77 replies to this topic

[don.siegel]

I was going to start a new post for this, but since there was already one for the Classic Batmobile, thought I'd add it on here. Just reread the old posts, and some of my questions are answered, but left them below anyway... 

 

Here's a new project, rather unexpected and entirely by chance: at the swap meet earlier this year in Marly, near Lille, I found this old Classic Batmobile body, which didn't seem to interest anyone else... For about €20, I couldn't let it lie there! And back home, realized I had the perfect chassis for it too, under a Classic Lotus 30 that had come with the original Manta Ray box. 

 

So, new project! I assume I can Paint it Black, like Mick... but looking at photos of this car, it looks like Classic included a couple chrome plastic pieces: on the light on top, around the jet exhaust at the back, and the three intakes in back of the cockpit. Does anybody have any more details/closeups of these parts, and does anybody do repros? 

 

I could probably dig into the parts box and maybe come up with something, not to mention brass tubes in the back, but I'd like to be a bit more authentic... And, for once and for all, did this one have the bat-hubs on the wheels? 

 

It also seems to have red stripes along the back fins... can somebody confirm? 

 

Thanks guys - excuse me, I have to go to the batroom (we all thought we were pretty funny when we were 14, eh?). 

 

 

 

 

I sort of have another Batmobile already: the BZ model, but it's totally repro: the Charlie Almond chassis, a repop body, other wheels and tires, and maybe a BZ motor, but unlabeled. Painted and assembled by a friend, in trade for something, and his bat-hubs are actually just thick cardboard! Comes out pretty good in photos however: 

 

 

 

 

Don 

[TSR]

Don,
this composite picture is one I did for the Japanese magazine "Model Cars" about 15 years ago. It shows the three "Bats". The top picture shows the Classic model with the plastic bits. There is a "grille" around the top light, a rocket launcher with three plated pipes and the turbine exhaust is made of two pieces, a plated "crown" that slips over a black plastic disc glued to the body.

The chassis for the Classic Batmobile was anodized black, unlike the Manta Ray chassis that was gray.
Unlike the BZ and K&B models. the Classic Batmobile was never sold with "Bat Hubs". In fact the axles are too short to allow this, but many cars were modified either by retailers or customers with BZ "bat hubs" after longer axles were installed.

 

[MattD]

There are black frames around, I'm sure there were many Batmobiles produced and bodies replaced.  So the black frames do turn up.    I think you see more Bats with the gray Manta Ray frames than the original black ones today.     I don't think most average collectors are not aware of the difference.

 

.    Kind of like the 32 Ford Roadsters, there were more of them made with small block Chevy engines then there were with flatheads.   At least it appears that way today.