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  LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL
 From: jonhunt | Posted: 7/19/2005 12:10:51 AM |
Dark Knight

Posts: 49
LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

OK. As a new member of this forum I took it upon myself to read every thread an EVERY page on this site. After hours hunched over the computer like a vulture, eyes red from straining, I have finally absorbed it all. I posted earlier this week about wanting to use a Corvette as body for 89. After reading all the technical junk (and having talked to a sororiety friend of mine that has 3 girlfriends that want to ride in it) I have decided that a two seater is out. Being 24 and wanting to make it street legal and go cruising on the east coast near Myrtle Beach, I have decided that it REALLY needs that back seat. However I'm still wondering why some of the experts here say to use a Caprice or Impala?
1. I'm thinking of using an 80-85 Camaro. Figured I'd stick with the two door idea. Plus the suspension would already be better (more race like) then a old Buick Rivirea which someone recommended.
2. Wouldn't it still be easier to go with a two door car so that you get the short back end with the elongated front? If you get a 4 door then cockpit is in middle of the car's wheelbase and I would think it would screw up stance of vehicle.
3. Anyone know of a way to bybass the hydaulics that open the hatch encase the battery dies? I plan to make hatch remote open and it would suck if battery went dead sometime. I would love to have way to make it open remotely, manually, and be able to lock it somehow. I guess I could make hydraulics operate hatch then just have keyless entry locks installed. Wonder if I could even hide the spot to use key (mind went blank trying think of keyed part of lock lol) under the plate that is next to hatch on each side? Then I have remote entry, manual entry, remote locks, and manual locks. So I'm covered every direction.
4. Anyone know how to blend in some windshield wipers? Gonna need those if I drive it legally. Thinking of creating a lip at top of hatch that they rest in and you don't see them when they're not on. Figured it'd be better to have them at top and create an eyebrow appearance using hatch then put them at bottom of hatch where they will easily be seen no matter what. Any ideas?
5. Anyone have any idea what it runs to have the chassy extended? Not sure of mechanical term but basically want to extend just the wheels forward so that it has really long front end. Want it reinforced to so that car doesn't feel wobbily like a modified vette I rode in once. Felt like when you turned wheel slightly the whole car twisted like a pretzel.
6. Anyone know if it would be legal in USA to put headlights as low as the running lights are on all batmobile replicas I've seen? Otherwise I think I will go with fixed headlights in front slope with the dark lense covers you can get for any car. Would try to blend it all together and try to make it look like more armor plates or something I guess.
7. If anyone has cool ideas of stuff that can actually be done in real life and would like to see on a replica (I use term loosely so I don't get jumped because mine will be custom on inside with touchscreens and diagnostic program of true system running through laptop and shown on screens) please let me know. I plan on using lots of fiber optics on inside of "jet engine" at back to give it the burning fire look. If anyone has seen the christmas trees that the lights turn color on using fiber optics, same idea. Using red, orange, amber, and other hues with a disc that spins in front to LED's to make them sorta flicker like hot embers in jet engine. Gonna make it so that only few in center are lit to begin with then I'll either have "Thruster Control" that slides forward and widens the amount of LEDs glowing and flickering, or just find a way to tie it into speedometer somehow so that the faster I go the more lights come on and flicker. Ideas?
8. I've been reading book after book on using fiberglass, but not sure how it attaches to frame? Does it jsut bolt on? Do I have to create new skeleton for body to attach to? LOL. Do I need to buy a welder?
9. I plan on using the 3 roller system for the hatch. Should I plan to make slits in sides right at back of hatch to allow water that runs length of car to run into and out bottom of car? Otherwise will water just build up on top of car and run in when hatch is opened?
10. I plan to buy a 80-85 model Camaro as base. Then plan on dropping a new crate 350 small block and a brand new automatic tranny into it. Know it costs more then just rebuilding the existing engine but I don't want to spend all that money just to ahve engine give out two months after finishing car, that would suck. Ideas on this? I still plan on buying as many new parts as possible but always welcome criticism.
11. I read that epoxy resin is best to use so car doesn't warp. What about fabrics? I may not have term right but the book I'm reading claims that "E-glass" is cheapest and best to use for anything that might take a beating. I read that there's Kelvar, Carbon fiber, glass, mixtures of both... then they's chopped glass, standard weave, angle weave, thatchweave? Which do I want to use of each so that car doesn't buckle and break when I bust loose with the new 350? Like I told my cousin... you know you're gonna want to burn out one time in Batmobile. The important thing is for you not to leave body sitting while you take off. LOL
12. I'm sure I'll have more questions but promise to read any post before asking same questions that have been asked 100 times. You guys/girls rock.

