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Here's a look at the VEHICLE FILE CARD that I have created to go along with this custom toy!
As I explained earlier in this thread, artwork-wise, there was virtually no decent, accurate, comic book rendering of the 1966 Batmobile ANYWHERE that I could use for my custom Batmobile's packaging and file cards.
I was therefore forced to take the closest comic book artwork I could find (a wildly INACCURATE splash panel drawn by Dan Jurgens for a Booster Gold comic)...
... and extensively re-draw it in Adobe Photoshop...
In terms of the Batmobile's written history and tech information for the back of the card, I faced a unique problem: Virtually NO FICTIONAL INFORMATION exists on the origins of the 1966 Batmobile at all... fictional, as in within the fictional world of Gotham City.
There are plenty of "real-world" stats available about how George Barris built the car for the TV show in 3 weeks from a Lincoln Futura... blah, blah, blah... but NOTHING about how The Batman and Robin developed this ride!
I was therefore forced to use creative license (and sparse information mentioned in the TV series) to invent the history and tech information about the car and write it from scratch!
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As luck would have it, I inadvertently stumbled upon the CORRECT (accurate style and size) wheel rims for this project from an old Die Cast metal toy car I spotted on Ebay!
Then, I spun some wood on a lathe and created this master pattern "buck" for the final "balloon" tires. I sculpted these to be perfectly fitted to the found wheel rims.
The wooden master pattern for the tires is perfectly smooth and finished...
... complete with perfectly spaced tread groves...
... and a finished backside to the tire as well...
...ready to be molded and cast as black rubber copies for the final toy!!
Last edited by darklord1967; Apr 6, '16, 3:01 AM.Leave a comment:
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A MAJOR area of concern for my custom Batmobile toy was the accuracy of the wheel and tire combination used on the car.
To my mind, the original racing wheel rims and fat balloon tires seen on the car on the TV show were a big part of the Batmobile's sexy look, and I was DETERMINED that my car would have the exact same look!
The Batmobile actually featured some slightly under-sized, deep dish Radir-brand Racing rims (with raised "ribs" on each of the five flat spokes). These rims, mounted on fat, bulging balloon tires (with no visible white lettering on the sidewalls, etc.), gave the Batmobile it's signature "street rod" look.
NO previous toy or model kit of the Batmobile that I have EVER seen over the last 49 years has ever gotten this look of the car's wheel configuration correct.
I spent several YEARS looking for appropriately accurate wheels and tires for my Batmobile toy in the world of Remote Controlled cars. NO luck.
The wheel and tire seen in this photo were the closest I was able to find to simulate what the Batmobile wore in terms of size and style. But I intended these only as placeholders while I planned out the construction of the rest of the car.
While this wheel rim and tire were similar to the intended final wheel and tires for the toy, they were NOT exact.
These rims are a replica of "Dragway" racing rims that were very popular in the 1960's. And these temporary tires featured huge raised lettering on the sidewall that really ruined the look that I intended the Batmobile's wheels to have.
I faced the reality that one way or the other, I would have to fabricate my OWN wheel rim and tire for this toy FROM SCRATCH, if they were going meet the accuracy requirement I held.Last edited by darklord1967; Apr 6, '16, 2:59 AM.Leave a comment:
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It was a long process...
... taking weeks of work by hand....
It ended up being a virtual re-sculpt job!
Oh my achin' fingers!
But all the hard work paid off...
The final bubble canopy master turned out smooth as glass...
...and ready for molding and casting...
Last edited by darklord1967; Apr 6, '16, 2:55 AM.Leave a comment:
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Another vital part of this car, formed as a (very rough) compound curve, was the master for the bubble canopy windshield.
I would have no choice but to painstakingly sand them smooth by hand for molding and re-casting as final parts.
Since I intend to create the frames of the canopies as separate pieces, I knew I would have to sand away the raised frames molded onto this canopy master.Last edited by darklord1967; Apr 6, '16, 2:53 AM.Leave a comment:
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It was a tedious job...
