iOwnTheWorld.com

Recession? What recession?

I actually watched that auction tonight. Absolutely amazing!

+4

Lincoln? Looks more like an old Chrysler Imperial.

Four mil, eh? Does Robin come with it?

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Featuring Truman Capote as “The Fonz”!

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It’s great if ur a crime fighter.

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You sure thats not a 58 Ford Fairlane?

+4

If the guy in the picture bought it, he’s still not getting laid.

+8

The guy in the picture built it.

+7

The Batmobile is a Ford Futura

from Wikipedia

In late 1965 20th Century Fox Television and William Dozier’s Greenway Productions contracted renowned Hollywood car customizer Dean Jeffries to design and build a “Batmobile” for their upcoming Batman TV series. He started customizing a 1959 Cadillac, but when the studio wanted the program on the air in January 1966, and therefore filming sooner than he could provide the car, Jeffries was paid off, and the project went to George Barris. Barris was trying to get Hollywood’s attention with the Futura, but aside from “It Started With a Kiss” in 1959, the Futura had been languishing in his Hollywood shop for several years. With only three weeks to finish the Batmobile (although in recent years Jeffries says that his car was dropped because he was told it was needed in “a week and a half”, he was quoted in 1988 as saying “three weeks” as well), Barris decided that, rather than building a car from scratch, it would be relatively easy to transform the distinctive Futura into the famous crime-fighting vehicle. Design work was conducted by Herb Grasse, working as an associate designer for Barris.

Barris hired Bill Cushenbery to do the metal modifications to the car and its conversion into the Batmobile was completed in just three weeks, at a reported cost of US$30,000. They used the primer-painted, white-striped car in October, 1965, for a network presentation reel. Shortly afterward, the car was painted gloss black with “fluorescent cerise” stripes. Barris retained ownership of the car and leased it back to 20th Century Fox and Greenway Productions for use in the series. The estimated 1966 value of the Barris Batmobile was about $125,000, but today it is estimated to be worth at least US$2 million.

In December 1965 Ford sold the Futura to Barris; despite its huge original production cost—the equivalent of approximately US$2 million in 2009[18]—Barris was able to buy the vehicle for the nominal sum of $1.00 and “other valuable consideration”.

When filming for the series began, several problems arose due to the age of the car: it overheated, the battery went dead, and the expensive Mickey Thompson tires kept blowing. By mid season, the engine and transmission were replaced with those of a Ford Galaxie. The most frequent visual influence of this car is that later Batmobiles usually have a rear rocket thruster that fires as the car makes a fast start.

+9

2 weeks later it gets run over by a city bus, or he forgets to set the brakes…and there goes 4 mill. Lol

+3

“The guy in the picture built it.”

He’s STILL not getting lid. But, you have excelled at your job tonight. Risen to the challenge. I think you deserve a raise.

+4

Tell BFH LOL

+4

Laid, damn it!

+1

Lincoln Futura was built on a Continental chassis.

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not many people are aware of that lil tidbit . not trying to rock the boat. Continental Mark II is what the Futura was built on.

+2

License plate reads: COMPENS8

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I grew up in LA, and we saw the car at a local burger joint when I was a kid. I was so excited. Now it’s just a fond memory of a day with my dad. He’s in his final days, so it has a special meaning.

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Is he a little person or is that just a weird picture?

+3

The gut that purchased it is going to put it in his
living room.

+4

If I had the money, I would have bid on it. That is simply the most iconic car to have ever rolled down a highway, a piece of Americana that perfectly reflected a time when this once great nation was on the ascendacy.

“To the Batmobile!”

+4

Cool car. And all of the information here is correct. On the “Christopher Nolan” “Dark Knight Triolgy” Batman movies series Blu-Ray disc set, there are 2 extra Special Features discs – 1 for The Dark Night and 1 for Dark Night Rises. The SF disc for that last movie has a whole story about the many Batmobiles. It is really worth a watch!

+3

I just checked – It’s a “Blu-Ray Limited Edition Giftset”. If you are a Dark Knight fan, this is a must.

+1

Better not take that out and park near any OWS trash. That is a guarantee to have that car keyed.

+1

What’s the gas milage?

+1

I’m sorry, but I must be the only one who thinks that this version of the Batmobile is laughable…

I remember on the show that goofy background music that would play whenever the car was in motion.

Why’d they have a red light on the batmobile, anyways? They weren’t firemen…

+1

Environmentalists wanted it crushed and made into about a dozen Smart Cars…

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