The Munster Koach is the main family car of the Munster Family. It was made by George Barris in 1964. The cost to build the first one was $18,000.00. It has a "blood red" interior and Gloss Black Pearl paint. There was no skull radiator cap on the Munster Koach in the 60s. Only later did the Munster Koach get a skull cap. Both reproduction cars have been restored, but the original has not. It took 500 hours to hand form the ornate rolled steel scrollworks. The front end had a dropped axle, split radius rods, and T springs. Its design featured a custom hearse body. The engine was a 289 c.i. Ford Cobra from a 1966 Mustang GT. It was built with Jahns high compression pistons, 10 chrome plated Carter carburetors, an Isky cam, and had a set of Bobby Barr racing manifold headers. It has a three speed manual transmission. Tom Daniel's original drawing of the Munster Koach had it blown with a hood scoop and thin round disc lights. George Barris chose the ten carbs set up with the ten air horns and lantern lights.A plastic model kit of the "Munster Koach" was produced by AMT during the TV series, and has been reissued several times since then. Johnny Lightning and Ertl Racing Champions also produced a 1/64th scale die-cast model of the car and Diamond Select produced a 1/15th scale in 2012. George Barris even commissioned a copy of the coach in 1986. The original Munster Koach car is on display in the Cars Of The Stars Motor Museum in Keswick, England. The studio gave George Barris 21 days to complete the Koach. The Koach was made from 3 Model T bodies and is 18 feet long. To accommodate the five members of the Munster family and meet their specific requirements Barris used a 133 inch frame. Each member wanted a compartment so a fiberglassed 1927 model "T" body was grafted into a six-door touring roadster with three compartments including a laboratory for Grandpa Munster and a hansom cab rumble seat for Eddie. Optional goodies that were added to the interior for the Munster’s pleasure included a Muntz stereo tape recorder, Sony TV, and two antique French telephones. A special Autolite electrical system was needed to make these extras operative.The Munster Koach can reach a top speed of 150 M.P.H. (0-45 in 7.2 seconds, 0-60 in 10 seconds, 0-80 in 15.4 seconds)
DRAG U LA INFO
Original "Dragula" coffin dragster from The Munsters and Munster, Go Home! (CBS 1964-66; Universal, 1966) The "Dragula" debuted in The Munsters episode "Hot Rod Herman" when "Grandpa Munster" (Al Lewis) built the car so he could win back the Munster "Koach" which Herman had lost in a drag race. The car was later modified for the 1966 movie, most notably the cockpit bubble was removed to fit Fred Gwynne's massive frame and a tubular roll bar was added. This iconic hot rod from the 60s was designed by Tom Daniel while working for George Barris and Barris Kustom Industries. Constructed out of a fiberglass coffin over a gold tubular steel frame. Custom lanterns with spider webbing and large black metal spiders stand atop each "headlight". Between lanterns is a black "gravestone" with white text reading "DRAG~U~LA / BORN ~ 1367 / DIED ~ ?". Interior features a gold butterfly steering wheel, instrumentation and purple vinyl bucket seat with spider web stitched detailing and purple velvet upholstery on the sides. Clear plastic windshield around top edge of cockpit features a white spider web print on the driver's right. Exiting each side of the engine bay are four chrome Zoomie-style exhaust pipes resembling Gothic organ pipes. The car has been restored and the Ford V8 engine was removed for display purposes. The intake scoops are replacements as are the seat and rear wheels. Exhibits expected patina with light oxidation and wear throughout. Truly a pop culture icon, this car has been immortalized in plastic model kits, toys, video games, inspired Hot Wheels cars and musician/filmmaker Rob Zombie titled a song after this car on his triple platinum album Hellbilly Deluxe. Measures 148 in. x 63 in. x 44 in. Sold on a bill of sale only. This item is located in the Eastern United States and special shipping arrangements will apply. Provenance: Chicago Historical Antique Automobile Museum in Highland Park, IL.
EDDIES BIKE
Eddie Munster’s kustom chain-link bike built by famous customizer George Barris, who also built the Munster Koach and Grampa Munster’s coffin car: Dragula. The bicycle was never featured on the show ‘The Munsters’, it was used by the child actor Butch Patrick to bike around Universal Studios backlot.
At one point during the show’s run George Barris came up with the idea that 11-year-old Butch Patrick, who played the series’ youngest character Eddie Munster, should also have a kustom-styled machine to ride around on. Barris thought it would be a fun thing to do for Butch especially since the two of them got along so well together during his visits to the set. Butch was even invited by George to come over to the Barris kustom shop, where he was free to wander around and check out all the new projects.
George’s idea to make a kustom for Butch’s character Eddie Munster seemed like a great idea, especially since the Barris-made “Koach” and “Dragula” cars had been worth their weight in gold for appeal and publicity. This time around, though, it wasn’t going to be a spooky kustom car that would be made, but a spooky “kustom bicycle.” The bike that Barris proposed was not going to be any ordinary pedal-powered machine either, it was going be extraordinary. His expert team of specialists would see to that. A kustom bicycle for Eddie Munster had the potential to generate some good publicity; so, Barris gave the green light for the project to begin.
After Barris finalized the basic design concept it was decided that the main fabrication duties would be overseen by one of the shop’s most talented employees, Skip Barrett. The bike’s general specifications would be based around the popular 20-inch “high-rise” bikes available at the time, the Schwinn Stingray to be specific.
The outstanding feature of Eddie’s kustom bike would be its frame, which would be completely hand-made from lengths of welded steel chain, using Stingray frame tubes as a template. Of course some original Stingray frame components were used on the build, like the head tube, bottom bracket shell, rear dropouts, and a few inches of the seat post tube.
