The 1960s were a Golden Age for custom car culture! As such, creating one-of-a-kind vehicles for TV heroes was a brief fad. It’s not hard to see why: a cool car goes a long way to establishing your character’s identity AND the burgeoning markets for diecast toy cars or plastic model kits made it an easy merchandising opportunity. Here are the five coolest custom cars from that era!
The Batmobile (1966)
How could we start with anything else? Now, the first ever custom Batmobile actually predates Barris’ by about 3 years.Customizer Forrest Robinson leased it to DC Comics starting in 1963. Robinson had created his Batmobile inspired by the comics alone, with a completely original body. All-Star Dairy Products notably used it to promote their Batman deserts! But it wasn’t what Greenway Productions wanted for their Batmobile – they wanted something a bit hipper looking. Legendary car customizer George Barris took the already one-of-a-kind 1955 Lincoln Futura and made it into a car worthy of the Dark Knight Detective. Fitted with a “rocket” afterburner, an in-car phone, braking parachutes, and tons of other switches and dials, it became the ultimate in over-the-top crime-fighting technology. It would be THE Batmobile in the popular imagination for over 20 years!
The Munster Koach (1964)
Another beautiful Barris creation! In 1964, Universal Television presented Barris Kustom Industries with an interesting challenge: designing the family car for a Frankenstein, two vampires, and a werewolf. Obviously, the inspiration would be a hearse – they’re a macabre-looking bunch, after all. And Frankenstein’s Monster is a big boy, so at least the driver’s seat has to be pretty spacious. Plus, vampires tend to be old, so it needs to look classic (from a 60s perspective). With all that in mind, the Munster Koach was born! Built from three Ford Model-Ts, its custom features include a hot rod engine, gas lamp-esque headlights, plush red velvet interior, and curtained windows. It appeared in 20 episodes of The Munsters and its tie-in movie, plus the music video for Rob Zombie’s “Dragula” (named for a different Munsters custom car).
The Black Beauty (1966)
The success of Batman led ABC to commission a TV series based on another superhero of yesteryear: The Green Hornet! Greenway Productions produced the show alongisde Batman. Unlike Batman, the series was a straight drama. The Green Hornet’s sidekick, Kato (played by Bruce Lee), had always explicitly been his driver. A custom car, therefore, was comissioned. Customizer Dean Jeffries converted a 1966 Imperial Crown into The Black Beauty, Green Hornet’s one-of-a-kind crimefighting vehicle. The changes center on the front end, creating a unique looking profile that includes green headlights and “crimefighting gadgets”. The car has been an indispensable part of the Hornet’s mythos ever since.
The Monkeemobile (1966)
The Monkees TV series was designed to cash-in on the rock n’ roll revival happening on the Billboard Charts. Cast with four young men with shaggy haircuts, The Monkees were designed to be hip young musicians that could find success both on the TV and the radio. Part of that image building was the Monkeemobile, a combo hot rod/touring custom car that the band could tool around in. Designed by Dean Jefferies and built from a Pontiac GTO, it featured exaggerated tail lamps, an extra third row of seating, touring car style convertible top, and a parachute for sudden stops. Like the Munster Koach, it’s designed for daily driving (at least of a fictional sort) rather than crime fighting. Unlike the Koach, it’s designed to be a bit of racer! Naturally, it was the coolest thing the show’s young fanbase had seen since the Batmobile!
The U.N.C.L.E. Car (1966)
With custom cars taking TV by storm in 1966, the third season of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. got in on the action! Owing to the more grounded nature of its heroes, the show went for a slightly more restrained vehicle: the AMT Piranha. Created by customizer Gene Winfield, it is believed that twelve of these “space age” cars were made – each to the specifications of its owner. Built on a Chevy Corvair chassis, they featured all-plastic bodies! The one used as The U.N.C.L.E. Car was further customized with flamethrowers and other James Bondesque spy gadgets. The car appeared in three episodes of the third season and two episodes of the fourth season, enough to get it some model kits and other toys. Unfortunately, its gull wing doors and low-slung body made it impossible enter or exit gracefully and that limited its utility for the cool spy show.
Custom Cars, Hot Rods, and 60s Car Culture
Another product of the 60s was Mattel’s Hot Wheels! Inspired by the same hot rod/custom car culture that birthed these icons, the line caught the attention of kids across America immediately. Quite a few early Hot Wheels toys, including a mint-in-package Red Line car, can be found in this weekend’s auction! Race on over to GoBackToThePast.HiBid.com to get your bids in.
Got a collection of model kits, diecast cars, or really any vintage toys? We’ll help you sell it! Drop us a line today.
What your favorite custom TV or movie car? Let us know below or on social media @b2pcollect!