One-of-a-Kind Tribute to the '55 Lincoln Futura (and Batmobile)
Culture
Oddities
Movies & Television
The original 1955 Lincoln Futura show car
Some folks slap badges and vinyl graphics on a car and call it a “tribute.” On the other hand, serious car builders dig deep into the historical details to create a ride that truly pays homage to an original landmark vehicle. For example, the amazing C4 Futura recently listed on eBay is a worthy celebration of the legendary 1955 Ford Futura show car, the basis of the world-renowned Batmobile.
Jim Benken, owner of Batrodz Resurrection Garage - opens in new window or tab. in Jamesport, N.Y., said:
This is the only Futura hotrod ever built using the design elements of the 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car, the 1966 Barris Batmobile, and the C4 Corvette to create a hybrid-style hotrod.
Built on Corvette Chassis
The 1955 Futura show car was one of the most influential vehicles to emerge from the Ford Design shop in the 1950s. A decade later, as legend has it, Ford sold the show car to legendary Hollywood designer George Barris for one measly dollar. The King of Customizers worked his magic in just three weeks, turning the Futura into the first Batmobile for the television show.
Many Batmobile replicas appeared over the years, including the Gotham Roadster body kit produced by Batrodz Resurrection Garage. Unfortunately, the body kits are no longer available, as Batrodz and DC Comics mutually agreed to end kit sales. Kapow!
The listing for the C4 Futura on eBay makes it clear that the car is “not the Batmobile.” Instead, the pastel green Futura is a one-off custom car. Benken and his team initially designed that car to ride on a Lincoln platform. But the vehicle for sale on eBay uses the C4 Corvette as its foundation.
Benken told us:
Most of those Gotham Roadsters use Lincoln Town Car chassis from 1974 to 1979. If you ever drove one of those cars, you’d see why I switched to the Corvette chassis.
A V-8 Futura
As kit cars go, the C4 Futura is a bit complicated. Batrodz stretched the 1987 Corvette convertible platform three feet to accommodate a nearly 20-foot-long body. Most of the Corvette’s mechanicals remain unaltered, although the 5.7-liter V-8 engine now sports a carburetor replacing the L98’s original fuel injection. The Corvette’s interior is intact and fits the bill.
The car takes many bold design cues from the 1955 Futura while blending in the Gotham Roadster’s radiused wheel wells. Benken spent countless hours building the car.
He said:
Everything is fiberglass, and no molds will be made off this. So it’s the only one that will exist. I didn’t keep track of time spent on the project because if I kept track, I’d make 50 cents per hour when the car’s sold.
Nearly 70 years after the ’55 Futura’s appearance on the show circuit, this C4 Futura looks like it rolled out of a time machine. It’s also one of the rare tribute cars that’s original and creative enough to inspire even more copies.
About the author
Share your feedback
This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.