The 60s must have been some WILD times they were

[SfanGoch]

It looks to be that a young boy, perhaps about 12 or 13, had a well stocked parts box and wanted a 1/25 scale Batmobile when the TV show went on air in '66, but all of the kit manufactures were asleep at the wheel. You can see where it had fins at one time, and I'd bet it had some kind of front windscreens at one time too. I guess he couldn't wait 40 years.

Dunno about that 40 years part. I didn't have to wait that long. Good ol' Aurora was on top of things and had the market locked up. Not Revell. Not Monogram. Aurora had all of the bases covered with the Batmobile, Batplane and Batboat {1966); the Black Beauty (1966); the Invaders UFO; Irwin Allen TV show-related kits like the Seaview and Flying Sub from VTTBOTS (1966), the Spindrift from Land of the Giants (1968), the Robot and Cyclops from Lost in Space (1968) and movie related stuff like the Voyager from Fantastic Voyage, the Moonbus and the Orion III from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1969) in addition to the Universal Monsters, Munsters, Addams Family and Godzilla. I had'em all. It was great being a kid back then. . 

[Craig Irwin]

Dunno about that 40 years part. I didn't have to wait that long. Good ol' Aurora was on top of things and had the market locked up.

But it was 1/32, and didn't look right next to 1/25 models. Also was a simple curbside kit, not the full detail kit we wanted. Same with the Black Beauty. 

[SfanGoch]

But it was 1/32, and didn't look right next to 1/25 models. Also was a simple curbside kit, not the full detail kit we wanted. Same with the Black Beauty. 

I was six when the Batmobile kit came out. At that age, I bought and built models for the fun factor; technical accuracy wasn't even a passing thought. I don't recall hearing any kids complaining that it was a curbside kit. Did you complain that it had no guts? Were you old enough to know what "curbside" meant in 1966? Was that term even coined and in use in the early-mid 60s?  Do you really think kids really cared about the scale? It look right on my desk in the bedroom, which was all that mattered. It was a popular show, the Batmobile was cool, there was a model available. Ditto with the Black Beauty. Couldn't ask for more than that in 1966.

[slusher]

That could have been built last week... I guess that would mean the '10s are wild times!  

Harry that build could be the result of glue fumes from old Testors glue...

[Tom Geiger]

I was six when the Batmobile kit came out. At that age, I bought and built models for the fun factor; technical accuracy wasn't even a passing thought. I don't recall hearing any kids complaining that it was a curbside kit. Did you complain that it had no guts? Were you old enough to know what "curbside" meant in 1966? Was that term even coined and in use in the early-mid 60s?  Do you really think kids really cared about the scale? It look right on my desk in the bedroom, which was all that mattered. It was a popular show, the Batmobile was cool, there was a model available. Ditto with the Black Beauty. Couldn't ask for more than that in 1966.

 Agreed.  We were kids!  We were excited to have a model kit in any form!  I had no patience for technical issues like engines, I'd glue the block together well enough that you'd see an engine from below, and then glue the hood shut.  I was mainly into the look of the car and how I could make that my own design.  Then you'd get another idea and you'd tear down that model and do it over, and over!

I have this one in my Olde Kustom Kollection. I bought it on eBay, I just had to have it since it's sooo over the top!

Edited November 15, 2015 by Tom Geiger

[Craig Irwin]

I was six when the Batmobile kit came out. At that age, Do you really think kids really cared about the scale? It look right on my desk in the bedroom, which was all that mattered. It was a popular show, the Batmobile was cool, there was a model available. Ditto with the Black Beauty. Couldn't ask for more than that in 1966.

I was a teenager at the time the show came out, and I did buy and build the 1/32 kit because it was all that I could get. But yes, I was HIGHLY disappointed that had no engine and that it didn't fit with my other models.. Not all Batfans were pre-teens.

[peter31a]

Tom, that is a little rough on execution but I really like the concept. Whoever built it was really going for the airport limousine look. Thanks for sharing that one with us.

[Tom Geiger]

Tom, that is a little rough on execution but I really like the concept. Whoever built it was really going for the airport limousine look. Thanks for sharing that one with us.

Peter, it's a classic example of kids building something wild with the limitations of spending and the materials available in a time period. That car started out as a convertible. The builder cut it in half and added a balsa wood center extension, chassis and sides! The roof is one big piece of balsa. I will do an Under Glass post on this car.

[Jon Haigwood]

A 60's version of a Rat Rod ? Rat Custom ?

[SfanGoch]

A 60's version of a Rat Rod ? Rat Custom ?

Rat Fink.

[lordairgtar]

Some kid wanted a Bat-mobile really badly. I can't tell what the base car was. Maybe a 64 Plymouth? The trailer came in the Chevy II wagon, I believe.

No, it is obviously a GM full size car, Maybe Olds because of the peaks along the tops of the body sides.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

No, it is obviously a GM full size car, Maybe Olds because of the peaks along the tops of the body sides.

 

Positively 100% identified as a Johan '63 Olds Starfire, which was released as both hardtop and convert. The top fins on the rear fenders have been hacked off, and blobular bits added to the ends...and elsewhere. 

Edited November 16, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[Mark]

Model Car Science ran a two or three part article on building a 1/25 scale Batmobile back in the day.  I haven't got the issues (don't collect MCS) but if I remember right, the builder started with a '65 or '66 fullsize GM car kit, and advised readers to use one too.  I think he stated that it really didn't matter which one you used as a starting point (Olds, Buick, or Pontiac) because so much of it was going to be reworked anyway.  The conversion involved a lot of cutting, sheet plastic, and putty, but the finished model looked pretty decent.  Some kid probably saw one of those articles, grabbed the closest thing that was available, and got to it.  And probably had a lot of fun doing it.   

[Tom Geiger]

Model Car Science ran a two or three part article on building a 1/25 scale Batmobile back in the day.  I haven't got the issues (don't collect MCS) but if I remember right, the builder started with a '65 or '66 fullsize GM car kit, and advised readers to use one too.  I think he stated that it really didn't matter which one you used as a starting point (Olds, Buick, or Pontiac) because so much of it was going to be reworked anyway.  The conversion involved a lot of cutting, sheet plastic, and putty, but the finished model looked pretty decent.  Some kid probably saw one of those articles, grabbed the closest thing that was available, and got to it.  And probably had a lot of fun doing it.   

That Batmobile probably was influenced by the magazine article, as interpreted by a kid with limited resources.  We forget that back then there was little in the way of the supplies and materials we take for granted today.  Sheet plastic for instance...  I remember Art Anderson talking about using the 1961 Ranchero bed covers as sheet plastic for custom work. Also the putties and glues were quite limited. Many people were still using razor blades and pocket knives for cutting too.

I learned how much influence the early model magazines had on modeling back when I started collecting old Valiant models.  I found that a good number of the built ups had the rear end sliced off flat.  It was puzzling to me until a friend showed me Dave Shuklis's Bobtail Cat in Car Model Magazine.  I immediately knew that all these builders were influenced by this build.    

 

 

[Mark]

For those who are interested, the "Batmobile" and trailer are back on eBay...

[ChrisBcritter]

Sold for $10.50 a couple hours ago. Did anyone here get it?