Loyd's BONUS video-clip(s)!! --- # 52!! --- MORE classic 'Vette commercials!

 

God BLESS whoever the classic-car-GEEKS are, who just keep loading these kinds of things onto YouTube! Being a HUGE fan of the original, FRONT-ENGINE, rear-wheel drive-version of  Chevy's 2-seater-- I just about do a little 'nerd-happy-dance' whenever I stumble across little video-TREASURES like these old TV spots!----

Hopefully-- 'life-permitting', of COURSE-- I'll be putting up a FULL-length, complete post NEXT month! 'Til then-- stay SAFE, SANE and HAPPY gang!

Thoughts on my top-two-FAVE 'Bat-flicks'!

 

My fandom for the 'Caped Crusader' crosses over into a LOT of different kinds of media-- and a HOST of film and animated versions too! This time around though, I want to JUST focus on my top two favorite film versions of the character. AND-- why one version has actually recently took over the 'number ONE' spot from the other! It's STILL a pretty CLOSE race between the two though!

It's pretty much understood, if you visit my teensy-weensy little corner of the 'net here, on ANY kind of regular basis-- that I'm a life-long 'Bat-fanatic'! What I haven't really discussed much, is my top two favorite 'live action' adaptations of the character. 

Oh, I've talked about them a bit here and there-- including referencing them in an episode of the '...Ramblings' pod-cast a while back! But... now is as good a time as any (and just WHEN would it NOT be a good time, for me to rattle-on about my ALL-time FAVORITE fictional character?!?) to share some 'Loydster-brain-droppings' about these two movies!

First--- and this is only PARTLY because it premiered in theaters on my BIRTHDAY (which is in just a matter of days, by the way!--June 23rd!), oh-my-goodness!---36 YEARS AGO!--- Some thoughts and memories on the 1989 block-buster / MEGA-hit 'Bat-flick'!---

Like most ALL other 'Bat-geek-a-zoids' across the land way-back then--- I'd had my doubts about the casting of Michael Keaton in the lead role, as well as the choice of 'Mr. ODD-BALL-movie-guy', Tim Burton as the director! But-- Warner Brothers movie-execs were VERY smart! They put out TWO  things, that pretty much changed my mind! (This was in the days before there was an internet, remember!)

The first was an image. It was pretty much EVERYWHERE, around January of that year. but I didn't catch a glimpse of it, until visiting a local comics shop! Then, I started seeing it on seemingly about every other magazine cover around!---

 

Almost the instant that I saw this publicity shot of Mr. Keaton in full-on 'ALL-BLACK-Bat-suit-BADNESS'--- my worries about the movie being a GOOF-BALL-fest... pretty much evaporated! Even all these years later, the 'COOLNESS-factor-dial' still cranks (on a scale of 1-to-10!) to 12!

 

The second REALLY shrewd / smart thing that WB did, was release THIS trailer! There wasn't even ANY music to go with the scenes featured yet-- and it STILL had my little 'Bat-fan-boy'-heart nearly SKIPPING a beat!---

Believe it or not-- The 'ol Loydster actually went and watched 2 different movies, that I didn't even CARE about--- JUST to watch the above trailer a couple of more times, after I'd seen it the first time! That shows you how excited I was about this movie!

Once the movie was actually just about to hit theaters, the equally-NIFTY spots-for-TV started showing up! Needless to say, by that point... I was nearly foaming-at-the-mouth! 

At that point in my 'Bat-fandom', I was REALLY into the 'darker-and-more-gritty' Bat-guy! Comics stories like Frank Miller's 'Dark Knight Returns' and the prequel story 'Batman: Year One', Alan Moore's 'The Killing Joke'-- were what I was major-DIGGING-on back then. So-- from what I could tell... that's the kind of 'Caped Crusader' that would be up on the big screen! TV spots like the one below pretty much confirmed my expectations!---

Once the movie was in theaters, I was (of COURSE) in one of the FIRST lines to see it! Did I enjoy it? Well... the fact that I saw it at least 3 TIMES during it's run that memorable summer of '89... AND snagged a copy of it as soon as it came out on home video in the early fall of that year--- shouts out fairly loud-and-clear-- I really, REALLY got a MAJOR jolt out of this film!

First, the positive things I remember (and STILL dig!) about the movie!--- The production design, the tone (darker... but not depressing!), the GADGETS, that oh-SO-WICKED Batmobile (STILL one of my all-time favorite versions of 'ol Batsy's rides!), the Bat-wing, Jack Nicholson's scenery-chewing (he was clearly having fun in the role!) as the Joker! AND-- well, I've already said up above how 'EXTREMELY-bad-motor-scooter' I thought (and STILL think!) the 'Bat-suit' was! (and IS!)

