@@markfryer9880 I was given the Batmobile with Batman and Robin and mortar rounds for a birthday around 1981. I very quickly lost Robin who could be ejected, and all of the mortar rounds. Memory says my mother found a good reason to re-gift it to a cousin many years later. I may have to take that up with her.
Yes, highly interesting. I have known that the JAMES BOND - Aston Martin model from GOLDFINGER still gets rebuilt, seen one in San Mateo near San Franceisco thirty years ago. So this is maybe not astonishing but still reamarkable news
According to the contract, signed by Barris and Greenway productions (NOT 20th century fox), Barris had over six weeks to perform the modifications, which he didn't even do. The contract was signed September first, 1965 with a delivery date of October 15th. The car was then sent around the corner to Bill Cushenberry. Bill did all the metal modifications on the car. Barris did the wooden roll bar. The rest of the lights and gizmos were done in house at Greenway by the prop department. On the first day of filming the car was in flat black. The ignition fell out, the exhaust fell off, there were problems with the suspension and a thousand dollar tire blew out. They also had problems with overheating and dying batteries.
I sat in one of the cars when it was loaned to us for a promotion at a radio station I managed. Never in my "kid years" could I have guessed that I would one day SIT in the Batmobile!!
Ya.....I watched it as a kid back then and HATED that stuff up on the screen. I'm sure the 8 year olds loved it though. I was hoping the show would be a little more realistic than it was.....typical Hollywood glam and it didn't last long either.
@@pmafterdark i do love the tv version but i think the 89 version is just a visually stunning car I hope at some point in future movies we see all the batmobiles make a cameo appearance Btw the newest batmobile I hate it it looks like someone bastardized a 60's camaro and a 69 charger
Same. I hope that doesn't make us vulnerable to being brainwashed into a cult or something, Rico Grencau. :) It was not far outside the "golden age of American design." My dad had a Chrysler that looked a lot like the Batmobile. It was considered cool.
The Batmobile was bought at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. I was going to go look at it, but the admission price was $50 and I thought that was too much just to see a car. However, the buyer of the car lives near my city (Chandler, AZ) and every year about March they have a good sized car show in downtown Chandler. I went to the show and the owner of the Batmobile had brought his new to him car for anyone there to see. It was roped off, but you could get within a few feet of it. Beautiful car, and I saved $50! I had one of the Corgi Batmobile toys in the mid-1960’s and loved it. It’s probably in a landfill now, waiting for some future scavenger to find it.
If I remember correctly didn’t the Corgi Batmobile had a spring loaded blade which came out of the middle of the front of the car and plastic ‘flames’ from the exhaust pipe which moved in and out as you rolled it along. I can’t remember if I had it or my best friend. Sadly someone threw out all my Corgi toys - either my parents or my younger sister who is a compulsive organiser with little respect for other peoples property😢
I saw one once in the UK, about 30 years ago. To be driving along the lower Sunbury road towards Kingston and seeing the Batmobile coming towards you in the other direction was a bit of a shock and a surreal experience. It might have been on its way to Shepperton studios nearby. Either that or the driver was on his way home from Tescos.
I remember seeing that as well..... Also the Brading Wax works on the Isle of Wight, had their own version, which they used on the Isle, at one point it painted bright yellow....
I suspect it was something to do with the following.... Coys of Kensington had an auction of "important historic sports, sports racing and grand prix cars" at the Nurburgring in Germany on 11th August 1990 which also included, for some reason, a 1966 Batmobile. Prior to the auction, the Batmobile was at Coys' London office and was taken for an illegal 'spin' by a couple of employees - presumably that's when you saw it. I was a Video Cameraman at the time and was sent out to Germany to record all of the cars driving on part of the circuit to display on a large screen at the auction. I had the pleasure of sitting in the "trunk" (A panel which included the rocket launchers was removable) to film one of Coys employees and my sound recordist dressed at Batman and Robin driving it around. I still have the video somewhere. Strangely it lists in the brochure, which I also have, that: "It is not known how many Batmobiles were built, current thinking is that there were five or six on various bases, in different degrees of completion.The exceptional Batmobile available today is thought to be the sixth, produced by Hollywood Productions under licence from ABC-TV. The basis is a 1957 Lincoln Continental 2-door; the car is notable in being constructed from metal as opposed to fibreglass" A couple of coincidences here as well... I was born in Sunbury (Halliford Rd), My dad worked it a factory in Hampton, opposite where Lower Sunbury Road meets Upper Sunbury Road (Lower Sunbury Road is a very short road, so just where you saw it...) and by chance I am driving a 1966 Batmobile replica in 5 days time at Abingdon Airfield 😃
@@ianfraser9287 Cool! And what a small world.... I'm pretty sure on the occasion i saw it there was only one person in it though. And Sunbury is quite as long way to take it for a joyride. It might have been the legitimate owner who bought it at the auction driving it
I’ve always liked the 60s Batmobile, the most beautiful of them all. When the video said the design came from the Ghia studio, I thought ‘aha, makes perfect sense now!’
The orange pinstripe highlights were not on the car originally. If you watch the first few episodes you will see the car is flat black with white striping. The car was repainted gloss black and the stripes were changed to help the cars appearance on the screen.
Incorrect. Test footage was used as filler in episode two, showing the car in flat black with white striping. That was the only time it was seen on screen that way.
