Building Japan’s Batmobile: 1958 Chrysler Imperial

Ultra Seven was a very popular children’s show in Japan in the late 1960s. The premise of the series was that Earth is under attack from extraterrestrial threats and the Terrestrial Defense Force must combat the constant threat. The team’s vehicle was the Pointer 1, which was considered to be Japan’s equivalent of the Batmobile. Unfortunately, the original Pointer 1 from the series has been destroyed.

Yasushi Shiroi’s labor of love has been to rebuild a 1958 Chrysler Imperial into a replica of the infamous Pointer 1. The result is an amalgamation of American and Japanese parts. The AFICIANAUTO traveled to Japan to visit with Shiroi and discuss his love for the Pointer 1 and take it out for a spin. As it turns out, building and keeping the car has been a literal life-changing experience for Shiroi.