77 replies to this topic

[don.siegel]

Pure supply and demand, Bob! There just don't seem to be that many around... don't know if they didn't sell that many or if my experience was typical... bought one of these in late '67 or early '68, ran it for awhile, and it seemed to slow down and wasn't competitive anymore. So.... I took it apart thinking to rewind or somehow hop it up – and never put it back together! I think I used the mags on another project and I still have the ball bearings believe it or not...

Even eBay hasn't helped: a lot of the SS91 Screamers came out of the woodwork on ebay, but not the SS101s, so... $$$

The chassis is the 1201 and that's a curious case. I bought an SS101 and what I thought was this chassis from ED a number of years ago, but the chassis was the 1252 (for the SS91, Dynamic GE, etc) and Philippe explained that the same one was sold for both motors - turns out he was wrong! But it took awhile to prove that... There was a thread a couple years ago, but I don't think anyone had seen one of these chassis in the packaging at the time, although I found it in a catalog. Then I found one this year from a European eBay seller (for about $50!), followed by this rather more expensive example – mamma mia!

Whoops, maybe we should get back to Classic and those rather nice rewinds of theirs...

Don

[Russkid]

OK Don, I need to check and see if I have a 1201. If not, I will have to throw my SS101s in the trash. :boohoo:

[Ben Morrow]

Hey guys,

 

Was the Lancer Batmobile body ever used on any manufactured Batmobile RTR car or kit? I purchased a couple on ePay and was wondering if they were ever used and if they're common, easy to find? They look really nice, still in package new.

 

Thanks,

 

Ben

[TSR]

Ben,

 

I assume that you purchased a pair of Lexan reproductions made of thin material, manufactured and marketed by REH of Cincinnati (bagged bodies with a purple tag). The real, period, Lancer Batmobile bodies made of thick butyrate are actually quite rare, as most produced were sold on RTR cars made by BZ. However the BZ Batmobile cars and bodies are far from being rare or even scarce, but supply and demand means that they can be pricey. Some of the BZ clear bodies "escaped" to the open market when the company shut down in 1968, likely a few hundreds since quite a few surfaced in the 1990s.

 

Of course the Lancer Batmobile body was the one used by BZ for their RTR model. All the bodies on BZ RTR cars were produced by Lancer.

 

However the molds for the real and scarce Lancer Batmobile bodies bear a different engraving for the rear license plate, as the BZ models has "BZ66" in the rectangle.
 

[Ben Morrow]

Hi Dokk,

 

Yep, that's just what I bought bagged with purple tag. They looked pretty cool and just thought it would be cool to have, however I was fooled by the bag as they looked more like the old thick butyrate body. Oh well, still cool but a little disapointed as they looked like the body of old. Gota love those old thick sharp and high detailed  bodies. It's just that I've not seen many batmobile bodies. Hey you live and learn... :-) 

 

Thanks once again, Dokk.

 

Ben

[Ben Morrow]

Dokk,

 

The part # on the tag is LAN1010.

 

Ben

[TSR]

Yes, it is an REH repro. They sell for about 7 bucks retail. Better than nothing if you cannot find or cannot afford the real thing. Beware of sellers online claiming "genuine" when they are not.

Here is a good example of this little crookery:

1/24 Lancer Batmobile body orginal

[mike1972chev]

 

 

 

Not to "mess" this thread up,but here is an original Classic Batmobile body kit complete with chrome stacks ,exhaust ring,and beacon ring. I have it with Kal Kar five-spokes displayed because they look more like the original Radio wheels the original Batmobile wore in 1966. I have the correct six-spoke Classic wheels for it. 

[TSR]

Classic sold most of their bodies in painted of clear versions, each with that pink card. In the case of the Batmobile, there was a little baggie with the rocket launchers, dome light cover and a 2-piece exhaust. Not so sure if they sold the body in painted form, but of course they sold the RTR car nicely painted, the first issues with a nice red line over the rear fenders. The box forms a nice display:





The Classic Batmobile was never sold with "Bat hubs," as the axles were too short to fit them and required longer axles. Hence if someone tells you a tall story that "his came that way," smile and keep walking.  

Of the three Batmobiles produced in the 1960s, the BZ is the best looking, the Classic the most brutal and the K&B the rarest by far.

Fun stuff.

[Ben Morrow]

Hey Dokk,

 

Thanks for the cool info and pics. Yea, I guess I was had on this deal (and paid too much), how ever I can only blame myself as I should have checked here before purchasing. :-)

 

I really like the info on the Classic car as I think I may have most all parts for that car? Is the chassis the same as the old Manta Ray?

I have the 6 spoke classic wheels, 360 motor, gears, axles and so on. Body will be re-pop :-(  but will look pretty cool just leaving the body clear and painting the second (with red stripe above fender) and painted chrome trim from booth.

 

I also noticed that one of the links, I think Booth Machine may have the parts for exhaust, light rim and more, just need alclad to rechrome. 

 

Bottom line, I'll take my lumps on the body, and carry on! :-)

 

Mike, Thanks for your added coments and pictures. Very nice and cool, cool collection of nice old vintage cars! :-)

 

 

Dokk, I just purchased your book "Vintage Slot Cars", amazing book, fun reading and Well Done!!

 

 

Thanks as always to all,

Ben

[TSR]

If you purchased that Lancer repro body, it is wrong for the Classic chassis, so you may as well build anything you like with any part you like. Or, you can search for a BZ chassis (it is chrome plated steel with a wire drop arm) and try finding the correct Riggen wheels, white motor etc. But since it is a repro body, I would not bother too much and assemble whichever parts are convenient.
If you have a correct Classic repro body (I have never seen one), the original chassis was of the same pattern as of the Manta Ray, but was anodized black instead of gray. And the black chassis only came assembled to the RTR models, not sold separately, so are not that common, since many Classic Batmobiles were assembled from parts by collectors long after the company had shut down.