I didn't feel comfortable when the narrator of the 1966 Batmobile Story said Obviously You could see why the My Mother The Car Sitcom Series was Destined to Only a Short Run. Relatability? I Guess?
In the 1970's, one of the original replicas was in a car museum near Chicago. I remember seeing it and being surprised by the fuzzy paint, since it looked glossy black on TV. I guess I know why now.
Back in the 80's I had my 70 Challenger TA in a self storage unit in Lynwood,California.On vacation from New York I was at the storage unit to take the Challenger out for the week. In the main office of the storage unit was a board with all kinds of stuff for sale from people in different units.One that caught my attention right away was a Batmobile for sale.Talking to the manager I inquired about the Batmobile and where it was.It was in the back outside under a tarp.Asked if I could see it and sure was the answer from the manager.Walked out back and there it was under a blue tarp.Uncovered it and couldn't believe what I was looking at.This was an original George Barris creation.Car was complete with interior and drivetrain intact.Popped the hood and a Ford 460 motor sat there complete.Amazed at how original the car was but in need of a total resto.Paint and body not bad for being left outside.This car was actually visible off the 710 south near Imperial Highway.Asking price was $10,000.Thought about it for the longest time but too late in making a decision.The Batmobile was sold and I believe it went to the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas for a total restoration.Not the original used in TV series but I believe this was a copy made for promotional touring back in the 60's.Damn did I miss out on this one.
I would love for the car to be converted back to the original concept Lincoln Furura. The rarity of a one off Ford design which appeared on screen in its own right would be awesome especially as more batmobiles, based on other platforms were made later.
@@stephenjcuk7562 regardless of where your interest lies you still have to recognize the significance of artifacts. As one movie character once famously said, It belongs in a museum!
@@1pcfred That's a valid point of view. It could be argued that the Futura should never have been butchered in the first place. After all Batman is a fictional character yet the car was a very real development. I subscribe to Little and Big 'car' for my love of cars, to me Batman is not the important bit but I accept to many people it is.
@@stephenjcuk7562 in an infinite Universe the concept of fiction has no meaning. Somewhere out there everything is quite real in the limited sense that we understand things. Then there's the multiverse to consider. Which hurts my brane. So we won't.
Pretty cool learning stuff about something I've enjoyed for 53 years! Us Gen Xers just didn't have access to this kind of info back in the day, so I don't know how I would ever have known this anyway. Thank you.
In the States, Jerry had a fine career. Mostly disposable television, and not as extraordinary as his big brother. The kind of guy who always appeared as a special guest and popped up on Johnny Carson with his banjo a few times a year.
He was also Junior Douglas in the John Wayne film McLintock and you could tell he was a Van Dyke from his mannerisms and actions (he sings and dances). He also appeared in an episode of Fantasy Island later
Very interesting, I think Dick was well known over here in the UK (mainly through Mary Poppins I suspect) but can't say his brother was in the public consciousness here back then. Back on topic, I had a Batmobile toy car in my youth, remember getting it like it was yesterday. Just awestruck!
They build the 🦇Batmobile🦇 (the only authorized builder by DC Comics) in Logansport, Indiana, they also re-built the George Barris #6 Batmobile. They use a Lincoln Town car chassis, you pick the engine and Bat Accesories (including the real flamethrower) for roughly $200,000 depending. They build about 5 or 6 a year and sometimes you can see one driving around town or parked.
@@aaronleverton4221 Me, too. Still have a CoCo 2. Had the ZX-81's US equivalent, the Timex Sinclair TS1000. Sadly, it was a malfunctioning piece of junk that the CoCo replaced.
The car in "My Mother the Car" Was originally built by Norm Grabowski, it was a hot-rodded Ford Model T Touring. The studio then back-dated it to look more "antique" with 21" model A wire wheels and the "Porter" grille.
Let this be a lesson to everyone attempting to create an informative UA-cam video. This is where the bar has been set. Failing to attain this level of competence will result in ridicule
Many thanks. I was eating my tea and talking to Mrs Boss when I suddenly realised I had not given you the big Roman thumb up. Lol. Phew! Am glad I will not wake up in a cold sweat tonight now and relax.... Great video. Many thanks.
Nice video, nice to see someone do research and get the facts correct. There is one correction I must add. The steering wheel was unique on the Futura, built for the Futura. The Futura's steering wheel was removed in season 3 for an Edsel steering wheel and remains with the car today.
When I was a kid there was a batmobile on display. I just had to go see it, but was disappointed. I remember that it had a "fuzzy" finish. When I saw the model you showed at 5:13 in your video, I think that was the one on display when I was a kid. For some reason, the promoters of that version thought the paint finish ought to be fuzzy, like a bat. But I much prefer the version that has shiny paint, like in the show. I guess you explained this that they did it to hide the cracks.
Great video as always "Merci" I have a Matchbox Batman car, but I prefer the "The Green Hornet" with Vance William and Bruce Lee with a Chrysler Imperial called the "Black Beauty" filled with gadget. Bruce Lee was 80% of the show. I still have the "Black Beauty" as a Dinky toy.
George Barris once explained in an interview that he was in a pinch to finish the car and the only thing he could find that he could transform into something that looked like a jet exhaust was a coffee can, not a paint can, so he got to work trying to make it look like a jet exhaust which in his words was really just a propane torch shooting out through a coffee can.