... of re-sculpting, and re-shaping...
Thank God for Milliput modelling compound, white squadron putty...
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... and steady fingers...
This will soon be ready for final molding and casting. Now THAT's a pretty big difference from the part I started out with! Wouldn't you say?Last edited by darklord1967; Apr 6, '16, 2:51 AM.Leave a comment:
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A SMALL TEASE BEFORE THE UNVEILING OF THE PROTOTYPE AT MEGO MEET!
There were plenty of shapes on this model that I knew I could scratch build from flat sheets, (just as I began to do with the lower rocker panels in this photo).
But when it came to parts with complex curves and bulging surfaces (like the car's front hood clip pictured here) , there was no easy or quick fix for them. They would have to be extensively re-puttied, shaped, sculpted, and sanded smooth as they were prepped for molding and final casting.
Last edited by darklord1967; Apr 6, '16, 2:48 AM.Leave a comment:
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As I settled in last night, after a long day at work, I was somewhat melancholy.
I had learned just a few hours before that the world had lost one of my GREATEST heroes, the car Customizer Mr. George Barris.
My fascination with George Barris' '66 Batmobile never faltered over the decades. And as I watched new Batmobile designs come and go for the big screen movies, NONE of them came even close to pleasing my eye or pleasing my heart like George's original '66 Bat did.
When seeing interviews with George Barris, I was always so struck by how cheerful, and affable he always seemed. I was glad about this because it is always so disappointing when you learn that the people who created the works you love so much are not nice.
With yesterday's passing of George Barris, I have not lost a family member, a close relative, or even an acquaintance (I never had the honor nor privilege as so many other fans have had of meeting George in person. I am nevertheless saddened that this kindly little man... who's Batmobile creation has brought me DECADES worth of joy and has set me on a path of fandom that is never-ending... this man who just exuded warmth and humor has left the company of the living here on Earth.
Mr. Barris' passing is particularly poignant for ME personally in the face of my upcoming unveiling of my long-in-development custom '66 Batmobile toy. And I am not nearly as skilled nor resourceful as an artist nor craftsman as George Barris was when he designed and built this most excellent car in a mere 21 days and delivered it, on time, to the studio for the start of production on the BATMAN TV series. As a mere moderately talented toymaker, I will need every moment of available construction time over the next several months until I unveil my custom '66 Batmobile toy for all to FINALLY see up close. Nevertheless, by returning to MEGO MEET in 2016, to share my creation with all of you, my MEGO friends, it will now partially be as my small way to honor and pay tribute to the memory of Mr. Barris, as I deliver MY creation, on time, as promised... just as he did nearly 50 years ago.
It is my sincere hope that the memory of his good cheer offers some measure of comfort to his family again soon, as I am sure they are heartbroken right now. And I hope that George's legacy of artistic excellence is continued by so many of the other people like me that he has inspired.
May the heavenly father spread His inviting arms and welcome George Barris... car customizer extraordinaire... into His warm embrace as he returns home...
Thank you George... for an AWESOME childhood.
-Roberto Williams
November 6th, 2015
Last edited by darklord1967; Nov 6, '15, 8:19 AM.Leave a comment:
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Me too! I wish we had known he was coming, we could have set up a whole room for it. Next year, Darklord...Leave a comment:
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At the moment, I am working with a 3D render artist who is creating the digital tooling to have this car 3D printed professionally. The final parts will look 100 times smoother, cleaner, and straighter than the parts from this first attempt. If all goes well, I am approximately one month away from being able to show final printed parts. The DEFINITE GOAL is to have a completed, finished, fully detailed car to show on display next year at MEGO MEET '16 (along with various 1:9 scale custom figures from my upcoming "Legends OF Gotham City" Collection). It is GOING to happen! No more delays!Leave a comment:
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