If you’re the type of enthusiast who likes to cause a sensation when you arrive at a show or a Cars & Coffee, a 1979 Lincoln Continental may not immediately seem like the ideal choice. However, when the Lincoln has been transformed into a replica of the Batmobile from the iconic 1960s TV Series, you can be sure your toy will draw crowds like moths to a flame. It features many of the cool gadgets that Batman had at his disposal at the time, and it presents extremely well. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Jon S for spotting this beauty listed here at Bring A Trailer in Wind Gap, Pennsylvania. Bidding sits at $60,777 as the auction heads into its final days.
George Barris received a call from 20th Century Fox Television in late 1965 and was asked to create a distinctive vehicle for a new TV series that was set to enter production in early 1966. The series was Batman, and its creators wanted a car with outrageous styling and a load of gadgets befitting a superhero. The sticking point was that the studio gave him three weeks to create that vehicle. As luck would have it, Barris had earlier purchased the Futura Concept from Ford for the princely sum of $1, and he saw this as the ideal base for the build. The body only required minor modifications before being cloaked in its iconic Black with Fluorescent Red highlights. It is claimed that the transformation from show car to TV star cost the studio $30,000 and, in one of those genuinely inspired moves, Barris retained ownership of the vehicle. As you will see, he managed to reap the benefits when he finally sold the car in 2013. Our feature vehicle is based on a 1979 Lincoln Continental. Its presentation is impressive, with sparkling paint following a 2024 refresh and no evidence of issues with the body that was created by Batrodz of Jamesport, New York. The seller identifies a crack in the driver’s side windshield, but the remaining glass looks good. You will find many of the traditional items from the original vehicle, including the rear turbine exhaust, the flashing red dome light, and the distinctive alloy wheels with the Bat center caps.
Creating an exterior that mimics the original Batmobile is surprisingly easy, but replicating the interior is more challenging. This is especially true if the vehicle is intended to be more than a static display item. This car’s creator has done an admirable job of combining period-correct features with components that allow the Batmobile to operate safely on our roads. There are replicas of the Detect-A-Scope, Batphone, Emergency Bat Turn Lever, and other items to help The Caped Crusader and The Boy Wonder cope with the various villains that occupy Gotham City. The Grant wheel isn’t correct, but the seller includes most of the components that the new owner would require to create an accurate replica. One clever adaptation sits atop the dash in front of the driver. The original Batmobile featured a compass in that spot, but this car has a speedometer so that any would-be Batmen (?) can comply with the law. This interior is extremely tidy, with no wear or other problems. It would cause the winning bidder no shame if they decide to follow the show circuit with this classic.
As with the original Barris creation, this Batmobile is based on fairly conventional underpinnings. A 1979 Lincoln Continental was chosen as the base, with the drivetrain consisting of a 400ci V8, a three-speed automatic transmission, and power assistance for the steering and brakes. The engine would have produced around 160hp and 315 ft/lbs of torque when the Lincoln was shiny and new, but the addition of an Edelbrock carburetor and a Performer intake may have boosted those figures slightly. Outright performance isn’t typically a consideration with vehicles of this type, although the fiberglass body should reduce weight and potentially provide improvements over the donor car. The most important factor is the mechanical health, and it appears that there aren’t any issues or shortcomings for the winning bidder to tackle. Therefore, whether you wish to rock up to a Cars & Coffee or battle baddies wearing tights and a cape, this Batmobile is ready to go.
Subtle is a word that has never been used to describe any of the many Batmobiles that have graced the large and small screens from the 1960s until the present day. However, the vehicle utilized by Adam West and Burt Ward in the TV series is probably the most recognizable. The original George Barris-created example sold in 2013 for $4.6 million, but placing a value on a replica might seem impossible. I delved into the Bring A Trailer archives, discovering that two similar vehicles found new homes in 2023 and 2024, and both comfortably topped $200,000 before the hammer fell. Will this one reach that level? I’m honestly not sure, but it only has to strike a chord with two or more people, and it could happen. Even if you harbor no desire to park a Batmobile in your garage, monitoring this auction to learn the result might be entertaining.
Holy Toledo, Batman!
Holy Batdollars Batman, yes lets sell ours.
Joker 🃏 approved
Where would you go for replacement windows? You’d have to find the original manufacturer.
Batman once had a fight with Chuck Norris
The loser had to agree to wear his underwear over his pants the rest of his life!
200k, you would think someone would be cranking these out by the dozens…
I for one will be following this auction closely, as I absolutely have to see just how many US dollars someone is willing to part with to become the next caretaker of this thing.
Oldrodder,that was a very respectable comment. I was expecting much worse.lol
More money than cents.
I grew up with Batman and the batmobile so it’ll always be a cool machine. Kudos to this very nice replica. 60 grand at this time kabam and up it goes! Peace!
Brings back memories of that corny TV show that my ten year old self thought was just coolest. I didn’t realize they sold a whole prefabricated body that mounted to a Lincoln chassis. The engine specs ain’t too shabby either
And I took it seriously too. I didn’t realize it was a comedy.
Holy stinkin Lincoln Batman!
Hit the bat air freshener button!
I’m waiting for the Mach 5 recreation.
Don’t know the shop name but replicas are being made as we speak using C3 Corvette running gear. Mecum sold at least 3 last year between $23,600 – $60,500. If a Mach 5 go kart fits your budget better they fetch $10,000.
They are out been out. On a corvette chassis and modified bodies
Mecum sold 4 of these early Batmobile replicas last year they fetched from $137,500 to 319,000. I guess you really do have to be a millionaire to fight crime.
Someone has no sense of humor. I posted under the name Alfred Pennyworth and it was deleted. Maybe I should have used Aunt Harriet????
Look again, the post under that name is there.
Steve R
‘Tis indeed.
Strange. It wasn’t there when I posted this.
Holy deja vu Batman, it’s back!
This same Batmobile was for sale by the same seller last August, and featured on Barnfinds at that time. And the price hasn’t changed.
https://barnfinds.com/to-the-batcave-1966-batmobile-tribute/
One friend in Florida has one of the original cars used in the TV show. A wealthy businessman in TN found a replica in Florida and brought it home for his car collection.
This is what I love about BF, you never know what’s going to pop up, from half rusted out old heaps to bizarre airplane cars to an Elvis guitar on wheels, and now this. You guys sure make things fun.. and btw I think this car is super cool.
“Creating an exterior that mimics the original Batmobile is surprisingly easy”???????????????!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What world does the writer live in?
when visiting Chic fil A headquarters there was one in the lobby that belonged to Truett. this was 18 years ago…we were also told he had many more cars.
@JDC, I’ve had that happen before and I think sometimes posts are either hung up in the system or they’re held for review.
If you were a kid in the 60s, Batman was the ultimate super hero. It was exactly what a 11 years old kid needed. Hollywood knew Roy Rogers and Superman were getting thin, and was perfect timing. The Batmobile was the pinnacle of enforcement. Oh sure, it pales in comparison to modern “heroes”, but it was ground breaking. As far as aftermarket gee-gaws, I don’t think anything outsold Batman stuff. Quick correction, I read, the original Batmobile was created from the 1955 Lincoln concept car Futura, and was bought for a dollar, but George Barris got $15,000 and had 2 weeks to complete the project. He was an amazing guy.
I was a kid for 8 years in the sixties and it was a great time to be alive and grow up. I can remember watching these afternoon reruns in the early 70’s, then jumping on our bikes and taking off as fast as we could pedal, chanting “da da da da da da da da” BATMAN! People call it corny now and I laugh because it is. But then Lost in Space would come on and things got really weird!