bigbadbrother
11-16-2014, 01:44 AM
Most people think of the 1966 television show when they think of the original Batmobile. But most people would be mistaken. The original Batmobile was built in a barn in 1960 by 23-year-old Forrest Robinson and his buddy Len Perham. The pair had the whole thing finished two years before the show ever hit the airwaves.
This Batmobile started its life as a 1956 Oldsmobile 88, but Robinson and Perham removed the body and replaced it with one that was custom-designed. The model for his car was the one that was seen in DC comics and Batman fans will see that it’s a lot truer to the comicbook Batmobile than the one that appeared on television.
https://s2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/PDZ8Rq3m9cKE.PvmhA2HPQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/cms/autos/Boldride/Bat1.jpg
The 1963 Batmobile was the first one officially sanctioned by DC, but this one did spend some time officially promoting Batman when the character took off in popularity. All Star Dairies and its New Hampshire affiliate, Green Acres Ice Cream (a DC Comic Book licensee), leased it for promotional purposes and repainted it from silver to official Batman colors.
The car made its way back to Robinson, but he sold it for just $200 and it ended up sitting forgotten in a NH field for years. It got new life in 2008 when it was rediscovered and eventually sold to Toy Car Exchange, LLC where it was restored to its original condition. It’s set to go on auction in December through Heritage Auctions.
This Batmobile started its life as a 1956 Oldsmobile 88, but Robinson and Perham removed the body and replaced it with one that was custom-designed. The model for his car was the one that was seen in DC comics and Batman fans will see that it’s a lot truer to the comicbook Batmobile than the one that appeared on television.
https://s2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/PDZ8Rq3m9cKE.PvmhA2HPQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/cms/autos/Boldride/Bat1.jpg
The 1963 Batmobile was the first one officially sanctioned by DC, but this one did spend some time officially promoting Batman when the character took off in popularity. All Star Dairies and its New Hampshire affiliate, Green Acres Ice Cream (a DC Comic Book licensee), leased it for promotional purposes and repainted it from silver to official Batman colors.
The car made its way back to Robinson, but he sold it for just $200 and it ended up sitting forgotten in a NH field for years. It got new life in 2008 when it was rediscovered and eventually sold to Toy Car Exchange, LLC where it was restored to its original condition. It’s set to go on auction in December through Heritage Auctions.