 

All the above elements made this movie feel like something MORE than just a movie. It was like an EVENT! Like a big, giant carnival-ride or roller coaster-- that not ONLY 'Bat-fanatics' were jumping onto (there were hundreds of thousands-- just like me-- who went to see it multiple times in it's first run!) ... but now, the rest of the 'general public' was getting into it...and saying: 'hey! This is something BIG, over-the-top, and special'! 

For the FIRST time that I could remember too, in my life up to that point-- it was ok... considered COOL even, to be an unashamed, out-in-the-open 'comics fan'! Especially a 'Bat-fan'! (Not that I tried to hide my fandom too much! I've always been pretty open and unashamed when it comes to what I'm all GEEKY about!)

Second, the negative things I remember about it (some of this is from hindsight, not to mention repeated viewings over the years!)--- The script and WEIRD plot-choices are the MAIN problems with this movie! It's painfully obvious, in a few spots toward the end in particular--- that they were making this film without a finished script! 

The whole idea of The Joker turning out to be the killer of Bruce Wayne's parents feels like LAZY writing to me! Alfred just letting Vicky Vale into the Batcave is ALSO wrong on SEVERAL levels (including, yes-- LAZY script-writing!)! Bruce to Alfred: 'YOU'RE FIRED"!!

 

Oh, and let's not forget The Joker (AFTER Bats has unloaded rocket-launchers and heavy machine-gun fire at him! TOTALLY out-of-character too!) shooting down the Bat-wing--- with an extremely LONG-barreled gun, that he pulls out of his PANTS! URRRRGH!!!

There's also a couple of places (in the opening scenes, as well as right near the end!) where there's some REALLY goofy, obviously 'hand-drawn' animation used, instead of (like was later done in 'Batman Returns'!) at least somewhat more convincing special effects shots --like maybe stop-motion or even miniature-effects / puppets utilized somehow!

 With all of it's 'lumpy' moments and imperfections though, 'Batman '89' is STILL a classic movie, at least in my mind. It was also PROOF-positive -- to BOTH Hollywood and the movie-going public-- that a serious-take on the character was not ONLY possible... it was also capable of producing BIG box-office! 

'Batman Returns', the Burton-directed-sequel that hit theaters in 1992-- didn't do much for me! Bats was even MORE ruthless and brutal in his combat with the bad guys (he TORCHES a couple with the Batmobile's afterburner, and even blows-up another thug with a roll-of-TNT-to-the-gut-- just in the opening sequence!)-- that I then knew for certain and for sure... talented as the team was that made it.... they just didn't seem to understand what a character like Batman is REALLY all about! He's NOT 'Dirty Harry' or (WORSE!)-- 'The Punisher'!

 

Fast-forward close to 16 years later. A couple more 'Bat-sequels' came and went. 'Batman Forever' (1995), while fun and better written and plotted than the first (OR second) film... isn't a classic by any stretch! It's production design was GREAT though, and Val Kilmer did a bang-up job in his one-and-ONLY time in the Bat-suit. 

'Batman and Robin' (1997)--- well... that one just left me with a SPLITTING-headache! Another 8 years would pass, before another 'Bat-film' would hit the theaters! But---oh WHAT a film it would turn out to be!---

By the time 'Batman Begins' finally hit the screen-- in MY mind... it was HIGH time that a well-done, well-written, 'respectful-to-the-character' Bat-film should be done! AND-- this one, as I would soon discover--- 'checked ALL the boxes'! Needless to say, after seeing the following trailer-- I was pretty STOKED!!---

Unfortunately, the movie came out at a time when things were fairly scrambled and hectic around the Ferrell-household! So, I didn't get a chance to see it on the big screen. As soon as it was available on home video though-- I practically left 'burning-tire-tracks' (like the Delorean in 'Back to the Future'!) all the way to the local video-rental-store-- so I could snag a copy to watch!

I was not ONLY happy after watching this movie-- I  was practically floating up in the clouds! Here was a Batman movie that not only told a GREAT story (the origin of the character, no less!)--- but it also seemed that it's creative team seemed to... FINALLY, at LONG LAST--- 'get' / understand the character! The Batman from the comics, and the 'live action' version of him-- FINALLY seemed to 'line up' with each other!

Bruce Wayne was not only portrayed as a guy with a STRONG 'moral code' against taking life-- but the reasons for his beliefs on this were shown, explored--and made sense! The start of his relationship with Jim Gordon (and the Gotham City Police Department) was also well thought-out and equally well-written. The bad guys' plot to destroy Gotham City, while REALLY pretty scary and truly evil-- wasn't overly dark or depressing! 

