6 replies to this topic

[MG Brown]

This past weekend we attended Valley Fest (yes there were many Valley Girls on hand) in Dunlap, TN, where one of the attractions was Butch Patrick (The Munster's "Eddie") and a few of his collection of Kustoms, including Drag-U-La (replica) which was built by George Barris for the TV show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For most, the date May 27, 1965, would be a day like any other, but for a million hot-rodders it marks the day the world changed. On that fateful Thursday evening, CBS aired episode 36 of The Munsters, and "Hot Rod Herman" became the fuse that lit a pop-culture bomb that reverberates to this day. Television historians mark the performances of Fred Gwynne (Herman), Yvonne De Carlo (Lily) and Al Lewis (Grandpa) as the stars of the show, but it was Dragula—the coffin-cum-rail-dragster built by Barris Kustom Industries—that ignited the imagination of millions.

Dragula—or, more accurately, "Drag-U-La"—was a real-McCoy prop that propelled the episode's plot; when Herman loses the family car, the "Munster Koach," in a grudge race against Sandy "Leadfoot" Baylor, Grandpa gets busy in the garage building the secret weapon Herman will use to win it back. When the garage opens, out rolls Dragula, the jaw-dropping dragster that would galvanize a generation of future. Over the years, several Dragula replicas have been built, 5 at last count.

This is the third Dragula built by Barris Kustom Industries, specifically by Keith Dean, son of Barris craftsman and Dragula Number 1 builder Dick Dean. This Dragula example was a giveaway car for a casino in Florida and was won on Halloween by a little old lady and went underground for years before turning up at Montville, New Jersey's Dead Mans Curve Car Club. As told to My Classic Car's Dennis Gage, Munsters cast member Butch Patrick (aka Eddie Munster) was a member of the Dead Mans Curve Car Club, and he was the one who discovered it in Florida.

 

The original TV car was housed in a Planet Hollywood in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where it hung from the ceiling This Planet Hollywood location is now closed according to Planet Hollywood's website. The car is now housed at the Volo Auto museum in the town of Volo, IL.

[MG Brown]

AMT / Round 2 have released the 1/25th scale model kit of Drag-U-La several times, including a double kit with The Munster Koach.

 

[Dave Crevie]

One of the "duplicates" lived in Villa Park, IL., for a while about 20 years ago. When my town started having their downtown car shows, it would show up from time-to-time. Somewhere I have pictures of the 8-year-old son of my best friend at the time sitting in the car. The coolest part was when the owner would light off the organ pipe headers after dark. 

[Brian Czeiner]

Love the cross ram intake. I had one of those years ago for a small block Chevy. More then a few eyes popped open when the hood got raised. Wish I still had it just to sit in the living room for conversation.

[Thom]

Butch was in Omaha a couple of years ago. The local oldies station was doing an interview and opened the phone lines for questions.
I called and asked if he had frequented one of the So-Cal slot car tracks in his neighborhood. He said yes and went on for 5 minutes about slot cars.

[Bill from NH]

Within the past 5 or 6 years, a "how-to" article was posted on building a slot car drag racing version of Drag-U-La. I think the same article was first posted bout 15 yrs. ago.

[mppicione]

Thanks for the pics and the nice history of the car.

 

I just finished a slot car replica of  drag-u-la ( my first drag car build ) I don't plan to run it.

 

There are some pics on Marks Model World facebook page if anyone is interested.