It's amazing how little is documented about the striking chrome tubes that jut out behind the canopy and this video is typically neglectful in ignoring them like there not there. I believe they where an anti theft device that shot fireworks or rockets to draw attention to the batmobile if it was in trouble. Possibility used once in the entire series so a very obscure but such a curious and unique feature of the car.
'My mother the car?' WHAT a premise. Sounds like a Readers Digest take on Transformer's! I really need to see an episode of this now. Great video mon ami. 🏆⚒️🇬🇧
I'm not a car guy. Fancy cars do absolutely nothing for me. That said, I think the number one thing I'd like to have before I die is a Batmobile. I'm 65, I loved the TV show as a kid, the props used are one of the few inanimate objects that make me giddy. Owning a Batmobile I think, would make me silly happy. 🦇🦇🦇
The original Batmobile sold via Barrett Jackson auctions for $4.2 million. I was watching the B/J auction and saw it happen live. It eventually started a bidding war that lasted almost 10 minutes. It was amazing. As far as I’m concerned that one will always be the Batmobile.
After the first year the producers were so upset with Barris they had considered building their own car using Dean Jeffries who later built the Black Beauty for Greenway Productions. . Due to demand the car was frequently out "on tour" causing production delays on the show. The car really was quite unreliable especially with overheating. To make a ton of cash and to appease the show Barris made the replicas to send out on the touring circuit and did some mechanical work on the #1 car - adding an electrical fan ( which actually overloaded the alternator and battery ) but it was available for filming. As this was really a show car and not really that road worthy the car suffered many drawbacks such as the brakes fading during long chase scenes or the doors flying open. Over all the car was iconic and great on film but hated by Dozier and staff due to unreliability and issues with Barris doing little more than cashing in on a car he bought for a dollar. The one built by a fan was not bought by Barris he won that in a copyright lawsuit. Barris never used any of the replicas for 20th Century work only the original car was ever on film.
in 65 the famosu sfx of thebatmobile starting up was heard in the movie The Great Race.......How Did They Manufacture That Sound???? Does Anyone Know??
BATMAN, swinging from a rubber band, BATMAN, eating from a garbage can, BATMAN, screwing every one he can . . . . . It's what we sang back when the campy Batman show was on two evenings per week. (I usually just watched Lost in Space, which was not quite as campy.)
Find it hard to believe there is was NO inspiration from Alfa Romeo's B.A.T. 5/7/9 series of show cars in the mid 50's that influenced G Barris' design choice. They are practically bat mobiles 'from the factory'.
There were five batmobiles in total from George Barris; #1 was the Futura conversion, #2, 3 and 4 were fibreglass replicas built for public appearances at shopping malls etc. and #5 was an all metal replica built as a stunt double to the #1 hero car. The company licensed to build replicas is Fiberglass Freaks.
The only 66 Batmobile toy I had was plastic and Batman and Robin we're only bust head to pectoral I did not have.Mego Batman my first Batman was super powers then I got Michael Keaton's Batman
They just auctioned the 1966 Batmobile, but how do they know it's the original. There were 5 made for the TV series each with a different function. One of the five was totalled, four survived.
Ohhhh thank god you have this video, I knew there was felt on some of these batmobiles, my sisters dad worked on the original his name was gale black. I thought I was going crazy for a bit there by thinking it wasn’t fuzzy when I touched it at the shop in 1980, there was also the Incredible Hulk truck and the coyote from hardcastle and mc cormick before it even hit the tv show, I have a picture somewhere of me standing next to it when it was primer red white black…..
In the summer of 1968, when I was 7 years old, I went to the local shop (Orpington in Kent) to get something for my mum and coming down the street was the Batmobile. Batman was standing in the cockpit waving, while Robin was driving. Crowds lined the street and were waving and cheering. I was absolutely amazed, as I loved the show and had a Dinky Batmobile. I ran home and told my mum and she called me a liar! I never told her anything ever again.
The color on the original Lincoln Futura was...according to Gotham Garage who made a replica from the original mold...was Seafoam Green. It was a very light color of green.
At the end of the video it feels like there should be more, based on the voice inflections of the narrator; it becomes saddening and disappointing when this does not happen.
This is probably the best Most accurate video documenting the Batmobile, on the internet.!! . Most of what is said is correct. The only things that I picked out were that were incorrect were that Barris had bought the Futura previous to being approached by the producers to build a Batmobile. Barris always liked a good story, and was a great promoter... Saying that he bought it for "One Dollar" was a good PR thing.. Personally I think the real story is even better. Barris had the Futura sitting in his back lot because the car had been used in a couple movies. One of which was "It Started With a Kiss" starring Glenn Ford and Debbie Reynolds .. But he didn't own it when the producers approached him, which was actually in August of 1965. By the time the deal was settled for him to provide the Batmobile he did indeed have a very short time to get the car ready, and he actually modified the Futura before he bought it..!! George Barris was a shrewd businessman. He had done design work and some custom work for Ford, and the Futura had been sitting in his back lot for several years. Barris sent a bill to Ford for the work he had done, and the "Storage Fees" for the Futura.. There was a disagreement on the money and George said that he would take the Futura in trade. In order to make the deal legal there had to be money exchanged, so the contract for the sale of the Futura actually says for "One dollar plus other valuable considerations" .. But of course Barris left that last part out, to make it sound better.. Also the date of sale was December 21, 1965 .. Almost two months after the car was delivered to the set of Batman the first time..!! Other than that, the air scoops on the fins of the Futura weren't for cooling the rear brakes, they were air inlets for the air conditioning system, which was indeed in the trunk. Everything else in the video is pretty darned accurate,despite what some of the commenters below have posted.. People who want to study more about the car should check out www.1966batmobile.com .. Eric Seltzer runs that page and knew George Barris personally, as well as just about every fan who has built a replica Batmobile (including myself) and he doesn't put anything on the site that can't be confirmed.