P.S.- If I name it "Vengeance" and want to use it to show off my skills so I can start doing custom interiors and boats and such, am I safe using that name? I know I can't call it Batmobile. But was thinking of license tag "Vengeance1", then when I get my boat.. "Vengeance2"? As long as there's no emblems am I safe?



 From: Jack | Posted: 7/19/2005 1:36:32 AM |
Gothic Avenger

Posts: 1947
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

My head hurts.

The Camaro was a sub-frame car until the early 80s and the it became a unibody. Also Remember that the 89 has a wheelbase nearly 12 feet long. Thats longer then most cars. Measure the Camaro's wheelbase and the subtract it from 140" That's how much you will have to legthen it.



 From: jonhunt | Posted: 7/19/2005 2:10:01 AM |
Dark Knight

Posts: 49
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

The camaro has a 107" wheelbase if I remember right. The caprice or impala only have a 112" so either way wheelbase will have to be extended. What would be benifit of a subframe vs. unibody? Sorry just learning about car mechanics. And yes I know that if I don't know much about car bodies I'll play hell making 89, but that's how I learn everything. I pick the biggest baddest project first. Then once I get it done it proves to myself, and everyone that talks shit to me for wanting to learn how to do something new, that I can do anything related to it at that point. I've got another question about the paint job. What does the "flip flop" paint look like that is discussed in one of the many threads in this forum? The thread talks about people cutting corners and doing things the cheap way. Somebody says not to paint 89 gloss black but instead to paint it "flip flop"? Been researching glasses and resins. Luckily someone has already said to stick with epoxy resin so no warping, but what about fibers? Chopped or woven? Yarn or roving? Plainweave or thatchweave? Just fiberglass or fiberglass/carbon weave? E-glass or S-glass?


 From: jonhunt | Posted: 7/19/2005 4:14:54 AM |
Dark Knight

Posts: 49
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Ok another question. What would be a good way... or just cool way.. for the license plate to be on back of car? I figure it needs to slide out from somewhere or pop up somehow. What if at bottom of the vents on trunk there was another piece of plate armor that flips up like the rear view mirrors do and that shows license plate? That way it kinda looks like a mini spoiler or something? I like that idea better then it just sticking up from somewhere, don't you guys?


 From: Baneful | Posted: 7/19/2005 4:22:57 AM |

Posts: 157
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Everyone's asleep right now...zzzzzzzzz


 From: jonhunt | Posted: 7/19/2005 4:35:26 AM |
Dark Knight

Posts: 49
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Anyone have a photo of what flip flop paint is? And know why it should be used (according to one of the guys that posts in forum often) over gloss black? I can't figure out what "flip flop" paint is or find any pictures of it on internet? Thanks.


 From: Nitro | Posted: 7/19/2005 6:26:17 AM |
BBC G A WANNABE

Posts: 741
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Color changing paint, Holographic paint ,spectrum paint, chameleon paint, Flip Flop paint. All change appearance depending on light conditions and viewing angles.The only car I have seen painted this way was in Rosco IL.

Last Edited by Nitro: 7/19/2005 6:27:25 AM

 From: Kevin | Posted: 7/19/2005 2:53:26 PM |
Nodeman

Posts: 906
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

You can't use a uni-body construction vehicle. Because there is no actual frame the body is part of the frame or structure.
House of Color first developed the special multicolored paint you see in so many custom cars today.

As far as the glass goes most are just blown with a chopper gun. Hand laid is much better; usually a thin cloth is used as a skin coat just over the jelcoat. Working up to a mat or woven mat Urethane foam and glass is best left up to the pro's or at least some one who has had experience in glass work, not for the first timers.

The Caprice and Impala's are much wider than the Camero or Monti Carlo's. You need to think how you are going to fill up those wheel wells. There is only so much of a spacer you can use before you have to change out the rear end.



 From: DonC | Posted: 7/19/2005 3:47:36 PM |

Posts: 159
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Reality check.......

forget the camaro all together...........use a 81 cadillac formal limo which already has the correct 141" wheelbase....they're just as cheap as camaro's.

reality check #2 ..........sounds like you have plenty of ambition but no idea where to start...that's cool...we've all been there...if you really want to see this project come into reality in your lifetime...cool your jets and learn the basics...fiberglass, welding, fabricating, plastics, auto body, etc etc...then once you've mastered all that perhaps years from now you'll probably forget about this car altogether (unless your a die hard like a few of us on here)



 From: Kevin | Posted: 7/19/2005 6:13:11 PM |
Nodeman

Posts: 906
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Don; once again you are reading my mind. Don't waste your time worrying about the little stuff, cross that bridge when you get to it. This car isn't for the beginner, learn the basics and if you can enlist a few friends that have experience in each field.
Listen to these guys they know what they are talking about, most of them have been down many of a dead end road.



