60s TV Batmobile Slot Car Conversion.. Options

[Derby City Speed...]

[Stevef1964]

Anyone done any more conversions?

[Phil.Insull]

Not so much a conversion as a new build from Polar Lights new slot kits version - I do have a scratch chassis Aurora one which is starting to look a bit race worn now so was initially very happy when Polar Lights announced a slot version based on the old Aurora body.

Here it is alongside the Black beauty Slot Kit from Polar - looks ok but!

When opening the kits I found that Polar Lights had inexplicably not bothered to include the chrome wheel inserts - bizare as in the static kit version they are all on one chromed pieces sprue and so they must have physically removed them during the packing process. The Chassis is a bolt together made from steel although it feels heavy enough to be lead, the gears and pinions are pure sixties (i.e. naff and they dont mesh without some spacers being fitted) all the axles and bearings are US Imperial rather than metric so everythings hard to replace with more modern kit and the motor wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding. Worst of all the tyres are so hard they'd have been better made out of wood! The Batmobiles grip is so awful I cant get up the Tyrer Esses on the Wolves International track, it just spins its wheels. I've tried grinding them, oil soak, using addative (Which I dont like doing) all to no avail - I'm going to have to try and buy some better tyres for them. If you want a decent slot car just buy the far cheaper static kit (complete with all the chrome bits) and fit a decent chassis underneath with decent alloy wheels that you can pop the inserts into.
Grumpy
Phil
ps after the decals had dried some of them had curled right over so the white on the back was showing & i ended up having to touch up as best I could with red paint - and yes I did use decalsoft when putting them on!

[choc-ice]

Are the proportions of that Batmobile right? I always thought it was much longer for its width.

Must dig out my Neal Hefti 7"

[Jairus Watson]

Here's a quick mockup with the new Polarlights 1/24th scale Batmobile. I am using two kits with this one, the first being the pre-painted snap kit because I don't care for painting hardbodies and the second kit the deluxe version, provides figures and photoetched parts.

Here is a pic of the turbine exhaust lit. When complete it should light up whenever the power is on.



Chassis is a scratchbuilt brass rod piece. The wheels are repop Russkit and the motor a '68 Champion 525 with a #24s arm.

More later when I start a new thread.

[Ember]

Those chassis of yours have a beauty all of their own, Jairus. Almost a shame to hide them under a lump of plastic.

Embs

[chief32s]

Ooh very nice J, I can't wait for the new thread to see the whole story. That rocket thruster light looks perfect.

I have the 1:32 polar lights kit stuck away under the bed and intend on putting it together at some point, But I don't think I'll come close to that sort of quality of finish.

ATB
Al

PS, with those wings have you thought of entering it in the Balls-out proxy... Only kidding.

[sealevel]

I have read on the recent MRE email that the chassis with the newly released slot car Batmobile kit is too heavy, the motor too weak, the tires poor, etc. etc.

So it sounds like Jarius has the right idea in replacing many parts to make it a suitable slot car.

Too bad, as I was interested but given the negative press, I think I will pass on the Polar Lights Batmobile.
Kudos to Jarius!