Famed auto customizer George Barris is putting the Batmobile -- which he customized from a 1955 Ford -- up for sale.
With atomic batteries to power and turbines to speed, the original Batmobile is ready to rev up the auction block.
The 1955 Lincoln Futura that California custom-car designer George Barris pimped out into Batman and Robin’s ride on the 1960s hit TV show is set to be sold on Jan. 19.
“It’s a big part of my life,” Barris, 87, told the Daily News Thursday. “But I thought about it and decided it should be shared with people around the world, not sitting in my showroom in North Hollywood.”
Barris, who has owned the 19-foot-long, bubble-topped two-seater for 46 years, revealed that he bought it from the Ford Motor Company for $1 and spent $15,000 to turn it into piece of TV history.
The Arizona auctionhouse Barrett-Jackson is expecting a pow! bam! bidding war and believes the car will fetch “multiple millions” by the time gavel comes down.
“It is definitely the No. 1 most famous car I’ve designed,” said Barris, whose other notable cars include the casket-dragster from “The Munsters” and KITT from the “Knight Rider” series.
The Batmobile features its original souped-up V-8 engine, hydro-automatic transmission and an array of gadgets, including a Bat Ray projector, Bat Eye switch and two rear-mounted parachutes.
It does not really have atomic batteries, by the way.
Visit the 1966 Batmobile Website - HERE
11/16/12- George Barris has owned the original Lincoln Futura/#1 1966 TV Batmobile for over 50 years. This particular car was featured in all of the episodes of Batman that ran from 1966-1968. The Barris' have now decided to sell their most famous & prized possession to the highest bidder. This Batmobile is is the most recognized and popular piece of entertainment history, worldwide. This is the first time that the original Batmobile has been up for sale. The sale includes memorabilia and documentation from George's personal archive. Lot #5037 will hit the auction block in mid-January of 2013 at the Barrett-Jackson auction in AZ with a reserve.
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