 From: Webmaster | Posted: 7/19/2005 6:22:22 PM |
Need Life

Posts: 1517
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Yeah you don't want to end up like this guy!
He was 75% complete with his car before he went




 From: jonhunt | Posted: 7/19/2005 6:29:46 PM |
Dark Knight

Posts: 49
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Ok so unibody is out. And sounds like the flip flop paint is what is on all these "hoopties" you see riding around playing loud spanish music, so that's out unless I'm misunderstanding something there. How do you take something like a huge 4 door caprice and make it where the interior is pushed to back of car to give it the 89 look? Weren't the insides of those huge? Why is it not easier to start with some sort of 2 door sports car that already has a longer front end then rear? Everyone says go caprice or impala, but still haven't had anyone explain why it's easier to use a 4 door with huge interior that you have to make look smaller then it is to use a 2 door sports car that already has smaller interior and is located towards back of vehicle? And for everyone telling me to slow down and maybe in a few years I'll be smart enough to do fiberglass and such... thanks, it's those comments that keep the fire lit under me and make me learn things so much faster. I appreciate those of you who answer my questions and even go the extra distance to explain why it is that I can or can't use such method. I learn so much from you guys. I'm not just some idiot wanting a Batmobile, I'm trying to learn all I can about fiberglass and doing custom cars/interiors so that maybe someday I can start my own business. I have purchased over $300 in books and videos on the subject, so I ask questions not because I'm to lazy to find out on my own, but because even after reading about it I like to hear what some guys that have been doing it for years have to teach me. Teach me being the key there, not "I like to ask questions so that people can tell me I don't know what I'm doing". I'm working on A+ and HTI+ certifications right now... along with getting my general contractors and electrical contractors lincense. I'm 24 years old with an IQ that is at top of charts (being tested by MENSA in about a week) and more drive to be successful and be known for my work then most ten people my age. The way I see things is that if anyone else was able to learn how to do something, then I should be able to learn it too. I currently talk to doctors and scientist about genetic theories, electronic and neurological combinations, and other topics I found amazing so I read everything I could get my hands on until I was able to talk to people that have been researching it for years. I love learning new things... it keeps my mind busy.. so when I ask questions I want someone to answer that is willing to encourage people to learn, not tell them they're not capable of doing it and to not even dream about it for another couple years until you have lots more experience. Teach me, don't tell me I'm not ready. I know I'm not ready yet... otherwise I wouldn't be asking questions and would have car in garage. If you came to me and asked "how do I create movies using flash" I wouldn't say "whoa... slow down.. first you need to learn how to make simple pictures, then in a few years you might be able to make a full movie". Instead I would say "let's sit down and I'll show you step by step how to do it, and once you understand all the complex stuff you'll be able to learn the easy stuff ten times quicker." Sorry for ranting... its just I've never had any positive support from any of my family or extended family, so when people tell me "well you don't know what you're doing" it kinda pisses me off. People are always coming to me for answers but when I say I'm wanting to learn something new they treat me like I'm out of my mind for wanting to learn something new. I guess when people ahve one dream its ok and people will support you, but if you want to learn how to do everything like I do (contractor, electrician, computer repair, home automation, fiberglass, and special effects like in movies) people don't treat you like you're capable of doing it for some reason. Anyways sorry guys, just had a bad day because the business I just started is having problems with distributers. Even though I'm always busy I want to learn something new.


 From: Nitro | Posted: 7/19/2005 9:44:00 PM |
BBC G A WANNABE

Posts: 741
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

I am to lazy to read all that, cliff notes please.


 From: Jack | Posted: 7/19/2005 10:49:40 PM |
Gothic Avenger

Posts: 1947
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Jonhunt, chill out no one is saying that you can't do it. What everyone (including me) is saying is that you have to learn how to walk before you can run. As hard as it is for me to admit, sometimes your elders do in fact know best. Tim at www.1989batmobile.com has been building a 1989 Batmobile Go-cart from scratch for about a year now. He like you loves to learn, lives for knowledge and loves the 89 Batmobile. He started small just for practice and to increase his knowledge base. The same goes for RJ with his 1/4 scale 89 Batmobile. I jumped into my project with both feet and now 3 years later I still have an unfinished project. I think Kevin has been working on his for 5 years and Nitro is up to 3 or 4 years. It takes time (unless you're Mark Towle, DonC, or BATGOD).

