[Movies] Original 1966 Batmobile Going Up For Auction
Posted by Joseph Lee on 11.29.2012
Holy monetary gain, Batman!
Superhero Hype reports that the original Batmobile from the 1966 Adam West TV show is going up for auction. Car auctioning company Barrett-Jackson made the announcement today. The car will be sold at the 42nd annual Scottsdale auction in January. It was the only 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car that was modified by customizer George Barris to become the Batmobile in the series and its movie adaptation. It will be included with Barrett-Jackson's 5000 Series on Saturday, January 19th from 5:00pm – 9:00pm.
The car has been a part of Barris' personal collection since he first bought it from the Ford Motor Company for a dollar in 1965. This will be the first time the car has been sold since then. Barris created the car in only fifteen days with a budget of $15,000.
Craig Jackson, Chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson, said: "The 1966 Batmobile by George Barris is one of the most famous Hollywood cars in history and it has become a true icon that has been carried from generation to generation of Batmobiles to follow. This vehicle not only marks the significant Bat logo that sits on the middle of its door, but a time in television history where they defied the odds of making a car the real star of the show. It revolutionized an entire industry that followed in its footsteps and we couldn't be prouder to have it cross our block in Scottsdale as it goes up for sale for the very first time."
The car includes a 390-in 1956 Lincoln V-8 engine and a B&M Hydro Automatic transmission. Gadgets include a nose-mounted aluminum Cable Cutter Blade, Bat Ray Projector, Anti-Theft Device, Detect-a-scope, Batscope, Bat Eye Switch, Antenna Activator, Police Band Cut-In Switch, Automatic Tire Inflation Device, Remote Batcomputer, the Batphone, Emergency Bat Turn Lever, Anti-Fire Activator, Bat Smoke, Bat Photoscope and more. If possible, the car could do a 180° "bat-turn" thanks to two rear-mounted ten-foot Deist parachutes.
It was also featured in Christopher Nolan's Batmobile documentary, which will be a bonus feature on the DVD and Blu-Ray of The Dark Knight Rises. It will be auctioned off with memorabilia and documentation from Barris' personal archives.