I recall seeing a replica at the auto show in Buffalo ,NY IN 86 ,it was the one without the rear canopies .The car was a total letdown , the interior did not look like the original at all . The original had the Futura's steering wheel that was cut in half ,Adam West complained it was too difficult to handle , so they replaced the steering wheel with an Edsel steering wheel .I wonder what happened to the dragster ?
I was 5 in '66. Loved the batmobile then...2023 still loving it! Coolest TV/Movie car ever!!
I was 6
I’m gonna say it. The 1966 bat mobile looks the best out of all the other variations
Remember having the Corgi toy Batmobile for Xmas in the late 70's as a young boy still have it to this day piece of TV history great video
Those little plastic projectiles that fired from the tubes got used up/lost on day one!
@@johno4521 Yep.
Did you get the one with the Bat Boat and trailer?
Must admit to being very jealous.
@@markfryer9880 I was given the Batmobile with Batman and Robin and mortar rounds for a birthday around 1981. I very quickly lost Robin who could be ejected, and all of the mortar rounds. Memory says my mother found a good reason to re-gift it to a cousin many years later. I may have to take that up with her.
The saw blade on the front would cut a piece of thread if you held it right.
There's an American company, called Fiberglass Freaks, that does nothing but make Batmobile copies on order, and they do it very well.
Yup, the company is in the town where I live. Got to see one up close a few years ago. The attention to detail is nothing less than amazing!
Yes, highly interesting. I have known that the JAMES BOND - Aston Martin model from GOLDFINGER still gets rebuilt, seen one in San Mateo near San Franceisco thirty years ago. So this is maybe not astonishing but still reamarkable news
Mark is a friend of mine. I helped him out when he was working on a replica of the Futura for a certain entertainer who had bought it.
According to the contract, signed by Barris and Greenway productions (NOT 20th century fox), Barris had over six weeks to perform the modifications, which he didn't even do. The contract was signed September first, 1965 with a delivery date of October 15th. The car was then sent around the corner to Bill Cushenberry. Bill did all the metal modifications on the car. Barris did the wooden roll bar. The rest of the lights and gizmos were done in house at Greenway by the prop department. On the first day of filming the car was in flat black. The ignition fell out, the exhaust fell off, there were problems with the suspension and a thousand dollar tire blew out. They also had problems with overheating and dying batteries.
Gale Black and Korky Korkes were excellent metal men, who worked on the car together with Bill Cushenberry. Along with a couple helpers.
The Batman TV show was great fun, back then kids show were campy, silly and all but always had a moral to the story.
I sat in one of the cars when it was loaned to us for a promotion at a radio station I managed. Never in my "kid years" could I have guessed that I would one day SIT in the Batmobile!!
Turbines to power. "Check, Batman ! "
Biff!... Pow!... Splat!.... Absolutely Bat-tastic stuff.. 😊
Ya.....I watched it as a kid back then and HATED that stuff up on the screen. I'm sure the 8 year olds loved it though.
I was hoping the show would be a little more realistic than it was.....typical Hollywood glam and it didn't last long either.
George Barris did work for knight Rider
Best Batmobile ever designed. Loved it as a kid and still do.
The 89 batmobile wasnt bad either
@@GeorgiaRidgerunner Not bad but definitely not as great as the TV version.
@@pmafterdark i do love the tv version but i think the 89 version is just a visually stunning car
I hope at some point in future movies we see all the batmobiles make a cameo appearance
Btw the newest batmobile
I hate it it looks like someone bastardized a 60's camaro and a 69 charger
I LOVED My Mother the Car when I was a kid! So surreal!
Same. I hope that doesn't make us vulnerable to being brainwashed into a cult or something, Rico Grencau. :) It was not far outside the "golden age of American design." My dad had a Chrysler that looked a lot like the Batmobile. It was considered cool.
The speedometer was in the middle of the steering wheel.
@@ClockWithoutNumbers I thought it was a tv show. It reminds me of my life.
I Loved "Coach". Go figure!
I still remember the theme song!
Lincoln Futura: the best Batmobile EVER!!! Regards from Brazil.
What a car this was. Much more interesting than the movie's 'reincarnations' that followed.
The 1989 Batmobile was pretty cool, inspired the Batmobile in Batman, the Animated Series.
The Batmobile was bought at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. I was going to go look at it, but the admission price was $50 and I thought that was too much just to see a car. However, the buyer of the car lives near my city (Chandler, AZ) and every year about March they have a good sized car show in downtown Chandler. I went to the show and the owner of the Batmobile had brought his new to him car for anyone there to see. It was roped off, but you could get within a few feet of it. Beautiful car, and I saved $50! I had one of the Corgi Batmobile toys in the mid-1960’s and loved it. It’s probably in a landfill now, waiting for some future scavenger to find it.
