2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

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ah8tk
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2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by ah8tk »

Last summer Noah (currently a Webelo 1) and I went to the MotorBooks car show, in Osceola Wisconsin. At the car show there was a replica of the Barris Batmobile, Noah took a lot of pictures of the car with his camera. While we were discussing the Batmobile he asked if it was possible to build a Batmobile for his pinewood car for next year. I love when he comes up with these ideas on his own so of course I said yes (not even thinking how hard it would be to create the Batmobile in pine).

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When it was time to start formulating a plan for this years derby car I had Noah sit down and draw his plan for the car.

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So I used a couple of his pictures, from the car show, and a bunch of pictures pulled from the internet to create the design for the car

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Noah weighed all of the pinewood kits we had purchased to see which one was the lightest pine block. He found an unprepared block that was 3.47 oz.

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He attached the ProBody Tool and drilled the pilot holes and attached a set of somewhat prepared wheels and axles and ran the block down our test board.

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It seemed to roll pretty straight so we disassembled the block and marked it for cutting.

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The windshield is made from the top of a 500ml (16.5 fl. oz.) Aquafina bottle. The plastic (polyethylene terephthalate - PET) is recessed into the body, via a knife cut line and attached with a small amount of superglue (superglue is not recommended to be used with PET, according to the instructions, but I carefully sanded the part of the windshield, with 220 grit, that was to be glued, to aid adhesion). Here is a picture of the first test we did with a PET windshield, with this test I decided to not use superglue on the inside of the windshield (as it seemed to fog the plastic). I lifted the test fixture by the windshield to make sure it was stuck well, it did not release (even when I tried to abuse it).

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Then I was worried that the windshield install with superglue, might affect the paint so I made a new test fixture that was painted. After painting I attached a bunch of test windshields (the superglue did leave a mark on the paint that was easily sanded down with 220 grit sandpaper, when cured), then I painted on top of the mounted windshield (because that is how I planned to paint the body, after the windshield install)

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The plan to carve the jet engine nozzle out of wood failed when I miss cut the rear of the car, so the changed plan was to find a piece of pipe (of approximately the right diameter) to be glued into the rear hole. I found that a 1/4” steel pipe is 9/16”, so we cut a 3/4” long piece to glue into the back (but it weighed almost 1/2 an oz.)

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Ever since Noah was a Wolf we always have had a racing team sticker (Wolf-Radiator Springs Racing Team, Bear Pinewood 66 Racing Team) so this year we were the Batman Racing Team.

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While I was working on our parent cars, Noah was in the shop looking for stuff to do. When I did not have anything for him to do He came up with a plan to make a shop where the pinewood cars are built. This became the Pinewood Derby Hot Rod Shop (he used a lot of the 1/24th scale garage tools I purchased for another project). We had to scale down some posters and some license plates (from the internet) for the shop.

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During the racing I did not have a lot of time to view the races, but this year there was a lot of fast cars. When it came time for the awards Noah received 3rd place (technically 2nd for Webelos 1, as all Webelos raced together). This was the first year our pack gave out design awards, picked by all of the race spectators, and Noah received 2 - Coolest Looking Car & Best Painted and/or Decorated Car (I think they should only award one per Scout).

I had a discussion with a small group of parents at our pack PWD and we determined the Barris Batmobile is definitely the coolest Batmobile of all the series Batmobiles. But this was a bunch of old dads deciding this.
Last edited by ah8tk on Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:38 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Go Bubba Go
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by Go Bubba Go »

As usual, your and Noah's work is simply amazing. :clap: :dance:

I, for one, greatly appreciate the In Process pictures.

I do have one question about the block surrounded by shavings. Are the shavings from shaping the block with a knife (i.e. whittlin' :wink: ), or do you use a different tool for that?

Bubba
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by millettbbc »

Impressive. You're lines are very nice and smooth. I see that in the completed photo you are missing the exhaust. Don't forget them for Race day.
What did you use for the red lines, they look to consistent to be paint.
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ah8tk
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by ah8tk »

Bubba,
The 4 tools we use in the rough carving process are a utility knife, ¼” and ½” wood chisels, small block plane and small and large Dremel drum sanders (or would that be six tools?). The shavings are picked up from the work area and are placed in the pictures and then vacuumed up.
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ah8tk
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by ah8tk »

millettbbc,
The exhaust stacks were originally polished 16 penny nails that put us way overweight, we are making some out of some 1/8” dowels. It is also missing the antlers, top light, BatBeam antenna and wheel bats, they are being worked on and will be updated soon.

The lines were originally going to be paint but then we discussed how we could save a lot of time with some 3M 1/16” stripe tape (best $6 I can recall spending).
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Nitro Dan
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by Nitro Dan »

ah8tk wrote:Then I was worried that the windshield install with superglue, might affect the paint so I made a new test fixture that was painted. After painting I attached a bunch of test windshields (the superglue did leave a mark on the paint that was easily sanded down with 220 grit sandpaper, when cured), then I painted on top of the mounted windshield (because that is how I planned to paint the body, after the windshield install).
I've sometimes seen superglue leave a white fog or smoke on the surface of a paint job. I found that brushing Future floor wax over the smoked area reverts the paint back to normal again (of course if the glue leaves an un-smooth surface, then you have to sand it again). I haven't tried it against clear plastic that has becomed smoked, but I have a feeling that it would probably work the same way.

BTW, fantastic looking car! :thumbup:

-Nitro Dan
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sporty
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by sporty »

Two real artist !

Awesome

Sporty
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by PWD_addict »

That's awesome. Thanks for sharing.
AlabamaDan
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by AlabamaDan »

Wow! What a great job!
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by ohiofitter »

The batmoblie is always a great car to build........truly amazing detail and awesome looking...........................................................
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shawnr5
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by shawnr5 »

If you want to, a toothpaste cap would make a great turbine exhaust on the back. Maybe a trailer hitch and a BatBoat for the big rig class?????
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by bad_karma_2805a1 »

Yeah...your my new IDOL!
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gospeedgo
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by gospeedgo »

My son wants to make the same car next year... I don't think it will look llike that! That is awesome, great job!
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ah8tk
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by ah8tk »

This past weekend (April 4th) we brought the Batmobile to race at the Three Rivers District Pinewood Derby. There were a lot of fast cars in the Webelos I races, it seemed like we were doing alright but I did not think we were going to place this year…

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But when it came time for the awards Noah came in 4th place again.

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The winners of 1st, 3rd and 4th places were the same boys as last year (they awarded trophies to 5th place this year). I guess these boys tried their hardest to win, but I think that is a strange coincidence.

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Last edited by ah8tk on Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:44 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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pwrd by tungsten
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Re: 2009 Scout car - The Barris Batmobile

Post by pwrd by tungsten »

Wow!!!!


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