A point was even made (and I think this is important, folks!)-- that little kids were NOT afraid of Batman! One little boy, in fact--actually looks up to him as a 'symbol of HOPE'!  What do you know?-- A modern movie-- with a thread of hope and positive ideals running through it! It was an EPIC movie, in ALL the BEST aspects of that word!

Notice I didn't have any 'down-sides' or major disappointing things to point out--in my above thoughts about the movie? That's because... all the way up to the present day-- I can't really seem to think of ANYTHING that bugs me about it! The folks who produced it, pretty much hit the bulls-eye! At least for THIS particular 'Bat-fan'!

Not long after that first rental, I (of COURSE) snatched-up my own copy of this CLASSIC film! It's STILL a treasured part of my collection, all these years later (can you believe it? 20 YEARS ago---since it first hit movie screens!!)! One that my son, Wade and I refer to... as a 'keeper'! Defined as: a flick you'll simply ALWAYS have around... to watch and enjoy over and over again!

The sequels that followed-- 'The Dark Knight', and 'Dark Knight Rises'-- were disappointments to me! While there indeed were a number of NIFTY elements--including a number of VERY cool vehicles (the 'Bat-Pod', the 'Bat' hover-craft for just two!) and gadgets (Batman's EMP weapon!)! It seemed to me, Though a LOT of the same creative folks were involved--- the two sequels almost seemed to be produced by different people, with VERY different ideas of Batman's character, as well as the world he lived in! 

Just a couple of examples: The first movie seemed to have a lot more thought and effort put into the production design-- in particular, how Gotham city was almost another 'character' in that film! The other two flicks just seemed to have the attitude of-- 'Oh well--- let's just make Gotham look pretty much like Chicago or New York!' (In fact, a LARGE chunk of location shooting was done in 'the windy city'!)

Also-- the bad guys in the two follow-ups, Joker and Bane-- were basically just portrayed as 'terrorists' or thugs! I can watch any edition of the nightly national and world-news, if I want to see that sort of thing! Gotham City and Batman's world-- does NOT have to be just like the 'world outside of our window'!

Additionally-- Batman / Bruce Wayne seems-- in BOTH movies-- to be nearly as brutal and 'mean-natured', as the character was in the Burton movies! Like beating people up & causing injury--was the ONLY approach he now had--to get through to / get info from hoodlums and bad guys! The scene where Bats beats-up on and throws the Joker around the interrogation cell in 'Dark Knight'-- to me, was just BOTH unnerving and kinda disturbing! 

So, over the years, I've grown to feel... like 'Batman Begins' is pretty much a 'stand-alone' movie! That the other two in the so-called 'trilogy'--- are flicks that exist maybe in some weird 'alternate universe'! In other words--- I don't feel the 3 movies make any kind of 'trilogy' at ALL! The first movie, is pretty much the BEST and ONLY movie!-- in my mind at least! Just this 'ol Batman-geek-a-zoids opinion gang! Your mileage and opinions may vary!

The two MOST treasured Super Hero flicks in the Loydster's video-library! (Outside of the '78 Superman film!-- I've GOT to do a post on that, at SOME point!) 'Bats '89'-- for it's 'sentimental value' to me! 'Batman Begins', for it's being the ALL-time BEST (my opinion, of course!) 'live-action' portrayal of the character to date!

Last-but-NOT least!-- An extra thought or two, about the two actors who portrayed my fave-character in these, my favorite two Bat-movies--- Michael Keaton and Christian Bale. ---

Two of the BEST actors to ever put on 'Cape-and-Cowl'! Two VERY different men, with VERY different acting styles! BUT-- they BOTH managed to get most EVERYTHING about the character of Bruce Wayne / Batman RIGHT!

While they have differences in their individual acting styles, both of these fine actors seemed to come to the same conclusions about the character of Batman. What 'makes him tick' / motivates him! In numerous interviews, both of them have pretty much said, in no uncertain terms--- that Bats is NOT  a 'crazy' person, ANY kind of 'nut-job' or even schizophrenic! (What a NUMBER of even comic book writers have alleged about him over the years! WRONG-headed, to say the least!)

Both men have reached the conclusion, in their portrayals of the character-- that in order to KEEP from becoming a 'crazy' person... Batman HAS to do what he does! He also feels compelled / obligated / obsessed-- with PREVENTING the crime & tragedy that happened to HIM, from happening to ANYONE else! He's one of the MOST 'sane' people, in a CRAZY and MESSED-up environment / world! That's what I would call getting the 'Bat-guy' role nearly EXACTLY right! The producers of these two films, couldn't have picked ANYONE better! Again, just one 'ol Caped-Crusader-fan's opinion!

