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Motion Pictures it started with a kiss-batmobile

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by dermott, Aug 19, 2011.

  1. hey everyone..... i was channel hopping through t.v. land and up pops a red custom, looked like the batmobile. the movie is called... started with a kiss 1959, the body, bubble top roof and that front end and rear fins. any one remember that car, info, pics-stills .... debbie reynolds starred in it. thanks, dermott.:confused::confused::confused:
     
  2. mrjynx
    Joined: Nov 24, 2008
    Posts: 971

    mrjynx
    BANNED

    You just met the lincoln futura. it was the batmobile before george barris cut it up.
     
  3. scrubba
    Joined: Jul 20, 2010
    Posts: 939

    scrubba
    Member

    Thas right Movie fans . That car was in that movie , painted Red . That was the last time before it was crucified into ................. scrubba
     
  4. KoolKat-57
    Joined: Feb 22, 2010
    Posts: 3,073

    KoolKat-57
    Member
    from Dublin, OH

    On TCM as I write, Cool Car, Yes that is the Lincoln that became the Batmobile!
    Great car and is the main feature of the movie, which isn't that good!
     

  5. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    That was the Lincoln Futura, before it was butchered.

    The King of Kustomisers is trying to take the blame for that, but from what I've read, it was Bill Cushenberry that did the acctual work.

    1955_Lincoln_Futura_01.jpg

    cp115.jpg

    ChusenberryBatmobile01-vi.jpg

    ChusenberryBatmobile02-vi.jpg

    Hopefully someday the damage will be undone...
     
  6. carcrazyjohn
    Joined: Apr 16, 2008
    Posts: 4,843

    carcrazyjohn
    Member
    from trevose pa

    It was a 55 lincoln futura and later Barris found in a junkyard and turned it into the batmobile....The true story ,Also heard that the batmobile was predesigned also.
     
  7. HellRaiser
    Joined: Jun 14, 2006
    Posts: 1,241

    HellRaiser
    Member
    from Podunk, NE

    And I turn the channel over to something else:(:(:( I really didn't want to watch one of those old Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Conner movies they were showing on the TCM today.


    HellRaiser
     
  8. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    That is not the story I heard...

    Appearently Ford forgot to pick it up after the movie, and Barris let the storage fees add up untill he could take the car for next to nothing.
     
  9. carcrazyjohn
    Joined: Apr 16, 2008
    Posts: 4,843

    carcrazyjohn
    Member
    from trevose pa

    It was in a magazine that it was found in a junkyard ,I forget which car mag ,
     
  10. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    Probably HRM, they also printed that Barris did the work... :rolleyes:
     
  11. VoodooTwin
    Joined: Jul 13, 2011
    Posts: 3,453

    VoodooTwin
    Member
    from Noo Yawk

    I saw Barris on TV recently talking about the Batmobile.....said he had all of 2 weeks to turn it from that Futura into the Batmobile.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  12. carcrazyjohn
    Joined: Apr 16, 2008
    Posts: 4,843

    carcrazyjohn
    Member
    from trevose pa

    Im on the eastcoast ,You guys are closer to what could of really happened.Story could of got distorted.......I think the book was famous movie cars where are they now,Had a good write up on Happydays Ralph 's car , A nd the famous coffin car from the munsters,,,,,,
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2011
  13. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    It probably was...

    One way or another.

    And it doesnt really matter, as long as we can have the Futura back someday.
     
  14. thanks for the stories, was this the first bubble top. before ed roth used his pizza oven in the 60,s . dermott.:D
     
  15. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    I dont know if it was the first, but it has a very interesting history.

    Inspiration for it came from Bill Schimidt who was scubadiving in the Bahamas and had a run in with a shark.

    It was built by the coachbuilder Ghia in Italy.

    And at the time it broke records for being the most expensive Detroit Concept Car built.
     
  16. Special Ed
    Joined: Nov 1, 2007
    Posts: 7,967

    Special Ed
    Member

    I just posted this pic on the History of Los Angeles thread the other day. Clearly shows George working on the original batmobile. It's dated 1966.

    [​IMG]
     
  17. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    2 of the pics I posted were taken in Cushenberry's shop.
     
  18. mrjynx
    Joined: Nov 24, 2008
    Posts: 971

    mrjynx
    BANNED

    Actually there were multiple cars built for the series. about 4 copies of the batcar so that pic may not prove anything.
     
  19. mrjynx
    Joined: Nov 24, 2008
    Posts: 971

    mrjynx
    BANNED

    my memories hazy but it goes something like, and this is vague but i cant be bothered checking my facts. before it went to barris shop, it was going to be cut up to feature in another sci fi B-movie, which is where the pic of it in masking tape with that large chunk cut out of it comes from.
    bill was going to do it for the bat series but didnt have time so it went to barris to do. or something like that. so just be weary, those pics may be of the first time it was being worked on, not them turning it into the batmobile.

    bed time..


    edit, thats the pic, those cuts are for the other movie.

    [​IMG]
     
    Stogy likes this.
  20. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    Thanks for posting those pics.

    I had not seen those before...

    Looks like some of the tapelines match this pic.

    futurapol1.jpg


    I guess what happened to it after the movie is part of its history too.

    ( in a supermodel turned crackwhore kind of way...)
     
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  21. Special Ed
    Joined: Nov 1, 2007
    Posts: 7,967

    Special Ed
    Member


    I disagree. It actually proves two things. :cool:
    1. It proves the car was at Barris' shop being worked on. Whether or not it was finished there is another story.
    2. It proves George actually did something on the car, even if it was to only hang a headlight ring.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  22. I was watching "how is made" and they show a guy in indiana reproducing batmobiles made from fiberglass.
    He said he coudnt find the blueprints but he did find the original clay model so he reproduced the panels from it.
    I dont know why i thought this was relevant.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  23. Jonnie King
    Joined: Aug 12, 2007
    Posts: 2,078

    Jonnie King
    Member
    from St. Louis

    Dick Dean also worked on the Batmobile. He told me his version of the story in 2001.
    Barris did buy the car...for a very reasonable figure.


    JK
     
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  24. fbama73
    Joined: Jul 12, 2008
    Posts: 989

    fbama73
    Member

    My wife went to school with Mark Racop (the new batmobile guy) She certainly has some stories to tell about him. A little obsessed with Batman.
     
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  25. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
    Member Emeritus

    I often wondered why someone dosen`t buy the Batman Kit car and turn it into the Lincoln Futura, it`d make a nice lookin custom.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  26. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    ford-x-1%20%28Large%29.jpg

    ford-x-2%20%28Large%29.jpg
     
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  27. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
    Member Emeritus

    I told you it`d make a nice custom. Now LOWER it and chop the top a bit.
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2011
  28. there is a guy in cincinnati (actually fairfield) that has one of the fiber glass replicas that is SUPPOSEDLY the most accurate correct version of the futura painted red its in his private collection and very rarely sees the light of day but it is supposed to be very well known
     
  29. roaddog
    Joined: Sep 26, 2005
    Posts: 80

    roaddog
    Member

    hey i was flipping through the channels tonight and i happened to watch the movie as soon as i seen the car i told my wife how that became the famous batmobile by george barris.it was really cool because the car was in the movie for more than just a shot or two,it was really driving and it looked really cool running down the road.
     
  30. TooManyFords
    Joined: May 21, 2008
    Posts: 553

    TooManyFords
    Member
    from Peotone IL

    [​IMG]
    Chicago world of wheels a couple of years ago.
     
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