The 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car customized by George Barris of Barris Kustom City, commonly known for its appearance in the 1960s television show “Batman,” was recently sold at auction for a whopping $4.2 million. The original Futura, a one-of-a-kind car designed by Ford stylists Bill Schmidt, Doug Poole, Sr., and John Najjar, was built by hand by the Ghia Body Works in Turin, Italy. The cost of production was one quarter of a million dollars.

The car is powered by a 390 cubic-inch Ford FE V-8 engine with a secondary rear-mounted turbine that provides a 15-second thrust (Complete specs and history can be found here).

While the Batmobile auction is the splashy news of the day, it’s not the most expensive car ever auctioned. That honor may go to the 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa racecar which sold in August of 2011 for $16.4 million.

Even if you don’t have millions to spend, Jay Leno, night-show host and avid classic-car collector, has some tips for finding a classic car that will give you years of pleasure. He says, “You can’t be a snob. You’ve got to be open to the weird stuff that has an interesting story.” And he describes acquiring a 1941 American LaFrance firetruck for free because its previous owner, the city of Burbank, had no use for it. “Don’t be disappointed if what you find isn’t some rare collector piece.” An old car that you restore yourself gives you an experience that can’t be duplicated with a new car. Leno continues, “Any car can be a collector car, if you collect it.” So you should look for what appeals to you, and not what you think should appeal to you. It doesn’t have to be spotless or expensive either. Leno explains, “If you like old things, go talk to old guys.” As Leno implies, they know where the good old stuff is.

And the good old stuff is at the Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show. Pomona is now in our 38th year of connecting collectors with the classic cars they love and the parts they need. To see for yourself, check us out on March 3rd at the Pomona Fairplex. Or in the meantime, check out our website where you can search our Classifieds Gallery. If you have questions, feel free to contact us.