One last shout-out-- to a VERY important young man in MY life-- who, in fact-- INSPIRED this post!!-- My son, Mr. Wade Ferrell! Our recent re-watching of 'Batman Begins' together, as well as our extensive discussion during watching it (we PAUSED the DVD-- a LOT!)-- not ONLY reminded me  EXACTLY... of several of the reasons the movie is now pretty much my FAVORITE 'Bat-film', but it also showed me for SURE (though I've always kinda known it!)-- that my son is JUST as much of a sincere, HARD-CORE Bat-fanatic as his old man! Lots of love, appreciation, and BIG HUGS, bub!---

Father-and-son Bat-geek-a-zoids! I'm VERY tickled that the LOVE of my all-time favorite character has been passed on to the NEXT generation! Loved you then, love you now, will love you ALWAYS buddy! (and it's NOT just because of our mutual love of  the 'Bat-guy'!)

                                      See you NEXT time around, gang! 'til then-- stay SAFE, SANE and HAPPY!

'Dr. Franken-Loyd' just KEEPS striking BACK!!-- The SAGA continues!

As  promised / threatened last time around gang--- here's yet ANOTHER installment, concerning the updating and 'jazzing-up' of some of my toy or scale model Bat-rides! Also like the cars featured last time, these 'Caped-Crusader-wheels' have been in my collection for a fairly LARGE chunk of time!

The projects featured this time, are really what I'm gonna consider the 'last' ones-- at least for now. Now that they're finished, I feel like pretty much ALL of the vehicles I wanted to 'freshen-up', have been taken care of.

Don't worry though, oh gentle faithful-few who read this here bloggy-woggy-thingy-thang-- there will ALWAYS be some kind of CRUNCHY-GEEKY-goodness featured here from month-to-month! It just won't be Batmobile-model-tinkering-- at least for a while!

I also want to mention again-- how AMAZING it is, that I've actually somehow carved-out the time to get these little 'update' projects DONE! The 'ol Loydster's working life alone, has been a real MEAT-GRINDER lately! There's also been the on-going working on improvements / tinkering on the 'cozy-cottage' & it's surrounding property!

Somehow, someway though--- I've scrounged-up a few spare moments here and there-- and managed to finish these things to the point where I'm pretty proud of how they've turned out!

But--- that's enough of me patting myself on the back! Onward with the showcasing of the 'model-Bat-ride-updates'!!! (Said again-- in my best 'Adam West-type' voice!)---
 

Apologies for the goofy 'before' pic (a cropped-down version of one from a previous post!)! But--- it was the only one I could dig up, to illustrate the state that the 'Keaton-Bat-ride' was in before I dived into sprucing it up! 
It was LONG ago (the FIRST time I did some customizing to it) painted with plain old 'flat black' primer, and that paint job was REALLY starting to look pretty TIRED & beat-up! There were also a couple of details on the car that I wanted to straighten out! (More on that below, natch!) 
Like a couple of the other earlier 'update' projects, I also took this one apart, to do a better job on the prep work and paint.

I should also mention-- this 'action-figure-scale' car (it's pretty BIG-- roughly a bit shy of maybe 1/12th scale!), is based on the 'Batman Returns' version of the 'Keaton / Burton' ride. (Circa 1992) So--- it originally came with a neat-o feature, where--by pushing a little button on top, the car's sides would 'pop-off', and it would become the 'Bat-missile' vehicle-- just like in the movie!

Well--- I had LONG ago cannibalized this thing for some of it's wheels (the ones from it's 'Bat-missile' segment anyway!), for another customizing-a-Batmobile project! So... for part of my 'updating' here, I simply super-glued the three segments of the car together. (I know --- collectors who think these things should STAY frozen in 'mint' / 'original' condition-- are probably screaming & jumping up and down as they read this post!)
I also super-glued it's wheels / tires in place, so it's 'wheel-centers' / Bat-Symbols would stay centered-up. (a little thing that's ALWAYS bugged me just a smidge!) So, it's almost more of a 'static display replica' of the '...Returns' Bat-ride, than the toy it originally was! ( I know.... MORE jumping up and down and screaming from the collectors out there! Oh well! MY toys, MY rules folks!!)

