Un-Overdoing the Batman Forever Batmobile

[Jantrix]

Like most you, I consider the Batman Forever and Batman and Robin batmobiles (suck it Joel Schumacher!) the worst of the bunch. But a few years back my wife's cousin, who is a special needs fella, brings me the Batman Forever batmobile kit and asks me to build it for him. He loves the Schumacher Batman films, and I'd never talk bad about what he loves. I happily agreed to build it for him. At 51 pieces it's an easy build and goes together well. While I was building it, I took a real good look at the lines of the body. Looking at the side profile, I start to see what the designer was going for, an H.R. Giger-esque biomechanical look. Biomechanical might work in Ridley Scott sci-fi movies, but not Batman. So while building that first one, I was convinced that I could fix this design. I built it for him box stock and he was very happy with it.

The stripped down design really isn't that bad. It has an aerodynamic LSR type shape, armored tire sidewalls, full fenders, and a slick aircraft type canopy. All good. So to start with, losing the crazy center wing and the exposed mechanicals, are my first priority. If Batman was a real guy, he wouldn't want either of those. The center wing is taller by itself than the rest of the car. I have a few other ideas, but I'll get to those later. This built is just for me to get creative with and see if I can pull it off.

 

 

I'm going to fill the openings in the "gills" with flat stock from the back. It will still have the ribbed look. Also, I'm going to cut off the bottom of the center wing and glue it in place and sand it down so that the ridge is still there. More soon.

Edited August 17, 2022 by Jantrix

[espo]

I wouldn't normally give this kit a second look but seeing what you have in mind does make it sound more appealing. Since this is a build for your wife's cousin is he good with your ideas? 

[bobthehobbyguy]

Nice start.

[Jantrix]

2 hours ago, espo said:

I wouldn't normally give this kit a second look but seeing what you have in mind does make it sound more appealing. Since this is a build for your wife's cousin is he good with your ideas? 

This is my second go at this kit. I built one for him box stock. This one is for me and my creativity. 

[bisc63]

I've been wanting to customize/tame those batmobiles from my stash as well. Will be interesting to see your approach. They have, as they say, good bones, so it should build into something cool!

[Jantrix]

18 hours ago, bisc63 said:

They have, as they say, good bones, so it should build into something cool!

Thanks. This one is really pretty easy I think. The one from Batman and Robin though, I've studied in some detail and after doing so....

I think it's beyond redemption.

Edited August 18, 2022 by Jantrix

[Jantrix]

End of day one. 

[Chuck Most]

Fun fact... the vehicles and gadgets in these movies were designed to be "toyetic", a term Schumaker had said he'd never heard before helming these Batman flicks. Basically the producers worked with the prop designers to make the movie props easily marketable as toys. Probably explains quite a bit for how this version of the Batmobile looks. I know this because I watched the special features on the Batman and Robin DVD... the movie makes a lot more sense then. Pretty bad when the behind the scenes featurette is more interesting than the actual movie. 

[Jantrix]

Thanks Chuck. That makes a lot of sense. It's never a good thing when the studio cares more about marketing than making a good film. It destroyed this franchise. Sony's interferences with Sam Raimi's Spider-Man did the same, for the same reasons. 

[Oldcarfan27]

Deleted

Edited August 23, 2022 by Oldcarfan27

[Chuck Most]

9 hours ago, Jantrix said:

Thanks Chuck. That makes a lot of sense. It's never a good thing when the studio cares more about marketing than making a good film. It destroyed this franchise. Sony's interferences with Sam Raimi's Spider-Man did the same, for the same reasons. 

That's just typical Sony. They really need to stick to consumer electronics. 

[Jantrix]

I've decided that I'm going to add some V-groove stock to the inside of these gills. I think it will look more armored than just leaving the area blank.

[Mr. Metallic]

I had some similar thoughts to you awhile ago. Started working on completely smoothing out the body and turning it into an LSR type car. I still have it somewhere. For now I'll live vicariously through you and watch you build something cool out of this odd design.

[Dragonhawk1066]

On 8/17/2022 at 11:55 AM, Jantrix said:

I'm definitely following along! When I look at this I get an "Alien" vibe!