If I remember correctly didn’t the Corgi Batmobile had a spring loaded blade which came out of the middle of the front of the car and plastic ‘flames’ from the exhaust pipe which moved in and out as you rolled it along. I can’t remember if I had it or my best friend. Sadly someone threw out all my Corgi toys - either my parents or my younger sister who is a compulsive organiser with little respect for other peoples property😢
It's been sold on now to Dave Anderson in Virginia.
I saw one once in the UK, about 30 years ago. To be driving along the lower Sunbury road towards Kingston and seeing the Batmobile coming towards you in the other direction was a bit of a shock and a surreal experience. It might have been on its way to Shepperton studios nearby. Either that or the driver was on his way home from Tescos.
I remember seeing that as well..... Also the Brading Wax works on the Isle of Wight, had their own version, which they used on the Isle, at one point it painted bright yellow....
A little way from Peckham I know, but it would have been a hoot if Del and Rodney had been inside, wearing their fancy dress costumes.
Prolly on his way home to the Batcave.
I suspect it was something to do with the following.... Coys of Kensington had an auction of "important historic sports, sports racing and grand prix cars" at the Nurburgring in Germany on 11th August 1990 which also included, for some reason, a 1966 Batmobile. Prior to the auction, the Batmobile was at Coys' London office and was taken for an illegal 'spin' by a couple of employees - presumably that's when you saw it.
I was a Video Cameraman at the time and was sent out to Germany to record all of the cars driving on part of the circuit to display on a large screen at the auction. I had the pleasure of sitting in the "trunk" (A panel which included the rocket launchers was removable) to film one of Coys employees and my sound recordist dressed at Batman and Robin driving it around. I still have the video somewhere.
Strangely it lists in the brochure, which I also have, that:
"It is not known how many Batmobiles were built, current thinking is that there were five or six on various bases, in different degrees of completion.The exceptional Batmobile available today is thought to be the sixth, produced by Hollywood Productions under licence from ABC-TV. The basis is a 1957 Lincoln Continental 2-door; the car is notable in being constructed from metal as opposed to fibreglass"
A couple of coincidences here as well... I was born in Sunbury (Halliford Rd), My dad worked it a factory in Hampton, opposite where Lower Sunbury Road meets Upper Sunbury Road (Lower Sunbury Road is a very short road, so just where you saw it...) and by chance I am driving a 1966 Batmobile replica in 5 days time at Abingdon Airfield 😃
@@ianfraser9287 Cool! And what a small world.... I'm pretty sure on the occasion i saw it there was only one person in it though. And Sunbury is quite as long way to take it for a joyride. It might have been the legitimate owner who bought it at the auction driving it
I’ve always liked the 60s Batmobile, the most beautiful of them all.
When the video said the design came from the Ghia studio, I thought ‘aha, makes perfect sense now!’
Such an interesting story, thanks a lot.
Cool video. I suppose you will have to do the 007 Aston??
Weirdly enough I didn't think of that, but maybe!
I saw one on the 210 (Los Angeles) a couple of years ago. I wonder how many batmobiles are out there.
Let's pause for a moment to consider such a gigantic lead sled doing the quarter mile in 12 seconds.
Yes pretty quick car
Mmmm...... one of the fibreglass replicas.
@@MechanicalSculptor on a full steel frame with fiberglass added to the exterior
Let's not forget it had a rocket booster.
427 Side Oiler and 4:11 gears
Love batman!!
Thanks for your research and production.
BTW, Jerry Van Dyke's mother was a 1928 model, not 1929...but she probably won't see the video anyway 😉
The orange pinstripe highlights were not on the car originally. If you watch the first few episodes you will see the car is flat black with white striping. The car was repainted gloss black and the stripes were changed to help the cars appearance on the screen.
The original had fuzzy finish like bat hair.
You're clueless and have no idea. Very first scene of the vsr in episode 1 it's got red stripes..
Incorrect. Test footage was used as filler in episode two, showing the car in flat black with white striping. That was the only time it was seen on screen that way.
@@hadleymanmusic It did not. The "Bat fuzz" was added to the fiberglass copies in the seventies to hide stress cracks in the fiberglass.
@@KevinWhite-zb5os seems like I read that in a 1960's popular science. I understood the fuzz wore off so it got regular paint
I saw one in Melbourne Florida, three days ago while on vacation. Yes, driving down the road.
Not a joke.
Fibre Glass Freaks in USA still makes them
There are so many tv vehicles that could be done. US or UK . I'll start with the reliant regal van. My names not dave. It's Rodney
There is always that one!
At last. Somebody who knows what Del's van was. Most refreshing
My mother the car was quite possibly one of the best shows that never took off. Loved watching it as a kid
I didn't feel comfortable when the narrator of the 1966 Batmobile Story said Obviously You could see why the My Mother The Car Sitcom Series was Destined to Only a Short Run. Relatability? I Guess?
In the 1970's, one of the original replicas was in a car museum near Chicago. I remember seeing it and being surprised by the fuzzy paint, since it looked glossy black on TV. I guess I know why now.