After disassembly, I carefully-- with the handy-dandy Dremel-tool-- cut-out openings into the 'bowl-shaped' in-take-type pieces just in front of the rear fenders. It had ALWAYS bugged me, that these parts looked NOTHING like the pieces on the real car! Again with super-glue, I placed some nylon-type material (actually from an old kiddie trampoline!) down into the new openings (later painted with 'gun-metal' acrylic, of COURSE!) on each side.
It's STILL not exactly like the 'movie car', but at least NOW-- those parts on the car LOOK like  'in-takes'! Then, after a bit of sanding, prepping and careful masking-- I shot this bad-boy with some semi-gloss black enamel

'Details' around various areas on the body of the car were painted with (again!) 'gun-metal' acrylic.

The little custom-'Keaton' Bat-figure, permanently glued into the driver's seat--- was left just as he was  from my earlier customizing effort on this car--- at least a DECADE-and-a-half ago! As SWEET as he originally turned out... WHY mess with something SO darn NIFTY! (I know... my shoulder's practically out of joint---from patting myself on the back again!!! Sorry gang!)

ANOTHER dorky 'before' pic, cropped from an image --from that SAME previously mentioned earlier post! BUT-- you get the idea here! The 'action-figure'-scaled 'New Batman Adventures' ride (from circa 1997 or so! VERY cool show too, by the way!)-- was ALSO in need of a bit of love! This one mainly needed (much like the '...Returns' ride above!) it's TIRED, scruffy-looking 'flat-black' paint-job ---switched over to a fresh, shiny coat of GLOSS black enamel!
This car also didn't need to be disassembled to do the prep and paint. Just a bit of rubbing with some 3M scotch-bright pads, some careful masking here and there--- and I was ready to start slinging the spray-paint at it!

As I was saying--- this ride just needed a NICE paint job, to really make it POP! I'm fairly proud of the SLICK 'real car'-type of gloss I was able to achieve with the Wally-World rattle-can-paint!

Looks like 'ol Bats and Alfred gave this Batmobile a SERIOUS waxing with a couple of 1-gallon-TUBS of  'Turtle Wax', doesn't it???

I dug up yet ANOTHER Batman action figure (from the 'New Adventures' line of figures, of COURSE!), that for some unknown reason-- I STILL had in a storage tote! So he can be posed next to his now SUPER-slick-and-SHINY Bat-ride, when it's returned back to the shelf! Note how I also changed the previously yellow headlights to a gold metallic color!

                                                                                         

      So, now pretty much ALL of the modifications / updates / general JAZZING-up on the various 'mini-Bat- vehicles' are finished (at least for now!)! I have yet ANOTHER group of items here in my little 'Man-Cave' that -- while they ALREADY made me smile before--- now that they're in tip-top shape-- they make that big 'ol GEEKY-grin I usually have when I enter 'The Secret Sanctum'... just a little BIGGER! And isn't that what having a 'Man-Cave' SHOULD be all about?

On to another area here at 'Ferrell-Central' that I've still been tinkering with!-- Although I'm also at kind of a good 'stopping point' with it too--- at least for the time being!-- I'm referring to the 'Man-Cave': Annex!

Mostly, I've been digging some additional items out of the remaining storage-totes-- the stuff I really didn't have room for in the 'Sanctum' / 'main-Man-Cave' in the house-- and figuring out 'display' ideas / areas for them in the little space I have in our storage building ('The Annex'!). It's been fun getting some of these additional things out, and finding spots for them!---

A bit of 'blank space' next to my paint and supply shelf, was PERFECT for some of the additional Captain America and Iron Man goodies that were otherwise piled into a storage-tote! I scrounged-up a little wooden shelf and covered it with a piece of plexiglass for a little display case for some of it. A display case originally for a 1/24 scale model car shows-off the other items below it!

That's another 8x10 frame, with yet more of my old 'Sunday-School-teaching-days' neck-ties hanging below all of that!

Another oddball-shaped display case houses some additional Iron Man Action figures, sitting atop (along with a framed 'Hot Wheels'-related image!) an appropriately decorated (with a HEALTHY-sized group of some of my old custom-made magnets--of COURSE!) old two-drawer file cabinet. The cabinet holds extra hardware (screws, fencing-wire, etc...) and other 'occasionally-necessary around the house & property' stuff! There's also been a few more magnets & stickers added to the side of my old toolbox to the right (just for extra grins & giggles!)!

My EVER-so generous and thoughtful wifey, Mrs. Debbie-- gave me this NEAT little 3-shelf bookcase! Not ONLY is it useful for displaying / storing those extra books and binders I couldn't find room for in the 'Sanctum, BUT-- I've also found homes for a number of nifty super hero and cartoon character-related items (that were--AGAIN-- stashed-away in dusty old storage-totes!)!! Also-- note my recently snagged 'Dad-jokes' sign, sitting proudly on the top-right of the bookcase!

