|
|
 Posted 2/27/2008 5:09:48 PM |
|
|
Forum Member
 
Last Login: 10/13/2010 7:11:33 AM
Posts: 403,
Visits: 2,307
|
|
| The photo of what appears to be a finished Batmobile is what I bought from Mark Towle. The photo is taken in my museum. I decided to retire, and rebuild the Batmobile. It is now in the Batcave waiting for warmer weather to pull the body and see if I can save the donor vette chassis. There is no interior, and it needs a lot of work before it is road worthy.
|
|
|
|
| Posted 2/28/2008 2:25:50 PM |
|
|
Forum Member
Last Login: 10/13/2010 7:11:33 AM
Posts: 403,
Visits: 2,307
|
|
| Well so far it has been a good day. Thanks to Jack, the correct steering wheel was just delivered from the UK. It is very cool. Also again thanks to the amazing Jack the correct throttle quadrant has been located. As I am trying to replicate the interior as close as possible, these two pieces are an absolute!!!. Also visited a small airport in my area and found a bunch of correct switches and other cool batstuff. Hopefully I will get over this nasty cold and get to the waterjet guy Friday and get the wheel bats cut. Still to cold in the Batcave to get any real work done, so getting parts is the best I can do. I will get some more photos posted soon.
|
|
|
|
| Posted 2/28/2008 3:44:14 PM |
|
|
Getting Better at Internets
Last Login: 11/13/2022 6:06:37 AM
Posts: 2,698,
Visits: 8,392
|
|
| WOW, B. Wayne you werent kidding when you said it was in -what appeared to be- great condition before you tore it apart. I bought a truck like that once, we purchased it at night, and when we inspected it the next morning we found that the brake lines had heat shrink over broken area's, as well as they were dangling under the truck in area's. Many other problems, but that one stuck out the most in my head. 
“It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me”
|
|
|
|
| Posted 2/28/2008 4:37:57 PM |
|
|
Forum Member
Last Login: 10/13/2010 7:11:33 AM
Posts: 403,
Visits: 2,307
|
|
| I'm retired now, so I am really looking forward to rebuilding it. Right now I am getting all of the interior piece together to make it as close to the movie car as possible.
|
|
|
|
| Posted 3/2/2008 7:46:01 PM |
|
|
Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 10/27/2014 6:30:59 PM
Posts: 4,811,
Visits: 18,798
|
|
| Some pix sent over from Dane. 
Hey Mr. A how about posting your "real" nose bullet?
|
|
|
|
| Posted 3/2/2008 9:08:44 PM |
|
|
Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/26/2023 1:14:45 PM
Posts: 5,397,
Visits: 4,909
|
|
| Hey B Wayne, I just remember in looking at your pics that Mark T offered to sell me a rolling chassis for my 89 body. He said he used Corvettes provided by his friend. He assured me they were salvaged because of body damage and not structural. It might be a good idea to run you Vin numbers through the local DMV and try to get a carfax report. Both would give you a history of your donor chassis. Vin numbers are typically located on the dash and door upright. The engine also has a number as well as the transmission. The Covettes Mark T liked to use were 1985 because they use an engine cradle that also functions as the front axle. The upper and lower control arms were removed and another engine cradle from another donor was used to relocate the axle forward to be the correct wheelbase. My concerns with Mark'sT fabrication was where the extention tubes connect to the Corvette's unibody. The experts say this should not be done. Mark would then drill holes through the sheetmetal of the unibody and then circle weld the tubing. I commented on how sloppy the welding looked and Mark said no one would ever see it. But what I meant by sloppy was non- penetrating welds. This could be catasrophic even driving 55mph where the tubing would seperate from the circle welds. I don't believe Mark is right in extending a unibody in this manner. As I offered before I believe I have pictures of his work on your donor being done.....BWD
|
|
|
|
| Posted 3/3/2008 12:22:49 AM |
|
|
Forum Member
Last Login: 10/13/2010 7:11:33 AM
Posts: 403,
Visits: 2,307
|
|
| I have an expert that is going to make sure the chassis is solid. I do not trust anything MT does. The front turbine he made was a cheap flower pot and door stops. It did not even survive the transport here. I'm sure he will say it was fine when it left his shop, and may have been, but it had not been subjected to any vibration. The afterburner housing welds also broke from transportation and it was not the fault of the transporter. I really wish I could say something postive about Marks build, but so far other than the side mechanics, I can't. And, when it comes to paint, I had more debris in the paint than paint pigment. My painter just laughed at his amateur work. I now have an estimate of more than 40 hours of body work just to repaint it. Good thing I did not pay for the paint, in fact I ask him not to paint it as I had my painter ready, but he insisted.
|
|
|
|
| Posted 3/3/2008 7:36:34 PM |
|
|
Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/26/2023 1:14:45 PM
Posts: 5,397,
Visits: 4,909
|
|
| Hey B. Wayne I remember in talking to Mark T that he recommended v-jointing the seams and filling them with Corvette panel glue, in an effort to hold the panels together. I talked to a couple fiberglass guys and they said that wouldn't work. Maybe that's why he painted your car to cover that glue.... I hate hearing the fact that even his accessories were not even welded properly. I'm concerned for you on the structural integrity of the chassis modification. Please keep us informed....BWD
|
|
|
|
| Posted 3/4/2008 12:02:29 AM |
|
|
Forum Member
Last Login: 10/13/2010 7:11:33 AM
Posts: 403,
Visits: 2,307
|
|
| My fiberglass guy says the body is strong and sound, however the fit and finish is terrible. I will be glassing in a lot of additional supports in the body so the front can tilt and the trunk lid funtional. Because of all of the issues with MT's work, I am basically starting over as if all I got from MT was a body. MT's build is being completely disassembled and rebuilt. Every weld will be checked and double checked. Most of MT's work will be discarded. It was a little warmer the last few days so I was able to get down to the Batcave and get a couple of things done. Can hardly wait for summer to build my new shop and get some serious rebuilding done.
|
|
|
|
| Posted 3/4/2008 1:04:46 AM |
|
|
Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/26/2023 1:14:45 PM
Posts: 5,397,
Visits: 4,909
|
|
| Hey Dane, I know you know this but in cutting that hood the body will quickly go out of square. Some of the guys have cut the hood and have had a little trouble lining the two pieces up. Rusty did it the right way by reinforcing them first then cutting the hood away. That way it stays square. I am keeping mine attached and I will have the whole body tilt up like a funny car. Even the trunk is glassed in to keep the rear wings straight. I'm sure yours will be great. I'm interested in what your fabricator thinks about Mark T's work.... Please keep us posted.....BWD
|
|
|
|