[Ben Morrow]

Hi Dokk,
 
I'm really liking all the cool info you can find here on the forum with your help and others, too!... I can't really afford to buy the nice "origanal" stuff, but I do really enjoy building cars that run and look somewhat like the real thing that can be placed on the track and run'um around the track. It's just plain ole fun and cool to me. :-)  Just good memories of the good ole days.
 
I do have a few really nice origanal cars that are "shelf queens," as folks call them, but would never place on the track for fear of damage. It's just that building nice old cars is my cup of tea, some not completely origanal. Yes sir, I'll take your advice and build a nice original-looking Batmobile just to remind me of the days of old.
 
I can always keep an eye peeled for the origanal stuff, andsnatch it up as I go. You do make it much easier to find these items because of your vast knowlage! Thank you for the info you give!!
 
I do have a new question, I was reading that the Batmobile by classic came with a orange-colored Classic 250. I was thinking the old orange 36D was the Classic 360, can you set me straight on this issue? 
 
Thanks again, Dokk!
 
Ben

[TSR]

Ben,

The Classic Batmobile was only ever sold with a Classic "CM360," a standard Mabuchi FT36D with the pinion on the can side.

[Ben Morrow]

Thanks Dokk, Thats what I thought, I'll go back and  read more. Just maybe I read wrong?? :-}

 

Ben

[mike1972chev]

"The Classic Batmobile was never sold with "Bat hubs," as the axles were too short to fit them and required longer axles. Hence if someone tells you a tall story that "his came that way," smile and keep walking.    :)"

 

Dokk,I have heard where this misconception MIGHT have started originally from a few hobby retailers "back in the day"  ???  Some of the hobby shops were actually unpackaging cars from all of the different mfgs.(K&B,BZ .Classic.......)  Swapping out the axles to the longer ones and adding the bat hubs ,and then putting them back in their respective boxes to help make them more appealing for sales reasons. So,It would make sense for people who originally bought them  back in the 60s to think they were a "factory" thing and that the came that way. (Cannot confirm this %100 ,but have heard this MORE than once from reputable hobby folks from that era.)

[TSR]

Michael, yes, that happened a lot. But when I read on some forums from adults who swear the car came that way, it is pure delusion and their memory cells are confused. Happens a lot when you are a kid, and remember things that never happened by the time all the cells actually connect, like at age 65 or so.

[Ben Morrow]

Hey Guys,

 

The two batmobile bodies arrived today. In opening the package I find one body at about 10 thou. thick with a blank rear plate and looks like a newer todays bought body. The other, body #2 is a lot thicker, not as clear with the # BZ1066 or 1966, on the plate.

 

Now I'm a little confused, why would two differant bodies have the same packing header? Granted it looks like the bags are wrinkeled and old and may have been opened. But these bodies are differant and it's easy to see the thinner body is crystal clear and the thicker not quite as clear. Plus they were also in differant length bags! 

 

I'm happy with both bodies, just would like to know why so differant...

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks all,

Ben

[TSR]

Post pictures (take pics of the bodies untrimmed over a black background, and another of the packaging) and I would be happy to help sort it out for you.

[Ben Morrow]

Dokk,

 

I'll try, I've never posted pictures. The thicker body is already trimmed. 

 

Thanks,

Ben

[Ben Morrow]

[Ben Morrow]

Dokk,

Sorry, Pictures not much if they did post

 

Ben

[Bill from NH]

Ben, your photos posted okay. I'm no expert on Batmobiles but that black on purple header card  is for a Lancer clone pulled by REHCO in Cincinnati. I don't know if they used original Lancer molds  or some that had been repaired/modified. Maybe some of each.

[Ben Morrow]

Hi Bill,

 

Thanks for the posts..

 

Thats the question, If REH did use the old molds and did they use diffirent thickness plastics with the molds.. Also why one would have the plate numbers (thicker one) and thinner one no numbers ? I don't know and I guess doesn't really matter. I just thought I'd recieve two bodies that were the same and found it odd that I didn't. I'll keep and use both bodies for some project I can come up with.  

 

It's all just plain FUN in my eyes !   

 

Thanks again,

Ben

[TSR]

Ben,
the untrimmed, thin Lexan body is definitely an REH product and has no collectible value. It's however good to build a clone that can be used to tool around a slot car track.
The other, thicker body is the real thing, and the plate says "BZ1966". These were leftover bodies purchased by REH from the collapsed BZ company's assets in 1969, and marketed under the "Lancer" brand name also acquired by REH in 1971 along with many of the Lancer company's molds.
These bodies were never sold by BZ in clear form, but there were hundreds that remained in unpainted form at the time of the closing of the company and this is one of them.
While it was produced by Lancer for BZ, it is not the truly rare "Lancer" version, but is nonetheless the real thing as far as being a genuine BZ Batmobile body.

My recommendation: do NOT mount this on a Classic chassis, find a correct BZ chrome plated chassis for it, the proper white motor, the proper Riggen wheels, the proper Weldun gears and leave it unpainted and on display on a shelf. If you need help finding components, PM me as I know people who have parts.
 

[mike1972chev]

X 2 what Dokk said on that original BZ body you have. I would collect all of the correct BZ related parts and assemble a complete  chassis and display it as is. I would not paint that body,nor drill the mounting holes either.Just set the body on it loose. (My opinion  )