    

Mrs. Debbie found this little metal-sign I recently snagged-- BOTH: funny, AND--pretty appropriate for a 'master-procrastinator' like me! I figured a spot near the toolbox --alongside where 'Captain Marvel' stands guard-- would be a GREAT place for it!

As I was saying above.... I think in the case of BOTH my little 'Man-Cave' AND the 'Annex--  I can take somewhat of a breather from doing anymore adding of additional stuff, or doing any kind of major tinkering on the items on display in either space for a while! it might just be the RIGHT time to just kick-back & enjoy BOTH of these 'Guy-Spaces' I've been blessed with! Just let them bring that previously-mentioned big 'ol GEEK-A-ZOID grin to my face with whatever's in them, for the foreseeable future at least!

See you NEXT time gang! 'Til then-- stay SAFE, SANE, and HAPPY!

'Dr. Franken-Loyd' just KEEPS striking BACK!!

 

Once AGAIN-- yet another post-- with even MORE proof of my LIFE-long love-affair with (multiple-versions of) the Caped-Crusader's ride! --AND-- once AGAIN--the 'mad-scientist' in the 'ol Loydster has come out to PLAY! This time around, I've been tackling some LONG-delayed updates and mods to a few of my already HEAVILY-customized / completely original 'Bat-ride' models and toys! Keep on 'scrollin-and-readin' to see JUST which ones!

Things here at 'Ferrell Central' / 'The Cozy-Cottage', have been CRAZY-busy and just outright HECTIC lately! Lots of fix-ups and 'home-improvements' have been going on, around our property! Most of the 'hammer-swingin' and paint-brush-slingin', is being carried-out by just my lovely (AND hard-working!) wifey, Debbie and myself! So--- it's been BOTH a kind-of-exciting... yet also EXHAUSTING-- time!

Yet... somehow, and someway--- the 'ol Loydster has managed to carve-out some chunks of time here and there--- to do some MUCH-needed (not to mention MUCH-delayed-- these things have been in storage for nearly 4 YEARS, remember?) updates and mods to selected models and toys in the collection of 'miniature-Bat-rides'!

Before our move from our previous home, I'd planned on gradually doing some 'spiffying-up' on some of my collection, but the move (and piling up all of the 'Loydster-geeky-stuff' into storage!) forced that to be put on hold! Now that it's been a few months since the return of the 'Man-Cave', and I've been able to display all these things once again--- I've been diving into the 'updates-&-mods' projects with GUSTO!

I did kind-of 'ease in' to this whole effort, with a simple 'updated' paint job-- on one of the long-time (fully custom) members of my 'mini-Bat-ride' family. Still, I'm pretty proud of how even IT turned out! As ALWAYS here at the Bloggy-woggy-thingy-thang-a-ma-rang... I'll now cease with all the introductory jibber-jabber, and save most of the 'GEEK-TASTIC' commentary for the pics down below! On with the 'BOMBASTIC-BAT-RIDE-MODEL-BEAUTY-SHOTS'!! (Said in my best 'Adam West'-voice!)---

Ah yes! My completely original custom model of the early '40s Batmobile! I thrashed this one out-- probably well OVER 20 years ago! Based on a snap-together kit I'd snagged at Wally-World way-back-when. The original model seemed to be based on an already heavily-customized '40 Lincoln Zephyr. (That's the car a lot of Bat-fans say the early-40s Batmobile was based on!) This pic was snapped maybe a  year or two after I'd finished it.

The original paint I'd used was still in good shape, but I'd long been kicking around the idea of adding on the red-stripes, (like the comics-version!) and a bit of detailing-- to push it into the 'authentic-'40s-Bat-ride' zone! So... out came the masking tape, acrylic paints, and paint brushes!---

The 'first try', after I'd (VERY carefully!) added on the ('satin-finish') lower body-stripes to the car (as well as a red 'emergency-beacon', mounted to the 'Bat-Fin'-- donated from a bag of left-over 'Lego' parts, natch!). Cool enough! But... it was STILL  missing a little something! I dug around through my collection of 'Bat-classic-comic' reprints and (numerous!) images of the car, and soon enough discovered just what that 'something' was!--

'BAM"!! Yes! The stripe along the 'belt-line' was the 'vital-missing-ingredient' in the recipe, to making this a now just DARN-NIFTY model! The additional bit of 'detailing' around the 'hood-side' exhaust-pipes, also helped it become an 'authentic'-looking 'Bat-vehicle'!

The above-mentioned Masking-tape helped me get those stripes 'straight-and-true'! And, for those who are wondering-- yes, that is INDEED one of the fins--donated- from an old busted-up toy-version of the '89 movie-Batmobile... (More on THAT one later!) super-glued into place on this custom-- 20-plus-years-ago!