[bisc63]

9 hours ago, Jantrix said:

I've decided that I'm going to add some V-groove stock to the inside of these gills. I think it will look more armored than just leaving the area blank.

I hate seeing the stuff overused, but this might be a cool place to use some carbon fiber decal. Just a thought...

[Jantrix]

13 hours ago, Dragonhawk1066 said:

I'm definitely following along! When I look at this I get an "Alien" vibe!

That was the original idea behind the design. The artist was heavily influenced by H.R. Giger, who designed the Alien and it's world.

12 hours ago, bisc63 said:

I hate seeing the stuff overused, but this might be a cool place to use some carbon fiber decal. Just a thought...

I'm planning to use it in the cockpit, but not outside. I still want to keep an armored look.

Thanks for your interest guys.

[MeatMan]

Great idea Rob!!

[Jantrix]

Here's the driver side gills filled with v-groove stock. Pretty time consuming but the end result will be worth it. 

[Oldcarfan27]

On 8/17/2022 at 6:49 PM, Chuck Most said:

Fun fact... the vehicles and gadgets in these movies were designed to be "toyetic", a term Schumaker had said he'd never heard before helming these Batman flicks. Basically the producers worked with the prop designers to make the movie props easily marketable as toys. Probably explains quite a bit for how this version of the Batmobile looks. I know this because I watched the special features on the Batman and Robin DVD... the movie makes a lot more sense then. Pretty bad when the behind the scenes featurette is more interesting than the actual movie. 

 

On 8/17/2022 at 7:45 PM, Jantrix said:

Thanks Chuck. That makes a lot of sense. It's never a good thing when the studio cares more about marketing than making a good film. It destroyed this franchise. Sony's interferences with Sam Raimi's Spider-Man did the same, for the same reasons. 

And in the end the toys bombed too! Why someone doesn't get fired for shenanigans like that boggles me.

[Jantrix]

I got rid of the pointy tail and cut about an inch out of the turbine nozzle. In the opening caused by cutting the tail,  I'll add a tail light, which the original kit doesn't include. 

[Jantrix]

Plans for the silly neon wheels. These bottom-of-the-parts-bin hubcaps, will be trimmed to fit and dropped into the armored sidewall hub. Once they are dechromed and painted a titanium color they should have a very mechanical turbine-esque look. 

Edited August 23, 2022 by Jantrix

[Bugatti Fan]

Fun build in the making. will be following this one.

I remember my grandkids having some bathtub liquid in a container looking like that particular Batmobile.

The Batman movies intrigue me with all the different car designs as where would Bruce Wayne get them designed and built? You never see a team of covert designers and engineers who would be needed to make them. The only exception was one series of movies where Wayne Industries had developed a prototype military vehicle that became the Batmobile in them.

Edited August 23, 2022 by Bugatti Fan

[NOBLNG]

7 hours ago, Jantrix said:

I got rid of the pointy tail and cut about an inch out of the turbine nozzle. In the opening caused by cutting the tail,  I'll add a tail light, which the original kit doesn't include. 

You wouldn’t want Batman to be late to a crisis because he got pulled over for not meeting DOT standards eh?😜 Nice work so far!👍

Edited August 23, 2022 by NOBLNG

[Jantrix]

I think I've managed to keep the bio-mechanical look while eliminating the exposed mechanicals. The ridge where the center fin was needs more work but it's coming along. I suck at body work. The rims I'm happy with. More soon. 

 

[Jantrix]

On 8/23/2022 at 2:34 AM, Bugatti Fan said:

The Batman movies intrigue me with all the different car designs as where would Bruce Wayne get them designed and built? You never see a team of covert designers and engineers who would be needed to make them. The only exception was one series of movies where Wayne Industries had developed a prototype military vehicle that became the Batmobile in them.

Back when I collected and read the comics, in some cases it was very much a Bruce and Alfred design/build effort. In others, there was a genius engineer named Harold Allnut, who was a hunchback, and he worked in the Batcave on all manner of little Bat-toys.