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 Posted 12/23/2020 7:05:17 PM |
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Junior Member
 
Last Login: 2/9/2024 12:09:50 PM
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Prepping a donor ...1992 Caprice. As I am picking this car apart, I'm wondering if any of you that used the Caprice as a donor for an '89 build, if you tried to keep/utilize the factory firewall and front half of the floor pan? Also contemplating keeping the vertical door-to-roof posts to provide stability for the rear half of the cockpit roof.
Anyone try this route?
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| Posted 12/24/2020 5:58:29 AM |
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Supreme Being
Last Login: 11/29/2023 6:02:47 AM
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I don't think that is going to work for you... The front firewall is very low and everything would need to be repositioned. There wasn't really anything at all that could be salvaged from the Caprice shell.
I originally had thought the same thing but there is no way that it will work. You basically need to stretch the chassis by 2 feet and re-locate your engine as low as possible. Get your proper wheels and tires on the car... set the car shell onto the tires with some spacers and then you need to build your cage and everything from the ground up to fit under the shell.
You can check my build log out starting from April 2011 and working your way forward. I documented the entire process: https://batberry.wordpress.com/2011/05/
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Building the BatBerry - Batmobile powered by BlackBerry 
http://batberry.wordpress.com/
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| Posted 12/24/2020 2:37:50 PM |
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Junior Member
Last Login: 2/9/2024 12:09:50 PM
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Thanks Brcewane.
I appreciate the feedback. Big fan of your build - I followed that back then. I remember you were trying to maintain use of the factory harness too - did that work out?
My thought was to do the frame stretch, then side the factory firewall back to position and trim as required.
Is the engine move/drop required for hood clearance? Stock location will not work?
Still tearing down...access to the front two nuts that are within the front frame rails that allow the bumper to slide out are a bear to get at!
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| Posted 12/25/2020 5:20:20 PM |
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What would Alfred say?
Last Login: 9/13/2022 4:03:58 AM
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Also align the car (with big tires) at a lowered ride heigh so you know the suspension is square and you can see how much you need to move the wheel wells to square up the shell.
Zeus
Bat-what?.....Na, it’s just an oversized badass big black car (with optional machine guns)
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| Posted 12/26/2020 5:18:45 PM |
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Junior Member
Last Login: 2/9/2024 12:09:50 PM
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Thanks Zeus.
Appreciate it.
Just picked up some used 15x10 Centerline autodrags today...have a lead on some rears. Those re getting hard to find.
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| Posted 12/27/2020 4:21:49 PM |
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Supreme Being
Last Login: 11/29/2023 6:02:47 AM
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I can't see any way that the factory firewall would fit. It is over a foot too high, entire steering column and brake booster need to be moved, transmission tunnel won't work etc .
If you don't want massive wheel gap on the front you will need to lower the engine. The car is REALLY short in height.
Like mentioned above. You really need to start with your stance. Car dropped to its lowest suspension point and set the body on and square it up. That will tell you how much clearance you will have for your engine mounting.
Even if you don't drop the engine down you will want to push it back towards the cabin the 2 feet that you stretched the chassis. This will give you clearance for the front cone and not make the car super nose heavy.
You will also need to sink your floor pans down inside the chassis and be a bit lower than the bottom of the frame rails.
I can't stress how short the car is and how small the cabin is. It is a 20ft car and the cabin is smaller than a Lotus Elise.
Everything is custom 
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Building the BatBerry - Batmobile powered by BlackBerry
http://batberry.wordpress.com/
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| Posted 12/28/2020 4:19:08 PM |
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Junior Member
Last Login: 2/9/2024 12:09:50 PM
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thanks brcewane. Got the body finally, so yes, I am seeing the "shortness" of the cockpit area. I also re-read your build log and it seems like you maybe had the same intention starting out, but obviously all of that changed for all of the reasons you've pointed out. All good points - appreciate it very much. Just have the passenger front fender and both front doors left on the tear down, then will start cutting the roof. I only get about an hour each morning before work. Slow going.
Have a lead on some 14x15 Centerline Autodrags, hopefully picking those up on Sunday.
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| Posted 12/30/2020 1:31:27 AM |
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/Shields\
Last Login: 9/20/2023 8:50:17 PM
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What Zeus & brcewane said..
We all tried to use the existing firewall and floor sub-section, and truly wish we could.. would make things so much easier!.
However you can’t.. it just doesn’t add up, due to the unique shape of the Batmobile..
It is a true ground up fabrication. .....
\Shields/ Open
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| Posted 1/3/2021 9:17:17 AM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/4/2023 11:08:55 PM
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An excellent article on the design processes for the 1989 batmobile and Batwing
From Batmobiles to Batwings: designing the 1989 vehicles
22/12/2020 Graham
Visit this address to read the complete articles
https://www.brickfanatics.com/designing-the-1989-batmobile-with-julian-caldow-part-2/
“I’m Batman,” declares the Dark Knight when he makes his memorable entrance into the 1989 Tim Burton movie. But there was another entrance later in the film that made an even bigger impression: when the Batmobile arrives to help the Caped Crusader and Vicky Vale escape from the Joker and his goons.
Julian Caldow was responsible for coming up with arguably the most fondly-remembered rendition of Batman’s car, which took the notion of what the Batmobile could be to the next level.
In the first part of this exclusive interview, Julian explained how he came to work on Batman and what his influences were when coming up with a look for the Batmobile. Here, he discusses the development of the design, how it went from page to prop, and coming up with Bat-gadgets."
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| Posted 1/11/2021 8:48:25 PM |
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Forum Member
Last Login: 4/26/2022 6:19:42 PM
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My project is currently on hold, but I’m also using a 95 Caprice and going thru and wondering the same exact things you are. I asked a lot of these same questions in other posts but got almost no responses. So I’m glad you are addressing it.
So far I have every intention of making my car street legal, so I do plan on saving/moving a piece of the body/firewall as required by Illinois...but we will see how that goes.
I’m not sure if the move/drop is required for hood clearance as much as it is for stability and front end weight.
Commissioner Gordon (12/24/2020)
Thanks Brcewane.
I appreciate the feedback. Big fan of your build - I followed that back then. I remember you were trying to maintain use of the factory harness too - did that work out?
My thought was to do the frame stretch, then side the factory firewall back to position and trim as required.
Is the engine move/drop required for hood clearance? Stock location will not work?
Still tearing down...access to the front two nuts that are within the front frame rails that allow the bumper to slide out are a bear to get at!
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