Another LONG-time member of the 'full-custom-Bat-ride' collection! This was originally a 'Dollar-Store' toy I snagged (and saw a Batmobile-possibility in!)--- close to 30  YEARS ago! The pic on the left, is how it looked not long after I first customized it. Simple black primer and a few spots of 'bright blue' acrylic paint here and there! The 'Bat-fins' are actually made from cut-up sections of a hood from an old T-bird model kit!
 The pic on the right, is my (kinda GOOFY, I'll admit!) attempt to update the paint-job, a few years back! (In fact, if you 'scroll back' far enough, you'll see I've actually shown this model here on the blog before!) I broke out the sand paper and partially disassembled this one! I wanted to REALLY improve it THIS time out!

And-- HERE is the finished project! Some left-over Wally-world 'gloss-black' spray paint, additional 'swoopy-zoopy' 'Bat-panels' (cut from sheets of clear plastic, of COURSE!) mounted above the wheel openings, a bit of CAREFULLY-done pin-striping in just the RIGHT spots-- and... BAM!--Once AGAIN!! I'm thinking THIS Batmobile's looking a little DANGEROUS (in a COOL way, I mean!)! Oh, the wheels (complete with the center 'Bat-discs' already mounted-up!) were donated from another of the 'project-cars', that you'll see shortly-- IF you just keep on reading and scrolling on down, that is!

With it's 'Can-Am' racer-style body and 'bubble-canopy', this car looks like it's almost 'moving-fast-while-standing still', right??!?

Bad guys BEWARE! Batman's got himself a ZOOPY-Bat-ride, and he's ready to chase down ALL evil-doers... at a HIGH-rate of SPEED!

The next little number that I decided needed some tinkering, mainly needed an update-- or an upgrade actually-- in it's tires and wheels! Check out the pic below (which I've also popped-up here before on the 'ol bloggy-woggy-do-da!), and I think you'll agree.... that the 'rollers' definitely lacked the 'punch' that a car like the Batmobile NEEDS!--

This 'what if' / 'alternate universe' version of 'Ol Batsy's ride, is based on an already pretty wild-custom '53 Corvette model kit. My idea was-- 'what if Batman had based the early '60s (comic book) Batmobile on an existing factory-built car?-- like, say: an early 'Vette?
I looked through a LOT of my old Corvette mags and books, at images of the early 'Vette racers and prototypes for ideas-- before I dived into all the original mods and custom-Bat-touches. Also, I customized a little 'military-man' figure into a Batman, for placing behind the (cut down into a 'u'--like the TV series ride, of COURSE!) steering wheel!

A number of years later, I dug up some original '53 'Vette tires to pop onto the kit-- to replace the ones that came with it-- they were EXTREMELY wide, and looked a little 'out of place' on a car that was supposed to have been built in the early '60s! I retained the NEAT 5-spoke mags though, with the teeny-tiny center 'Bat-discs' I'd already mounted up to them in the original build.
The downside to the 'tire-swap'? Well, look at the pic again!-- the wheels & tires were just TOO skinny! They looked like wild-west-WAGON-wheels!!

           

So--- off I went, DEEP into a quest on E-bay-- for what I hoped would be the solution to the WAY-too-SKINNY-tires problem! This whole 'wheel-and-tire-swap' thing, would end up taking a MUCH bigger CHUNK of time than I hoped it would!----                      

This is the first set of tires & rims I ordered off of E-bay. A VERY cool set of 5-spokes with 'red-line' tires. Not 'til they arrived in the mail, and I sized them up alongside the car....did I realize--- they were the WRONG scale! The custom 'what if' Bat-ride is-- unfortunately -- 1/24 SCALE! Duh, Loydster!!

Back into 'deep-quest-mode' I went! Fortunately, after a good amount of 'searchin-&-scrollin'---I stumbled across the EXACTLY-right business! In fact, I'm gonna come to a pause here, and give these folks a special 'shout-out'!!---

                                         

THIS is the E-bay seller (they also have a VERY neat-o-nifty website!) that SAVED the 'ol Loydster's SANITY! Name the tire and wheel combination, (even the kinda odd-ball & weird!) and they probably HAVE it! Better STILL--- the prices are VERY reasonable too! Jay's will be my 'go-to' source, whenever I tackle any kind of model kit-wheel-&-tire swapping or updating in the future!

