The Munster Koach ( "The Munster's" TV Car )

Since it's "Freak Week" on Chaz & AJ in the Morning, I decided that it'd be cool to feature some of the most famous "Street Freak" creations to grace the car shows, movie and TV screen and asphalt. ( Why not, right ? ) Yesterday was George Barris' "Ala Kart", today we move on to another Barris creation, something more of you can relate to...car guy, or not.

The Famous "Munster Koach" was used in the 1960's television series," The Munsters". Legendary "King of the Customizers" George Barris was contracted by the TV show's producers to build the Munsters family car for the show.  Barris paid designer Tom Daniel $200.00 to design the car, and had it built at Barris Kustoms, first by Tex Smith, and finished by shop foreman Dick Dean. The Munster Koach appeared in over twenty episodes throughout the series' two-year run, and was also seen in the movie , "Munster, Go Home !" ( using different wheels.) The original Tom Daniel drawing of the Munster Koach had it blower driven with a hood scoop and thin round disc lights. But decidedly, George Barris chose the ten carb set up with the ten air horns and lantern lights we've come to know the car for.

Despite all the recreations out there, only one Koach was made for the television series and feature film. It was made up from three Ford Model T bodies and is a staggering 18' feet long for a Hot Rod . The 133" frame, brass radiator and fenders were all made by hand . It features a  "Blood Red" interior and Gloss Black Pearl paint. Even more evidence as to how much went into it's creation, it took 500 hours just to hand form the ornate rolled steel scrollworks. The front end sports a dropped axle, split radius rods and T springs. Its design featured a custom Hearse body.

The Munster Koach also featured "Pie Crust" Cheater slicks, brass lantern lights, Torque Thrust mags, and dummy crank lever .The Koach's engine was a Ford 289 cubic inch AC Cobra mill . It was built up with Jahns high compression pistons, 10 chrome plated Carter carburetors, an Isky camshaft , and had a set of Bobby Barr Racing headers. It's mated up to a three speed manual transmission .

George Barris auctioned off the original Munster Koach in 1982 with oversized gas lights and different tires and wheels. In 1984, George Barris wanted another Munster Koach for the Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, so he had Dick Dean build a second authorized Munster Koach. Dean's son, Keith Dean, helped with that build. That Munster Koach was restored in 2011.

Some added "nuggets" of Munster Koach trivia info : Actor Fred Gwynne never sat in the seat to drive the Munster Koach. Instead he sat on the floor on the ermin furs rugs. There were five walnut blocks between the spokes of the mag wheels in rear. The rear slicks were Firestone 11" pie crust slicks. The mag wheels were painted blood red just on the outside of the five spokes mags. There was no skull radiator cap on the Munster Koach in the 1960's. (Only later did the Munster Koach get a skull cap.) Reproduction cars have been restored, but the original has not. 

Scale model company AMT produced a plastic model kit of the car during the series run. It has been reissued several times since. Johnny Lightning has also produced a 1/64th scale die-cast model of the car. I'm currently looking for one of each for my own personal plastic and diecast car collection. Maybe Santa will bring me one...I'm gonna drop him a line now, before I forget......

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