Makes › Barris Kustoms › Munster Koach (The Munsters, three Ford Model T bodies, Ford V8) · Royal, state & papal · Film & TV
Barris Kustoms
Munster Koach (The Munsters, three Ford Model T bodies, Ford V8)
Herman Munster's hearse-like family car built by Barris Kustoms for The Munsters from the bodies of three Ford Model Ts; the original is held by a museum and copies exist.
Still being researched: full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 1 Built
- Years
- Not yet verified
- Engine
- Ford 289 V8 · 4,740 cc / 4.7 LFactory: 289 cu in · converted
- Power
- Not yet verified
- Top speed
- Not yet verified
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Not yet verified
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- 1 (disputed)
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The Munster Koach was one of the two signature vehicles of The Munsters, a television show that aired from 1964 to 1966. It was built from three Model T bodies for a family-sized car and became a permanent pop-culture icon with model kits, reproductions and a club.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productionthe original Koach, said by SlashGear to be at the Volo Auto Museum; Remind Magazine was told it is in Orlando but doubted it | 12 | Surviving examples | Disputed |
| Total model productionoriginal screen car built by Barris Kustoms for the series; exhibition copies and replicas were made later | 11 | Factory production | Independently researched |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
CBS asked George Barris to produce an original vehicle before the series premiered in September 1964; his daughter said he had 21 days. The car was sketched by Tom Daniel and built at Barris Kustoms. One source puts the cost at about 20,000 dollars, another at about 18,000 dollars in 1964.
SlashGear says the original is displayed at the Volo Auto Museum in Illinois with a Certificate of Authenticity and a Letter of Authenticity from Barris Kustoms. Remind Magazine was told the original was at an Orlando museum but noted that car also appeared to be a replica. The Barris family's own car is an exhibition copy, and actor Butch Patrick's Koach is a replica.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard Munster Koach (The Munsters, three Ford Model T bodies, Ford V8).
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Ford 289 V83 Independently researched |
| Displacement | 4,740 cc / 4.7 LFactory: 289 cu in · converted3 Independently researched |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | Not yet verified |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Gears | Not yet verified |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | Not yet verified |
| Length | 5,490 mmFactory: 18 ft · converted3 Independently researched |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
Being verified against factory or registry sources before it is published. Have a source? Contribute it.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
Here's what happened to Herman Munster's original Munster Koach (SlashGear) Level C
- 1 original screen car built by Barris Kustoms for the series; exhibition copies and replicas were made later
-
2
Here's what happened to Herman Munster's original Munster Koach Level C SlashGear
- original Munster Koach is currently in the possession of the Volo Auto Museum
-
3
Motoring with The Munsters: where is the Munster Koach and Drag-U-La? Level C Remind Magazine
- 289 cubic-inch Ford Cobra engine
- whopping 18 feet long
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