Butch Patrick and George Barris pose with the Drag-U-La. Photo from Butch Patrick’s Munster Koach Facebook fanpage

The Drag-U-La was one of two hot rods designed by Tom Daniel for George Barris at Barris Kustom Industries for the hit TV show “The Munsters.” In 1964 it was illegal to sell a coffin without a death certificate but Barris’ “Korky” Korkes was able to purchase a real fiberglass coffin from a funeral home in North Hollywood. The funeral director accepted cash to leave the coffin outside the rear door of the funeral parlor where the Barris crew picked up their new car body after dark.  

In the original TV series, the car was created by Grandpa Munster so he could win back The Munster Koach, which Herman had lost in a drag race. In the 1966 movie “Munster, Go Home,” Grandpa Munster builds the Drag-u-la after Herman crashes the Munster Koach, so Herman can drive it in a cross-country automobile race. Designed so that the driver sits in the rear of the vehicle under a plastic bubble behind the engine.

Butch Patrick posing with the car in recent times. Photo from Butch Patrick’s Munster Koach Facebook fanpage

The car is currently housed at the Volo Auto Museum in the town of Volo, Illinois, where the museum had the car completely restored in 2011.

Drag-U-La Specs:

• 350 horsepower 289ci Ford Mustang V8
• Two four-barrel carburetors
• Mickey Thompson Ram Thrust manifold
• 4-speed manual transmission
• 10.5-inch Firestone racing slicks
• 10-inch Rader aluminum and steel wheels
• Spider hubcaps
• 4-inch Italian tires
• Speedsport English buggy wire wheels
• Organ pipe “Zoomie-style” exhaust
• Antique coach lamps on front and rear
• Marble gravestone radiator