{"id":27840,"date":"2013-02-05T20:58:36","date_gmt":"2013-02-06T01:58:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rbach.net\/blog\/index.php\/"},"modified":"2021-08-16T13:00:03","modified_gmt":"2021-08-16T17:00:03","slug":"holy-sticker-shock-batman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rbach.net\/index.php\/holy-sticker-shock-batman\/","title":{"rendered":"Holy Sticker Shock Batman"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Holy<\/a>Holy bidding war, Batman! The original Batmobile<\/strong><\/a> from the iconic \u201860s TV series, Batman<\/a><\/strong>, has nabbed a $4.2 million winning bid at the Barrett-Jackson Auction<\/a> reports<\/a> TheDetroitBureau.com.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Batman<\/a>It took legendary Los Angeles<\/a> customizer George Barris<\/a> just 15 days to design the bubble-topped 2-seat Batmobile. Mr. Barris says he wanted it to be \u201ca star on its own,\u201d along with the show\u2019s Adam West<\/a> and Burt Ward<\/a>, who played Batman and Robin. \u201cWith every pow, bang, wow, wee, I wanted the car to do something just like the actors<\/em>,\u201d the 87-year-old Barris told Reuters. \u201cThe car had to be a star on its own. And it became one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phoenix entrepreneur Rick Champagne placed the winning $4.2 million bid for the one-of-a-kind Batmobile, at the Barrett-Jackson Auction<\/strong>, one of the country\u2019s biggest classic car auctions. The winner will pay another $420,000 in buyer premiums before driving it back home. \u201cI really liked Batman growing up and I came here with the intention of buying the car,<\/em>\u201d explained the 56-year-old Champagne. \u201cSure enough, I was able to buy it. That was a dream come true.<\/em>\u201d\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The nearly 20 feet long black with red stripes Batmobile was based on the 1955 Lincoln Futura<\/a><\/strong> concept car. Mr. Barris<\/a>, who had already created a number of unique vehicles for TV and film, purchased the show car from\u00a0Ford<\/a> (F<\/a>) for $1 but then spent another $15,000 customizing it for Batman<\/em><\/a>, which ran on TV from 1966 to 1968.<\/p>\n

Barris, the \u201cKing of the Kustomizers<\/strong>\u201d equipped the Caped Crusader\u2019s cruiser with a variety of weapons and special effects<\/a>, including laser beams, oil slick, and smoke generators, an ejector, rockets, nails, and an anti-theft system. Bloomberg<\/a><\/em> says<\/a> the 500-horsepower Batmobile has a fake jet exhaust in the back (a painted 10-gallon bucket), a Batphone<\/a>, and two packed parachutes that actually work used to effect a \u201cBat turn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"George<\/a>Mr. Barris also made other memorable TV and movie cars, including the \u201cBack to the Future<\/a>\u201d DeLorean<\/a>, \u201cThe A-Team<\/a>\u201d van<\/a>, and KITT Trans Am<\/a>. Mr. Barris maintained ownership of the Batmobile and has kept it in his private museum in California. He finally decided it was time to sell.<\/p>\n