Anyhoo-doody--- after ANOTHER few days of waiting on the proverbial 'pins & needles' for the NEXT  'miniature wheel and tire' package to arrive--- the 'moment of truth' FINALLY came!--

'Jay's Resin Wheels' really knocked out a 'home run' with THESE little numbers! the scale was EXACTLY right, and the detail on BOTH tires and rims is AMAZING! Unlike in the above pic (which I shamelessly cribbed from their site!), the wheels and tires come completely unpainted. Painting both was pretty easy & straight forward though. Two light coats of acrylic was all they needed! I did sand-off the 'raised lettering' on each tire though-- for that 'Authentic-'60s-era' plain black look for the tires!

 

Just check out the pics below to see the results! I painted the wheel-spokes 'gun-metal', and the rim-edges silver. Another set of tiny photo-copied 'Bat-discs' for the center of each of the mags, added the finishing touch! As mentioned above, the original 5-spoke wheels from this kit, ended up being swapped over to the 'Can-Am' style custom Batmobile shown previous to this one.----

Outside of touching-up the paint on the body a tiny bit here and there, and painting the side-pipes with the aforementioned 'gun-metal' metallic--- everything else on the 'what-if' Bat-ride remains the same! Hey, why MESS with something that originally turned out as NIFTY as this car did?!? (Can you tell I'm pretty proud of myself here?)
 

Thanks once AGAIN to 'Jay's Resin Wheels'! The size and fit on these wheels and tires is pretty much Perfect! Now, this car REALLY does look like it just ZOOMED out of a comic book from around 1964!

The next-- and last (for NOW, anyway!) 're-do' / update project, was yet ANOTHER long-time part of the collection. Also like the others, it's one I've shown you before! In fact, the pic below is the SAME one I've previously popped-up here!---

This 'semi-custom' Batmobile, started out as a messed-up / busted-up electronic kid's toy-- that was 'sort of' based on the '89 movie car. Some of it's proportions were a bit off-- so it's kind of like a close 'cousin' to the REAL car! So I first customized it with the idea that it could be a 'hybrid / alternate universe' version of the '89 ride... or maybe an updated version that 'Ol Batsy (with Alfred's help, of course!) built after 'Batman Returns'!

 The rear fins were actually fashioned from parts of an old mid-90s Batman action figure accessory!
One of it's original fins, I utilized for the Custom '40s Bat-ride you just gawked at up above!-- the other one was mangled-up when I originally snagged the toy. Hence-- the OTHER need for it to be customized-- as it was above!
It pretty much remained in this state of customization for over 20-odd years.

At any rate, after a couple of decades-PLUS---it was practically SCREAMING for some updates and just general 'freshening-up'. So--- with a can of 'midnight blue' semi-gloss paint, and a NEAT-O idea for jazzing-up it's wheels--- I dived into good 'ol 'Mad Scientist' mode!---

I'm REALLY happy with how this one turned out! The 'midnight blue' paint really 'pops', those customized fins STILL look pretty WICKED, and--- the 'gun-metal' paint for the detail-areas around the body (as well as the outer-rims on the wheels!) make it look ready-and-able to go chase-down Gotham City bad guys!

I'll bet the Joker does NOT want to see this BEAST in his rear-view mirror!

That idea I had for the wheels? The 'Bat-symbols' at the center, STAY stationary when the wheels turn! (JUST like the 'Batman Forever' car!) It was SUPER-simple / easy-peasy to do! I simply super-glued the symbols to the flat-topped 'pins' that held the wheels to the chassis of the car. The pins had heads that were nearly 1/4 of an inch wide, so it was NO problem for the glue to hold, while not interfering with the free turning of each wheel!

It just so happened, I had an extra little 4-inch Batman figure to place alongside the car, when it went back on display with the rest of the collection! The Caped Crusader looks ready to jump into the cockpit-- and CHARGE into ACTION and DANGER! 'To the BATMOBILE, Robin!'

Before I sign-off on this here post-- I just thought I'd share some 'Loydster-statistics' with you-- my faithful-few readers! Just for some GOOF-BALL grins-&-giggles, I recently took count of the 'Bat-vehicles' in my collection. In fact, instead of rattling all of that stuff off in boring old type... I'll just pop up pics of the actual half-an-index card that I scribbled it all down on!!---

The numbers tell the story folks! The Loydster just keeps on LOVING the Caped Crusader's set of wheels! AND-- some of his other vehicles too!

There are STILL one or two other vehicles in the miniature-Bat-ride collection, that I'm definitely going to be 're-vamping' / refreshing / sprucing-up! Of course, I'll most likely be posting updates right here on the bloggy-ma-thang-a-rang... as those 'mad-scientist' projects are finished-up! Take that as a promise, or threat-- your choice!

Meanwhile--- 'til NEXT time--stay SAFE, SANE and HAPPY everybody!