Many people forget that the card that George Barris very lightly customized to make the TV Batmobile was a one-of-a-kind concept card built for Ford, and exibited at the 1962 Seattle worlds fair. It was featured in the 1963 Elvis Presley film “It happened at the World’s Fair.” I can remember Elvis and a young oriental actress seated in the card and delivering important and meaningful dialogue (!)

Hello Jay. Ah yes. The Ford Futura concept car. I remembered it as being a 1958 model car, but this web site (http://www.1966batmobile.com/background.htm) tells me that it was a 1955 concept.

From what I recall reading, Barris bought a few of the Futuras (2 perhaps) from Ford and had them on his yard when the Batman producers called him. The 1966 TV Batmobile is my favorite. Followed very closely by the one from the two Tim Burton Batman films. I also seem to remember reading that some Prince of Saudi Arabia bought the Burton Batmobile, tricked it out so that it would do nearly 200 mph; then build a road in the desert on which he could drive the Batmobile. He then gave the car to his son. Lousy bastards…

I also remember the Elvis movie. I have to admit that I didn’t recall the car in the film. Your message will give me incentive to go back and check it out.