The car was covered in (bat fur) in order to cover the stress cracks that happened when the car body was removed from the mold
Back in the 80's I had my 70 Challenger TA in a self storage unit in Lynwood,California.On vacation from New York I was at the storage unit to take the Challenger out for the week. In the main office of the storage unit was a board with all kinds of stuff for sale from people in different units.One that caught my attention right away was a Batmobile for sale.Talking to the manager I inquired about the Batmobile and where it was.It was in the back outside under a tarp.Asked if I could see it and sure was the answer from the manager.Walked out back and there it was under a blue tarp.Uncovered it and couldn't believe what I was looking at.This was an original George Barris creation.Car was complete with interior and drivetrain intact.Popped the hood and a Ford 460 motor sat there complete.Amazed at how original the car was but in need of a total resto.Paint and body not bad for being left outside.This car was actually visible off the 710 south near Imperial Highway.Asking price was $10,000.Thought about it for the longest time but too late in making a decision.The Batmobile was sold and I believe it went to the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas for a total restoration.Not the original used in TV series but I believe this was a copy made for promotional touring back in the 60's.Damn did I miss out on this one.
I think and hope the Monkeemobile feature will be coming soon.
We'll see. I'll probably put it up for a vote in the future.
Yes I was also thinking of it, it was weirdly well designed for a show that didn’t really need a custom car
@John Barber thats why we still talking bout them *
I would love for the car to be converted back to the original concept Lincoln Furura. The rarity of a one off Ford design which appeared on screen in its own right would be awesome especially as more batmobiles, based on other platforms were made later.
What part of the original Batmobile is the most iconic prop car ever made don't you understand?
@@1pcfred I do understand. I am just expressing my opinion as a car lover as opposed to a batman or comic fan. That's where my interest lies.
@@stephenjcuk7562 regardless of where your interest lies you still have to recognize the significance of artifacts. As one movie character once famously said, It belongs in a museum!
@@1pcfred That's a valid point of view. It could be argued that the Futura should never have been butchered in the first place. After all Batman is a fictional character yet the car was a very real development. I subscribe to Little and Big 'car' for my love of cars, to me Batman is not the important bit but I accept to many people it is.
@@stephenjcuk7562 in an infinite Universe the concept of fiction has no meaning. Somewhere out there everything is quite real in the limited sense that we understand things. Then there's the multiverse to consider. Which hurts my brane. So we won't.
Pretty cool learning stuff about something I've enjoyed for 53 years! Us Gen Xers just didn't have access to this kind of info back in the day, so I don't know how I would ever have known this anyway. Thank you.
Monkeemobile next please!
Maybe - I'll probably put it up for a community vote.
OK...its time to do one on the UK's battery Milkfloat 🎥
I did - ua-cam.com/video/ljVAA1Tr8Yo/v-deo.html
Fascinating. Who knew Dick Van Dyke had a brother! Great vid thank you.
I didn't make the connection until you mentioned it. Looks like he died a couple of years ago.
In the States, Jerry had a fine career. Mostly disposable television, and not as extraordinary as his big brother. The kind of guy who always appeared as a special guest and popped up on Johnny Carson with his banjo a few times a year.
He was also Junior Douglas in the John Wayne film McLintock and you could tell he was a Van Dyke from his mannerisms and actions (he sings and dances). He also appeared in an episode of Fantasy Island later
Very interesting, I think Dick was well known over here in the UK (mainly through Mary Poppins I suspect) but can't say his brother was in the public consciousness here back then. Back on topic, I had a Batmobile toy car in my youth, remember getting it like it was yesterday. Just awestruck!
They build the 🦇Batmobile🦇 (the only authorized builder by DC Comics) in Logansport, Indiana, they also re-built the George Barris #6 Batmobile. They use a Lincoln Town car chassis, you pick the engine and Bat Accesories (including the real flamethrower) for roughly $200,000 depending. They build about 5 or 6 a year and sometimes you can see one driving around town or parked.
Zx80 on the shelf in the background : the very first computer I ever used
Glad you noticed it. It's my pride and joy - and also the first computer I ever used.
TRS 80 Colour Computer over here.
@@aaronleverton4221 Me, too. Still have a CoCo 2. Had the ZX-81's US equivalent, the Timex Sinclair TS1000. Sadly, it was a malfunctioning piece of junk that the CoCo replaced.
The car in "My Mother the Car" Was originally built by Norm Grabowski, it was a hot-rodded Ford Model T Touring. The studio then back-dated it to look more "antique" with 21" model A wire wheels and the "Porter" grille.
Still my favourite car of all time. I'm sure I'm not the only Boomer who feels this way.
Let this be a lesson to everyone attempting to create an informative UA-cam video.
This is where the bar has been set.
Failing to attain this level of competence will result in ridicule
I didn't even watch it and i already gave it a thumbs up.
Same
@@jamesengland7461 cool surname, sounds like James Bond
I'm guessing it'll be 2 thumbs up after watching it.
Many thanks. I was eating my tea and talking to Mrs Boss when I suddenly realised I had not given you the big Roman thumb up. Lol. Phew! Am glad I will not wake up in a cold sweat tonight now and relax.... Great video. Many thanks.
A black Humber Sceptre mk2 with mag wheels gives is batmobile in miniature..
...or a mk1 Vauxhall Cresta..
Nice video, nice to see someone do research and get the facts correct. There is one correction I must add. The steering wheel was unique on the Futura, built for the Futura. The Futura's steering wheel was removed in season 3 for an Edsel steering wheel and remains with the car today.
I remember seeing the car in the late 70's and wondered what happened to the paint. Now I understand.
Same here. We saw it at a car show in the Pittsburgh Civic Arena and it looked like it was covered in velvet instead of paint.
