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Home > Index > Automobiles > Sitcoms > Munster Koach & Drag-u-la
       
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The Munster KoachMunster Koach - A.k.a., the "Munster Mobile," is a combination stretch fiberglass drag racer and touring car especially designed by George Barris (in only twenty-one days) for the occult comedy THE MUNSTERS/CBS/1964-66. Owned by Herman Munster, The Munster Mobile's power train consisted of a 30-inch Posi-Shift stick, four-on-the-floor 300 H.P. 289 Ford Cobra V-8 engine (from a 1966 Mustang GT) with Isky Cams, Jahns high-compression pistons, a Mickey Thompson long ram thrust manifold supplying 10 chrome-dipped Stromberg carburetors and Bobby Barr funnel racing headers. Mounted on its 133-inch frame was a 6-door touring roadster with a 1927 Model T bucket grafted to the rear end. Both were covered with 40 coats of high gloss black pearl paint. The steering/suspension system included direct vertical steering, front dropped axles, split radius bars held by "T" spring (rear Z frame with Model "A" spring), master stabilizers and Mickey Thompson 11-inch wide rear racing slicks (Ansen Astro wheels trimmed with knock off hubs and walnut wood inserts and Pirelli snow donut tires on the front). Exterior accents included gold radiators, ornamental coffin handles on the hood, and spider web headlights with gas side lanterns. The coach's interior was decorated with diamond shaped tufts and buttons, red velvet coffin liner and ermine rugs. One of the car's three compartments featured stereo tape recorder, Sony TV sets, an electric shoe polisher, a blender and two antique French phones.

The Munster Mobile which reached 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) was created as a surprise birthday present for the character Herman Munster (Fred Gwynne). Buying two cars (a roadster for $795; and a Hearse car for $943) from Diamond Jim's Used cars, Herman's wife, Lily Munster (Yvonne DeCarlo), had mechanics convert the two vehicles into the customized Munster Koach. The nearly 20 foot car was once lost as the spoils of a racing competition until Grandpa Munster (Al Lewis) built his own drag racer called the Drag-u-la, and won back the Munster Koach. Both the Munster Koach and the Drag-u-la were featured in the theatrical release Munster, Go Home (1966) wherein the Munster family inherited an English estate. Once when Herman became a private investigator for the Kempner Detective Agency (Agent 702), he drove a hot rod with license plate HAJ-302 (on "Follow That Munster" episode).

TRIVIA NOTE: A 1984 Car and Driver magazine article reported "Butch Patrick fondly remembers the time Fred Gwynne hijacked and drove it (the Munster Koach) down the freeway into the heart of Hollywood with the whole cast on board." See also - "The Drag-u-la"  The Munster Family Riding the Munstermobile

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The Drag-u-laDrag-u-la - Specially built racing car made for the occult comedy THE MUNSTERS/CBS/1964-66. Owned by Grandpa Munster (Al Lewis), an aging vampire, the "Drag-u-la" was a coffin on wheels with the top speed of 160 mph. When his son-in-law, Herman Munster (Fred Gwynne) lost the family car ("The Munster Koach") in a drag racing challenge, Grandpa built his own dragster and won Herman's car back. Designed by George Barris (who also built the Munster Koach and the Batmobile), the Drag-u-la was created for a cost of $10,800. It featured gold-leaf paint finish, silver spider hubcaps, a 350 hp, 289 Ford Mustang V-8 with a four-speed stick, dual quad manifold, high compression pistons, a purple block to match the purple coffin liner seat, twin four-barrel carburetors, a pair of Huth "organ pipe" exhaust headers sprouting from both sides of the vehicle, 11-inch Firestone drag slicks on polished Radar five-spoke alloy wheels at the rear, and a miniature headstone mounted between the spider-webbed headlights and the front wheels (English Speedsport wire wheels capped with Italian motorcycle tires) that read "Drag-u-la Born: 1367. Died - ?" The Drag-u-la was featured in the motion picture Munster, Go Home (1966) when the ghoulish Munster family inherited an English estate. At the climax of the film, the Drag-u-la was entered into a cross-country race (with Herman as its driver). Despite the nefarious plots to kill Herman and reclaim title to the estate, the Drag-u-la won the race by crossing the finish line backwards. (an oil slick spun the car around at the last moment).

 
     

    

 

 

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