the car hobby. Any decent, well executed custom (or Kustom if you prefer) left his shop long ago.
As a promoter the man is second to none; as an example just check out the color picture of the Batmobile in the first post, it has no Ford logo on it. I do not know when the Ford emblem was put on but I'm sure it was in place for the big auction and for sure Ford paid for that. Can anyone name one noteworthy thing that Barris has done in the last 20 years? Unless maybe it was a commission by some Hollywood producer who didn't know any better?
As for the buyer, well I guess he had more money than the other fool in the room at the auction.

Wow, show some class

Had the car not been transformed, it surely would be gone. It's not about value or quality, it's about what it is, an Icon to millions. If the owner gets tired of looking at it in years to come, maybe it will move on to a new caretaker.

[rotorwrench]

I've always felt that George is just a person who likes to communicate. Some view that as being a jabber jocky and others just thing he has the gift of gab. FoMoCo gave the world the Futura concept car as a futuristic possibility. The Barris brothers turned it into an Icon whether knowing it would be or not. The rest of the Futuras were just Falcons. Oh Well!

[Blu Dice]

Change it back!

[deucemac]

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Originally Posted by rotorwrench

I've always felt that George is just a person who likes to communicate. Some view that as being a jabber jocky and others just thing he has the gift of gab. FoMoCo gave the world the Futura concept car as a futuristic possibility. The Barris brothers turned it into an Icon whether knowing it would be or not. The rest of the Futuras were just Falcons. Oh Well!

Sam was the artist and George was the promoter. Just look at what George turned out after Sam returned to Sacramento. Not much. I have a friend that is well known in custom circles and worked for the Barris brothers for 5+ years. He doesn't have much good to report about either brother. I would reveal his name but he made me swear to keep my big mouth shut.