Now to answer your question about 2 door sports car vs. 4 door battle wagon. I only used the frame and suspension from my donor car. I made the firewall and all of the floors out of steel. Nitro did the same. Kevin did use some of his donor cars floors but had to custom make a lot of his floors and firewall. If you do it that way you can position the seats, steering column, and pedals to your liking. Another replica builder used a Vette and it looks to me like his seats are back to far and because he used the donor cars floor and firewall he can't change the seat position (that's the way it looks in the pictures).

If I were to build a car from scratch here's what I would do. I would get a full frame car like an Impala, Caprice, Caddy, etc (No trucks, no sub-frames, and no unibody). I would then lengthen it to the needed length. Next I would get the wheels and tires that I want to use and mount them on the car. I would then set up the suspension. Then I would build a wood frame mock up of the car, add the foam board and start sculpting.

Now something you really need to know is that this can be very expensive. I've been told it's cheaper to just hand over $10,000 for a body kit then it would be to sculpt a body from scratch. If I were you and really wanted to build a Batmobile from scratch I would build one of the Animated cars. Why? Well because it's not been done and you could probably make your money back selling kits to guys like me. Anyway good luck.




 From: jonhunt | Posted: 7/19/2005 10:53:06 PM |
Dark Knight

Posts: 49
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Cliff notes:
1. I'm borderline genius... MENSA is testing me in about a week.
2. Due to really high IQ it pisses me off when people talk to me like I'm not capable of doing something.
3. I get that all the time from people locally, "you can't do that, you can't do this", these are same people that ask me for answers anytime they have problems, but when I want to learn something new all of a sudden I'm not smart enough or not capable.
4. I feel that if someone else has learned something then I can learn it too, but I like to start with hardest project first because if I can accomplish it then nothing is left to stop me.
5. I appreciate those of you that answer the questions I have and explain why it is what it is, instead of telling me "whoa.. maybe in a few years you'll be able to do that"
6. If one of you came to me wanting to talk about genetic theory, electronic neuro-connections, or just wanting to make a really indepth Flash movie file for internet I would never say "reality check... first you need to figure out how to take a picture ... then maybe I'll answer how to make an interactive video clip"
7. I have spent lots of money on books and videos... and have read every single post on this entire forum so when I ask question its not because I'm lazy, its because I want to learn. So don't tell me I'm not ready to learn what I'm asking, just teach me something new. I'll try to never ask the same questions I've seen before.
8. I like to learn anything I possible can, I'm studying for A+ exam, HTI+ certification, general contractors exam, and electrical contractors exam all at same time. Fiberglass is just one more thing that I would like to know how to do, and I choose (like with everything else I've done), to find the biggest badest project and kick it's ass first. Then all other projects are a breeze.

Sorry for sounding like an asshole, if some of you don't want to answer my quetions then just don't answer, but please don't talk to me like I'm not capable of doing something. I might not understand why it can't be done the way I'm thinking about it, but that's why I'm learning. Talk to me about why it won't work. Thanks for anyone who supports me asking questions and is willing to teach me something new. Jon Hunt



 From: jonhunt | Posted: 7/19/2005 11:06:57 PM |
Dark Knight

Posts: 49
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Thank you Jack. I really appreciate you help. And sorry for going nuts before. I just get a little (ok, a lot) pissy when it seems like someone is telling me I'm not able to do something. I've been told my whole life I'm not capable of doing this or that, but as soon as someone has a question its me they come running to and it pisses me off. So once again, sorry for being ass before. I appreciate all the knowledge you guys share with me.

Ok, so new idea then. If not using a camaro body, what about a 1979-83 cadillac eldorado?

It has the super long front end and is really wide. I plan to put hydraulic suspension so I can raise car to go over speed bumps or to not scrape front on certain inclines. What do you guys think about hydraulic suspensions?

I don't plan on making custom firewall, or moving seats around, which is why I want to stick with a 2 door sporty kinda car. The old cadillacs look perfect to me.



 From: jonhunt | Posted: 7/19/2005 11:10:36 PM |
Dark Knight

Posts: 49
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

uploaded two images... one called hoopty and another called hoopty2 but don't know how to make them show up.

http://www.chickslovethecar.com/images/uploaded/71920052360hoopty.bmp

http://www.chickslovethecar.com/images/uploaded/719200523621hoopty2.bmp




 From: jonhunt | Posted: 7/19/2005 11:13:13 PM |
Dark Knight

Posts: 49
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Sorry for being such a dick before guys. Had really bad day dealing with distributers. I get kinda touchy when I think people are saying I'm not capable of something. Sorry again.

