Here is some interesting background information regarding the original Batmobile: In the 1960s, the Barris firm became heavily involved in vehicle design for television production. At the beginning of the decade, Barris, who loved extravagant design, had purchased the Lincoln Futura (see first photo, below), a 1955 concept car which had been built by Ghia of Italy. It remained in his collection for several years, until he was rather unexpectedly asked by ABC television to create a signature vehicle for their Batman television series. Time was very short, as filming would begin in a few weeks, leaving insufficient time for a new design from scratch. Instead, Barris decided the Futura was a perfect base on which to create the Batmobile. Barris hired custom builder Gene Cushenberry to modify the car, which was ready in three weeks. The show was a hit, and the car gained notoriety for Barris. He retained ownership of the Batmobile until an auction on January 19, 2013, when Barris sold it for $4,620,000.
For you Batman fans, here is the official website for the 1966 Batmobile. It has a lot of interesting facts and cool photos. The site provides specifications for the TV car and three other ones that were built in 1966 for exhibitions and touring: TV Car- 390 Ford engine, 1955 Lincoln Concept chassis, Steel body, 5,500 lbs. Copy #1- 390 Ford engine, 1965-66 Ford Galaxie chassis, Fiberglass body, 3,800 lbs. Copy #2- 352 Ford engine, 1965-66 Ford Galaxie chassis, Fiberglass body, 3,800 lbs. Copy #1- 427 Ford engine, 1965-66 Ford Galaxie chassis, Fiberglass body, 3,800 lbs. The Classic 1966 TV Batmobile (1966batmobile.com)
