Elgato Peralta Art Batmobile Designs!

I'm a huge fan of the art of Fernando (Elgato Peralta Art), who's created a stunning vision of his own mythological sci-fi space universe, illustrated it prolifically and shared it with the world here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elgato-_colection-art/

Incredible!

Already it's a staggering mind-blowing body of work, and it seems like there's much more to come.

I emailed Fernando and asked if he might like to design an original Batmobile for me to share here on The Batmobile Show.

He designed THREE!

And here they are!

CLASSIC 01

01 EXOTIC

01 EXTREME

Thanks again to Fernando for these beautiful designs.
Again, check out his artwork at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elgato-_colection-art/

My Pinewood Derby Car

DIY Batmobile Pinewood Derby Cars!

In third grade I lost the Pinewood Derby.  Big time.
I built my own car 100% myself after bedtime one night (not a Batmobile.)  I stayed up with a dimmed lamp and a jack-knife and chiseled out a crude blocky hunk of junk with a rubber monster finger puppet taped to the driver's seat.
My car got last place, but was the only car in the race built by a boy scout.

But I digress.

Time for some DIY Batmobile Pinewood Derby Cars!

No car is more homemade than a Pinewood Derby Car.  And no Pinewood Derby Car is cooler than the Batmobile.  So here's a random collection of Pinewood Derby Batmobile pictures I put together.
Enjoy!

Sorry for the lack of image credits.  The pics are from a folder I put together a while ago.  Some of the file names will give you a clue as to the image source.

Time for an update!
I built a big Bat fin for the BAT 01.
It's lightweight, mounted, lights up, and is strong and stable.
I wanted to experiment with rivets, thin aluminum sheet and coroplast. It's fun to fabricate with, and the results are about as good as I hoped.

 And . . . . . BAT FIN!

 I added dual rocket exhaust (tail-lights from a 61 Thunderbird.)

Well let's see.  Flat black, giant Bat Fin, dual rocket exhaust, BAT 01 license plate.
I'd say it's a Batmobile!
So far I've overheard several people say so, and one fine but mistaken gentleman called me Batman in the grocery store parking lot.
One dude cruising in a big hoopty with chariot wheels and an extra wheel and all that was checking me out as he drove by.  He had a look on his face like, "Is THIS the new thing that I have to do to my car?  How the #@*& did I miss this one?  This *%$# gettin' too crazy."

Anyways, Batmobile Stage 1 achieved.
Everything I do now is simply an upgrade.  And I have a few upgrades in mind . . . .
 
Right now I'm mocking up trunk sides and rear quarter panels in cardboard:

 Here's a Photoshop mockup of what I have planned:

1971 Hot Wheels Jet Threat - Father of the 1989 Batmobile?

 

Vroom!  Vroom!

What's that coming down the street?  It's a Batmobile!  No, it's not a Batmobile.  It's the 1971 Hot Wheels car #6179: Jet Threat!

Previously, I discussed the interesting resemblance between the 1973 JVZ Cereal Car and the 1989 Batmobile.

Well, there's another early 70s toy car that pre-invents very specific design characteristics of the 89:  The 1971 Hot Wheels Jet Threat.  (I custom painted this one flat black to highlight the similarities.)
This car was designed by legendary Hot Wheels designer Larry Wood (aka 'Mr. Hot Wheels').

 

Noe the similar wedge shaped cockpit.  Also, the 89 has very similar visible jet engine workings, but shrunken and moved to the sides.

The main thing we're interested in, of course, is the nose.  It's the same nose, complete with the same pointy turbine . . . thing!

 Tim Burton was 13 when the Hot Wheels Jet Threat came out, and 15 when the JVZ Cereal Car might have plunked into his cereal bowl.  Was he too old to be playing with Hot Wheels and eating sugar cereal?  Did he own these particular cars?  Did he bring Anton Furst a box of toy cars from his childhood and tell him, "Combine this toy jet car with this toy jet car and give me a Batmobile!"?  I don't know.
Maybe Anton Furst came across these toys while searching for inspiration for his design.  There may not be any connection at all.  But I think the similarities are tantalizing.