Freaky Fun Facts About The Munsters Automobiles
The Munsters Koach
Is one of the most famous TV cars of all time, a gothic hot rod masterpiece custom-built by legendary car designer George Barris. Created in 1964 for The Munsters TV series, the Koach began life as three Ford Model T bodies that were fused together into one extraordinary 19-foot-long machine. The project took more than 500 hours of hand craftsmanship in Barris’s Hollywood shop and cost $18,000 at the time — the equivalent of over $150,000 today. The result was nothing short of spectacular: a spooky show car that instantly became a star in its own right.
The Munsters Koach
Under the hood, the Munsters Koach packed serious power: a 289-cubic-inch Ford Cobra V8 engine paired with a four-speed manual transmission and topped with ten chrome-plated carburetors on a Mickey Thompson Ram-Air manifold. The exterior featured wild hot rod details like organ-pipe exhausts running down the sides, while the gothic styling tied everything back to the Munster family’s creepy aesthetic. From its brass radiator and lantern-style headlights to its carved scrollwork and hand-stitched red velvet upholstery, every detail screamed gothic hot rod elegance. Appearing in more than 20 episodes of The Munsters, the Koach became one of television’s most recognizable custom cars and a cornerstone of pop culture automotive history.
If the Koach was impressive, the Munsters Drag-U-La was downright outrageous. Designed by George Barris and his team, this ghoulish creation was built from an authentic fiberglass coffin mounted on a dragster chassis. Obtaining the coffin was tricky — California law required a death certificate to purchase one. Barris’s project engineer, Richard “Korky” Korkes, made a clever deal with a funeral director, arranging to have the casket discreetly left outside the funeral home after dark.
Drag-U-La Hot Rod
Once in the shop, it was transformed into the Drag-U-La hot rod, powered by a 289-cubic-inch Ford V8 with dual four-barrel carburetors and a four-speed stick shift. The coffin body was finished in dazzling Antique Goldflake lacquer, accented by chrome organ-pipe exhausts and a marble gravestone license plate reading “Born 1367, Died ?”. Unlike many TV cars that were all style and no substance, the Drag-U-La was a real dragster capable of impressive performance. It first appeared in the 1965 episode “Hot Rod Herman” and later sped across the big screen in Munster, Go Home! (1966). Today, it stands as one of the most famous George Barris custom cars ever built.
Not to be forgotten, Eddie Munster’s Go-Kart gave the youngest member of the family his own set of creepy wheels. Scaled down to child size but built with the same spooky flair as the larger cars, Eddie’s hot rod featured coffin-inspired styling, gothic chrome accents, and a small gas engine. Though it received less screen time, the Go-Kart became a fan favorite at parades, promotional events, and behind-the-scenes appearances. It let Eddie Munster join in the family’s macabre motoring fun, turning him into a pint-sized hot rodder.
Together, the Munsters Koach, Drag-U-La, and Eddie Munster’s Go-Kart showcase the creativity and craftsmanship that made George Barris “King of the Kustomizers.” These gothic hot rods weren’t just background props — they were unforgettable characters that helped define the spooky charm of The Munsters. More than 60 years later, they remain iconic symbols of TV history, hot rod culture, and America’s love affair with custom cars.