Jon Hunt

Future



 From: Nitro | Posted: 7/19/2005 11:27:10 PM |
BBC G A WANNABE

Posts: 741
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

This car does provoke passion . Who said that is a bad thing? Speak your mind .


 From: Jack | Posted: 7/19/2005 11:30:17 PM |
Gothic Avenger

Posts: 1947
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Okay no more being an ass or a dick! The floor and firewall are really some of the easy stuff. After you have your body you can make templates out of cardboard and then have your local metal shop replicate them in metal or you could make it all out of plywood and cover it in fiberglass or even just make them out of fiberglass. By the time you have the body built you will be a fiberglass guru. Also sounds to me like you need to drink a few beers and kill off a few of those brain cells.


 From: Nitro | Posted: 7/19/2005 11:35:42 PM |
BBC G A WANNABE

Posts: 741
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Funny Jack 2 1/2 years thank you very much. Dick, Ass, poopy guy.

Last Edited by Nitro: 7/19/2005 11:36:22 PM

 From: sg1star | Posted: 7/19/2005 11:52:55 PM |

Posts: 145
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

yea, i started working on my plans when i was in high school and ways i would do things and made a list of what i would need to learn, that all took me about 4 years to get my plans all worked out and to get knolage on enough stuff i would need, started building the 1/4th and prob been wroking on that for almost 2 2-and half or 3 years (i totaly forget) but i took some time off form it to work on some other things, while building the 1/4th ive been learning even more stuff.

u may not agree but i do belvie it best to start small, a firend of mine jumped right into fiberglass, dient know a thing about it otehr then he wnated to do soem killer mods to his car, and he did a gr8 job with it, i chose to start small learing some tircks about fiberglass, he had a 2 year jump on me but now comes to me askign me how to do something.

learning everything u want is not bad, i used to be that way too till someone wise told me "you can know everthing in the world, but it is those who stick to a subject that will master it" thinking u know everyhting about one subejct and moving on just doesnt work cuz new things always pop up.

but jack was right about saying its cheaper to just buy a prefab shell, unless ur going to jsut lay fiberglass over the plug as i was orignal gonna do but decided agenst it, now im gonna build a mold and that has rasied the cost of the body up a lot. if money is not a object for u then if u still want the challge which im sure u would i suggest scratch building and making a mold. reason cuz if u ever had a bad accdent in the batmobile, its gonna be eayser to just replace that part of the body, if u mkae ur own and dotn have a mold, its gonna take u a good amounht of time before u get it back ont he road, but if u have the mold u can create a cut out part (or just replace the whole section) and save time and trouble, and if you got the shell form someone im sure tehy wouldent mind casting just the section you need to replace.








 From: Nitro | Posted: 7/20/2005 12:01:53 AM |
BBC G A WANNABE

Posts: 741
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Jon do you have the book Glass Fiber Auto Body Construction Simplified by John A Wills? Very good read ,but does not go into foam construction, but very good for the basics and direction.

Last Edited by Nitro: 7/20/2005 12:10:18 AM

 From: jonhunt | Posted: 7/20/2005 12:17:34 AM |
Dark Knight

Posts: 49
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Well I think moulding will be the easy part because I already do molds when making special effects masks. I use anything from silicone to hydracal. The main issues I'm having is figureing out which car to use as base then exactly which fiber, weave pattern, and resin (although after reading the book I ahve on composite fibers in compitetion racing I'm pretty sure I'll be using epoxy), and figuring out gelcoats. Once I know which materials to use I think it will be just a bigger version of the special effects body armor I create using liquid plastics now. Its just that this armor needs to function and be bolted to car. When I get ready to learn or do something I do it rather quickly and money is no object. Like I said I've spent about $300 on books and videos just because I thought it would be nice to learn how to do fiberglass. If it turns out I like doing it then maybe I can make some money at it. Otherwise I jsut have one kicking car and don't ever have to touch stuff again. I love to bite off more then even I think I can handle because then its personal and I never let a project beat me. Learned how to set up solar arrays (building solar capacitors from scratch) and wired it into remote control cars in a matter of 2 weeks. When I decide to do something I do it quick and I pick over every little detail.

So what do you guys think of the pictures of the old cadillacs? short back ends with huge fronts and wide.



 From: Nitro | Posted: 7/20/2005 12:38:26 AM |
BBC G A WANNABE

Posts: 741
RE: LOSING MY MIND!!! LOL

Man money must not be an issue because epoxy is 3 times that of regular resin. great stuff but damn.You know if your gung ho enough go with the caddy. I had a circle track frame builder help me I cut the frame and added the length but with his guidence . I used a 1991 caprice.If you are determined enough which you seem to be try the caddy ? There is no right or wrong with this car make it your own.



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