Batmobile #3
Special THANKS to Jeffrey J. Heisler, Don Brown and Andy Garringer,
all of Indiana, for supplying EVERY picture on this page!!
For the most part, Batmobiles numbers 2, 3 and 4 were constructed in an almost assembly line fashion, during the same period of time. The duplicate bodies were made from molds taken directly from the #1/Futura car.
The #2 and #3 cars, while probably identical when first constructed, have probably changed much from owner to owner. Strangely, the #3 Batmobile NEVER received the rear windshields.
9/2/97: SOLD!! The #3 Batmobile was auctioned off for the sum of $94,000 ($98,700 after 5% sales tax) on September 1, 1997 to the Imperial Palace, which plans to display it in their Biloxi, Mississippi casino! Hopefully, they will give the car the restoration it deserves.
9/15/97: The next few photos, taken on Labor Day, September 1, 1997, show the car just before the auction as Jimmy Velvet tried to get it running to drive it onto the display turntable (big picture). It finally did start and drove on and off without incident.

The Batmobile sits on 'the Block'.



The nose has held up very well over the last three decades.

Climbing onto the hood, we see a large gap at the base of the plastic windshield on the driver's side. The '1466' is the car's reference number during this auction.

One of the tell-tale signs of a true 'Barris-built' fiberglass car- a forward-tilting, one-piece nose.
My sources tell me we are looking at a SMALL BLOCK Ford V8 with a 2-barrel carb...
"The 351W wasn't available until 69' and the 302 wasn't available until 68', so they're not candidates. The 260 wasn't that common, and was discontinued in 65'. It also had an unusual 5 bolt transmission pattern, so I doubt that Barris would have picked it anyway. The 289 was the most popular small block from that time period, and was in production from 63' through 68'. The 289 is also what Barris used in the 'Munster Coach'.
Factory engine specs if ya want em: A 66' 289-2 barrel was rated at 200 hp and 288 ft-lbs of torque with the two barrel carb. That's not that bad."


These shots show the interior. The big red card on the dash reads "Turn Engine Fans ON Before Starting Engine"



A bunch of side shots from various angles.

Close-ups of the 'Mickey Thompson 60- Indy Profile' tires on chromed 'Nugget' wheels.

These views show how the rocket tubes have continued to sink into the rear deck over the years,
and notice the cheesy 'cab lights' behind the seats.


A pile of rear shots shows the 'chute foam blocks are still falling out of their bags, and the two really low-angle pictures show the square-channel frame that supports the 'glass body.
8/5/97: **FINALLY!!** Some CONFIRMED pictures of the ellusive #3 Batmobile! These shots were taken on September 3rd, 1992 when the car was up for auction (again by Kruse International).

This is one HURTING car!! First, the back glass was never put on by Barris (why is unknown). Since being built, it seems the original front glass has been replaced by a poorly-made plexiglass copy.

Note the tailpipes and how close they are to each other. The afterburner is covered by an ugly grille. The foam blocks are falling out of the 'parachute' bags. It has a GREEN license plate, not black. The rocket tubes point in 3 different directions.

ARRGH!! How can the four Barris copies be SO different!?!? Check the shifter, guages, siren with PA mike, door trim, and lots of other junk tossed in there!

For you Die Hards out there, this dark, thru-the-fender-well picture hints at the engine inside!

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