It's not a Batmobile, it's a Pimpmobile!!!
The 60's Batmobile is by far the best Batmobile in my opinion.
Best looking car ever
I thoroughly enjoyed they video!
This was an unexpected treat. Thank you.
I love TV and movie cars.
This is brilliant. More Film and TV car stories please.
I got to sit in the 1960s batmobile
Great design from the off.
That is a cool story.👍
When I was a kid there was a batmobile on display. I just had to go see it, but was disappointed. I remember that it had a "fuzzy" finish. When I saw the model you showed at 5:13 in your video, I think that was the one on display when I was a kid. For some reason, the promoters of that version thought the paint finish ought to be fuzzy, like a bat. But I much prefer the version that has shiny paint, like in the show.
I guess you explained this that they did it to hide the cracks.
Great video as always "Merci" I have a Matchbox Batman car, but I prefer the "The Green Hornet" with Vance William and Bruce Lee with a Chrysler Imperial called the "Black Beauty" filled with gadget. Bruce Lee was 80% of the show. I still have the "Black Beauty" as a Dinky toy.
Interesting and well presented, thanks.
George Barris once explained in an interview that he was in a pinch to finish the car and the only thing he could find that he could transform into something that looked like a jet exhaust was a coffee can, not a paint can, so he got to work trying to make it look like a jet exhaust which in his words was really just a propane torch shooting out through a coffee can.
Yet who didn't love to see that jet exhaust?
It's amazing how little is documented about the striking chrome tubes that jut out behind the canopy and this video is typically neglectful in ignoring them like there not there.
I believe they where an anti theft device that shot fireworks or rockets to draw attention to the batmobile if it was in trouble.
Possibility used once in the entire series so a very obscure but such a curious and unique feature of the car.
'My mother the car?' WHAT a premise. Sounds like a Readers Digest take on Transformer's!
I really need to see an episode of this now.
Great video mon ami. 🏆⚒️🇬🇧
Seen them in Glasgow in the 1960s when they came to our school and remember them driving down the hill
I'm not a car guy. Fancy cars do absolutely nothing for me.
That said, I think the number one thing I'd like to have before I die is a Batmobile.
I'm 65, I loved the TV show as a kid, the props used are one of the few inanimate objects that make me giddy.
Owning a Batmobile I think, would make me silly happy. 🦇🦇🦇
The original Batmobile sold via Barrett Jackson auctions for $4.2 million. I was watching the B/J auction and saw it happen live. It eventually started a bidding war that lasted almost 10 minutes. It was amazing.
As far as I’m concerned that one will always be the Batmobile.
That's what he said. You just converted it from pounds 🤣
Im guessing your over 75
"lend," not loan
After the first year the producers were so upset with Barris they had considered building their own car using Dean Jeffries who later built the Black Beauty for Greenway Productions. . Due to demand the car was frequently out "on tour" causing production delays on the show. The car really was quite unreliable especially with overheating. To make a ton of cash and to appease the show Barris made the replicas to send out on the touring circuit and did some mechanical work on the #1 car - adding an electrical fan ( which actually overloaded the alternator and battery ) but it was available for filming. As this was really a show car and not really that road worthy the car suffered many drawbacks such as the brakes fading during long chase scenes or the doors flying open. Over all the car was iconic and great on film but hated by Dozier and staff due to unreliability and issues with Barris doing little more than cashing in on a car he bought for a dollar. The one built by a fan was not bought by Barris he won that in a copyright lawsuit. Barris never used any of the replicas for 20th Century work only the original car was ever on film.
Zayre department store at 6:38! I bought their knockoff Member’s Only. Haha.
in 65 the famosu sfx of thebatmobile starting up was heard in the movie The Great Race.......How Did They Manufacture That Sound???? Does Anyone Know??
BATMAN, swinging from a rubber band, BATMAN, eating from a garbage can, BATMAN, screwing every one he can . . . . . It's what we sang back when the campy Batman show was on two evenings per week. (I usually just watched Lost in Space, which was not quite as campy.)
That was absolutely fascinating. I had no idea about the story behind the cart so I loved that.
Does anybody know anything about the yellow Isle of Wight wax museum bat mobile?
I would’ve loved to have seen a ‘59 cadmobile
Find it hard to believe there is was NO inspiration from Alfa Romeo's B.A.T. 5/7/9 series of show cars in the mid 50's that influenced G Barris' design choice.
They are practically bat mobiles 'from the factory'.
There were five batmobiles in total from George Barris; #1 was the Futura conversion, #2, 3 and 4 were fibreglass replicas built for public appearances at shopping malls etc. and #5 was an all metal replica built as a stunt double to the #1 hero car. The company licensed to build replicas is Fiberglass Freaks.
What happened to the dragster Batmobile?
@@josephforest7605 as far as I know, #5 was the one that performed at the drag strips.
@@Rigel_Chiokis Where is it today?
@@Jay-vr9ir no idea. In 2018 it sold at an auction for $165,000, but of course the auction site doesn't name the buyer.
The #4 was the Dragster. The #5 was the one that Barris bought from a fan who built it from a 1958 T-Bird. @@Rigel_Chiokis
Again an informative and enjoyable video. I saw one of these at a firestone service station as late as the 80's.
HA HA HA WOOHAA LOL HA. HOLY. Corona virus. Batman ,
I hope this CRATE wasnt built in. Wooohan ?
