Batmobile Rescue Ship

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Willie Perry's Batmobile Rescue Ship in a Woodlawn Christmas parade. Photo by Jerry Smith

The Batmobile Rescue Ship (or Birmingham Batmobile) is a maroon and white 1971 Ford Thunderbird used by "Birmingham's Batman" Willie Perry to give free rides and proffer roadside assistance.

The car was heavily customized with tailfins and lights, as well as an assortment of appliances (a toaster oven, telephone, refrigerator, soda fountain, phonograph, black & white television, CB radio, and a kitchen sink with running water) and adornments (48" fluorescent tubes, a revolving yellow light, strobe lights, extra antennas, and a custom paint job including the names of women he met along the way). The car bore a "BATMAN" license tag and was "officially designated as the Batmobile by the city's license bureau" according to a 1982 UPI article.

After Perry's death the car was bought from his widow by the city of Birmingham for $15,000. Until 1992 it was exhibited at the Southern Museum of Flight. It was then moved to a glass-enclosed display area at Fair Park Arena and given periodic washings and at least one new set of tires. There is, however, no signage explaining of the significance of the car.

In 2009 while Fair Park was being redeveloped, the city made plans to sell the Batmobile back to Perry's family for $10 and "consideration for his valuable and meaningful contributions." After a week's delay, the city agreed to keep the car and make plans for restoring it and putting it back on public display. It is currently in storage under a car cover in the City Of Birmingham Department of Equipment Management's Downtown Service Center, adjacent to Birmingham Police Headquarters at 17th Street and First Avenue North.

References

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