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Posted

Thanks for that info, Craig and Bill. I think I've been fascinated with this story for awhile - like most kids of my generation, I grew up thinking the TV Batmobile somehow sprung from "whole cloth". My mind was blown when I found out some years ago ago about the Lincoln Futura and its history. (Yes, I've built models of both now.)

Hey, remember the internet didn't exist in 1966 . . .

Yeah, but "Popular Mechanics" magazine existed back then....

I've got a copy of the magazine from 1966 in my automotive literature collection which contains a story about the Batmobile's fabrication. It confirms that Barris used the "Futura" as the basis for the build. I was a kid at the time, absolutely crazy about the Batmobile, and I really enjoyed the article, so I saved the magazine. Little did I know that this would be the start of my literature collection. It was a bit of a letdown, though, to learn that the Batmobile wasn't really jet-powered. :-)

Posted

Yeah, but "Popular Mechanics" magazine existed back then....

Cool story, Mike - I wasn't aware of that "Popular Mechanics" issue.

My magazine collecting was pretty haphazard in those days - I would pick up "Car Model", "Rod & Custom Models" and "Model Car Science" with my allowance when I saw them on the magazine rack in the Five & Dime (or wherever), but other than that I depended on hand me down issues of "Road & Track" from a neighbor. Of course, I remember "Popular Mechanics" being around, but I guess I never looked at it too much, for whatever reason.

  • 2 months later...
Posted

I see one model of the Futura in silver and another in Champagne Gold. So what color is the Futura as I take it that it's not the light green that the kit is molded in.

Posted (edited)

I see one model of the Futura in silver and another in Champagne Gold. So what color is the Futura as I take it that it's not the light green that the kit is molded in.

It was a pearl white with a tinge of ice blue. See posts #3 and #10. Repainted red for the movie, as noted.

Edited by sjordan2
Posted (edited)

For those who are interested in seeing the movie where the car is painted red, it will air this coming Thursday, June 11, on TCM at 6:15 pm Eastern. If you pay attention, you'll see some pretty good clues on painting the interior.

Edited by sjordan2
  • 4 weeks later...
Posted

A couple of years I bought the movie It Started With a Kiss on DVD, just because of the Futura being in it. Warning! It's not a very good movie. Watchable. But, not good. The quality of the film on my DVD is okay. Glen Ford and Debby Reynolds are okay. The story in general is not very good. But, you do get to see some great shots of the Futura.

I first fell in love with the Futura after seeing a picture of the model shown in the entry under "Automobile Models" in the World Book Encyclopedia. Interestingly, I first saw this about the same time as the Batman TV series was on the air. Around 1967 or '68. Yet as a kid I didn't put two and two together to realize the Futura and the Barris TV Batmobile were one one same car. The Batmobile being a slightly modified version of the Futura of course. I was just sad that model was an old one from the 50's that knew I would never find by that time. Need less to say, I was delighted when Revell brought the kit back in the 1990. And of course I rushed out and picked one up.

Other than trying to match the original paint, it's not a bad kit to build. A little fussy. But, if you take your time, it's builds out pretty nice. By the way, I thought about it several times on ways to match the original color. I finally said the heck with it. It's my dream car, I'm painting in a color I like. I painted mine a plain (but nice) light blue. And I am very happy. I have gone on many wonderful fantasy trips in my mind in my light blue Futura. With a young Debby Reynolds, or better yet a young Ann Margret in the passenger seat.

Scott

Posted

I've been collecting pictures of this car for some time. As it IS on my short list to do . ((((( Once I get back to the model bench this fall ,,, dont do much modeling in the summer months )

I have the Club De Mer on the bench right now so it will be done first ,,then move on to the Futura

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