I saw this car in exhibition in 60's....it looked like a modified Mercury...cheap, cheap, and ratty looking
The only 66 Batmobile toy I had was plastic and Batman and Robin we're only bust head to pectoral I did not have.Mego Batman my first Batman was super powers then I got Michael Keaton's Batman
Damn! I can't stand it when my cape gets caught in the door.
They just auctioned the 1966 Batmobile, but how do they know it's the original. There were 5 made for the TV series each with a different function. One of the five was totalled, four survived.
Ohhhh thank god you have this video, I knew there was felt on some of these batmobiles, my sisters dad worked on the original his name was gale black. I thought I was going crazy for a bit there by thinking it wasn’t fuzzy when I touched it at the shop in 1980, there was also the Incredible Hulk truck and the coyote from hardcastle and mc cormick before it even hit the tv show, I have a picture somewhere of me standing next to it when it was primer red white black…..
Amazing story and video as always thank you (:
Ps Any plans to do a feature on Stansky's Ford Grand Torino ??? (:
Maybe. I was thinking of the Knight Rider car next. We'll see how "TV cars" goes.
@John Barber He is a n upper class version Haha
@John Barber Lol...we always called them Starter and Clutch!
*Gran. No d.
The proper Batmobile
Actually Ford was storing the car at Barris lot and instead of paying the back storage fees, they sold the car to him for a dollar
In the summer of 1968, when I was 7 years old, I went to the local shop (Orpington in Kent) to get something for my mum and coming down the street was the Batmobile. Batman was standing in the cockpit waving, while Robin was driving. Crowds lined the street and were waving and cheering. I was absolutely amazed, as I loved the show and had a Dinky Batmobile. I ran home and told my mum and she called me a liar! I never told her anything ever again.
Was that not a corgi? Also matchbox did one I believe
The color on the original Lincoln Futura was...according to Gotham Garage who made a replica from the original mold...was Seafoam Green. It was a very light color of green.
At the end of the video it feels like there should be more, based on the voice inflections of the narrator; it becomes saddening and disappointing when this does not happen.
When you see Batman and Robin climb a tall skyscraper, they are actually walking across a horizontal stage bent over grabbing a rope end-over-end.
This is probably the best Most accurate video documenting the Batmobile, on the internet.!! . Most of what is said is correct. The only things that I picked out were that were incorrect were that Barris had bought the Futura previous to being approached by the producers to build a Batmobile. Barris always liked a good story, and was a great promoter... Saying that he bought it for "One Dollar" was a good PR thing.. Personally I think the real story is even better. Barris had the Futura sitting in his back lot because the car had been used in a couple movies. One of which was "It Started With a Kiss" starring Glenn Ford and Debbie Reynolds .. But he didn't own it when the producers approached him, which was actually in August of 1965. By the time the deal was settled for him to provide the Batmobile he did indeed have a very short time to get the car ready, and he actually modified the Futura before he bought it..!! George Barris was a shrewd businessman. He had done design work and some custom work for Ford, and the Futura had been sitting in his back lot for several years. Barris sent a bill to Ford for the work he had done, and the "Storage Fees" for the Futura.. There was a disagreement on the money and George said that he would take the Futura in trade. In order to make the deal legal there had to be money exchanged, so the contract for the sale of the Futura actually says for "One dollar plus other valuable considerations" .. But of course Barris left that last part out, to make it sound better.. Also the date of sale was December 21, 1965 .. Almost two months after the car was delivered to the set of Batman the first time..!! Other than that, the air scoops on the fins of the Futura weren't for cooling the rear brakes, they were air inlets for the air conditioning system, which was indeed in the trunk. Everything else in the video is pretty darned accurate,despite what some of the commenters below have posted.. People who want to study more about the car should check out www.1966batmobile.com .. Eric Seltzer runs that page and knew George Barris personally, as well as just about every fan who has built a replica Batmobile (including myself) and he doesn't put anything on the site that can't be confirmed.
Man, imagine buying a concept car for $1...
I recall seeing a replica at the auto show in Buffalo ,NY IN 86 ,it was the one without the rear canopies .The car was a total letdown , the interior did not look like the original at all . The original had the Futura's steering wheel that was cut in half ,Adam West complained it was too difficult to handle , so they replaced the steering wheel with an Edsel steering wheel .I wonder what happened to the dragster ?
I love you and miss your beautiful family and I lover her you are a wonderful woman and I love you. ❤️ ❤😂🎉😢😮😅😊
AND! ! ! It sold for 4 and 1/2 Million Dollars at Barret/Jackson auction.
Here is the actual auction where the car was sold for 4.2 million US Dollars. ua-cam.com/video/TNIpjHy7500/v-deo.html
there were originally 5 fiberglass copies made by Randy Wright , or at least he made the molds and bodies for the Replica Copy Bat Mobiles
One of my most treasured possessions is my Corgi Batmobile...........
In my mind they is only two Batman cars and it’s 1966 Batman car and the Tumblr but l would say other people would say no but hay
ALL AND EVERYTHING ABOUT BATMAN WAS I
YES I. JAMES MCKAY
CREATOR OF FROM THE 60'S
THAT MUCH BEEN UNPAID
👍👍🇧🇷🇧🇷
I'm surprised it sold for only 4.2 million. Who doesn't want to own the Batmobile?
Always love your way of presentation and story telling👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks Joshua