Specifications – The #1 Batmobile
The 1966 Batmobile Specifications
History
Year built/modified October 1965
Original car used 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car
Original sale price & date Sold to George Barris for $1.00 in December 21, 1965
Designed by George Barris with input from Eddie Graves from 20th Century Fox
Customized by George Barris with Gale Black, Bill Cushenbery, Richard "Korky" Korkes, Les Tompkins & Roy "Tubs" Johnson
Contractual owners (1965) George Barris, Irvin Kuns, Lester E. Tompkins, individuals d/b/a Barris Kustom City
Time to build/customize Approximately 3 weeks
Cost to modify the Lincoln Futura $30,000
Approximate value in 1966 $125,000
SPECIFICATIONS
Curb weight 5500 lb
Wheelbase 126 in.
Length 225 in.
Width (Front) 84 in.
Width (Rear) 79 in.
Height 48 in.
Fins 84 in.
ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN
Engine 390ci, V-8
Transmission B&M Hydro 3-speed automatic (2nd transmission)
CHASSIS & BODY
Layout Front engine/rear drive
Body Construction Steel
Tires worn in the 60's 15" Firestone Wide-Oval, Mickey Thompson and US Royal Laredo
Wheels worn in the 60's 15x7 single rib Rader cast-alloy five spoke
Tires worn in the 70's & 80's Mohawk Super Mag 70
Wheels worn in the 70's & 80's 15" Appliance Wire Wheels
Tires worn in the 90's and 2000's BF Goodrich Radial T/A 235/70 R15
Wheels worn in the 90's and 2000's 15" Dragway Deep Dish
Wheels worn from 2010-2018 (approx.) 15x7 Tri-Ribb III by Radir Wheels
Current tires 15" Mickey Thompson
Current wheels 15x7 single rib Rader cast-alloy five spoke (custom)
INTERIOR & EXTERIOR DETAILS
Exterior paint color "Velvet Bat-Fuzz Black" from Metalflake, Inc.
Trim color 3/4" Fluorescent Cerise
Bat knock-off for rims Aluminum bats
Safety belts Cumming & Sander impact safety belts
Emergency Bat-turn lever "Candy Red" Ansen "T" handle
Power Accelerator T-Arm "Candy Silver" Ansen "T" handle
Gas tank Moon Aluminum tank
Exhaust turbine Built from a 5 gallon metal paint can
Parachute packs 2 qty by Deist
Parachute information 2 qty 10 foot ribbon chutes by Deist
1965 California License plate Transportation Registration Plate (TRP 037)
Gotham License plates 4 quantity used during the TV show: TP-6597, BAT-1, 2F-3567, ZEF 451
1965-66 Steering wheel A modified "U" shaped steering wheel (originally from the Lincoln Futura)
1967-68 Steering wheel In April 1967, an uncut 1958 Edsel wheel replaced the original
BATMOBILE TIMELINE
August 20, 1965 Meeting with George Barris, Charles FitzSimons (from Fox), and Ike Danning (from Fox Transportation Dpt.) to discuss building a Batmobile
August 25, 1965 Batmobile proposal submitted by Barris Kustom City, including 2 sketches.
September 1, 1965 Contract signed to build the Batmobile
October 11, 1965 "Batmobile I" completed and delivered
October 18, 1965 Mechanical issues (headlights, battery, exhaust, ignition and tire) with Batmobile
December 21, 1965 "Futura Show Car" aka the Batmobile, officially sold to George Barris for $1.00.
January 12, 1966 Batman airs on ABC Television
February 3, 1966 First Exhibition of the Batmobile at the Pan Pacific Auditorium for the Winternational Motorama
February 2, 1966 Looking into building a second Batmobile for "exhibition purposes"
August 3, 1966 The Batman movie premieres
August 15, 1966 Contract to "construct two copies of the Batmobile"
September 15, 1966 Expiration of the option to either continue renting Batmobile I or to require Barris Kustom City to construct Batmobile II
September 21, 1966 Amended contract regarding exhibition of copies of the Batmobile, and refurbishing of Batmobile I.
October 12, 1966 Batmobile exhibition agreement synopsis written by Charles B. FitzSimons
October 18, 1966 Patented by George Barris. US Design Patent # Des. 205998
November 1966 Barris Kustom City replicated Batmobile I and created 3 fiberglass copies
January 11, 1967 Barris in "process of acquiring a fourth Batmobile" (must be Jim Sermersheim's fan-built car)
March 9, 1967 Delivered to Barris Kustom City to be "refurbished." Refurbishment included, "put Batmobile I in first-class operating condition by completely refurbishing the interior and exterior of the body...and all mechanical moving parts therein, including the installation of a new engine and drive train."
April 15, 1967 Batmobile due back to 20th Century Fox fully refurbished
June 16, 1967 Barris requesting the intention to acquire an additional Batmobile ..."known as Batmobile #5"
January 23, 1968 "Prop-return time on the Batman Series. This is the property of George Barris and must be returned to him. Fox has the right to remove any props installed by the studio. This may be more expensive than to return the car intact."
March 14, 1968 Last episode of Batman aired
January 14, 1992 Roy Terrence "Tubs" Johnson passed away--Batmobile builder
December 12, 1998 Bill Cushenbery passed away--Batmobile builder
January 19, 2013 George Barris sells the #1 Batmobile, lot #5037, at the Barrett-Jackson auction for $4.2 million to Rick Champagne
June 2015 The #1 Batmobile goes up for sale, asking price $5,000,000
November 5, 2015 George Barris passed away at the age of 89
August 2016 The Batmobile was purchased by Dave Anderson, sale price is undisclosed
July 2016 Richard "Korky" Korkes passed away--Batmobile builder
November 2018 Michael Gale Black passed away--Batmobile builder
June 2019 Tony Wood passed away--Barris employee/friend & Batmobile fan
ORIGINAL REQUIREMENTS FROM THE 1965 CONTRACT

Owner shall either provide and install or provide for the installation of the following items:

1. The Switches and Hand-throttle knob for the Turbo-electric Drive.

2. The Bing-Bong Warning Bell and Bat-Light Flasher.

3. The Mobile Phone between the seats with Beeper and Flashing Light.

4. The Batscope, with TV-like Viewing Screen on the dash with control buttons and Radar-like Antenna with aimable parabolic Reflector outside, with cockpit controls.

5. Anti-theft System- Flashing Red Lights- Piercing Whistle- Little rockets built into tubes at the back of the cockpit that fire straight up with a fiery whoosh.

6. Anti-fire Control System- Flood of Foam from Secret Nozzle.

7. Turn-off switch for Protection Systems.

8. Radar-like screen that Beeps and Blips and points an arrow as it picks up Robin's directional signal.

9. Mechanics for Emergency Bat Turn- Red Lever so named on Dash-Reverse Thrust Rockets beneath headlights- Ejection Parachute Mechanism at rear.

10. Bat-Ray Projector Mechanism- Lever on Dash so names- Hood Hydraulic Projector Device. (With possibility of ray coming from Bat-Eyes).

11. Portable Fire-Extinguisher.

12. Receiver and Sender Computer to be installed in trunk of Batmobile.

13. Bat symbols on hubcaps.

14. The color of the Batmobile and the Bat Symbols to be placed thereon shall be mutually agreed upon between Owner and Producer prior to the completion of the Batmobile.

15. Special luminescent paint to define Bat outline at night, the placement of which shall be mutually agreed upon between Owner and Producer prior to the completion of the Batmobile.

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