CriticalMess meets American Hotrod!

by Dr. Terrific

When you read how this thing was put together, you'll find that referencing American Hotrod isn't much of an exaggeration.  In addition to the car below the good doctor has built a couple of other Batmobiles including Batman's original red convertible and Nick Fury's flying Porsche.  His next project is the roadster driven by the Golden Age Sandman. 

A dark blue sedan with a bat head in the front and a big scalloped fin: features that have been integral parts of Batmobile designs for over 60 years.  This design, with slight fluctuations (red pin stripes, scalloped fenders) appeared in comic books and newspaper strips for 10 years, until the Batmobile was hit with a bazooka (“Holy Ordinance, Batman!”) and replaced with a new design in 1950. I credited this version of the Batmobile as a collaboration between Bob Kane and his assistant, Jerry Robinson.

I based my model on an AMT 1939 Tudor Ford kit, with the front fenders of a 1941 Willys.  Fenders were modified with sheet styrene wheel covers.  Tamiya putty was used to make the front fenders level with the rest of the car.  The dorsal bat fin was cut out of sheet styrene.  The bat head was shaped out of a plastic egg, using thin styrene for the mid-line and the backing of the ears.  Milliput was used to fill in the backing, top, and ears.  The manifold exhausts were made out of tension springs, with small rods running through the fenders and hood as guide wires.  Hot glue holds everything in place.

Discuss or comment on this incredible custom.