When Mark Racop was two years old, he saw his first episode of Batman, the iconic 60's TV series starring Adam West (that reminds me… did I ever tell you my Adam West story? No? I'll have to post it…). And he fell in love with it. The action, the music, the colour, but most of all the car. Today Racop owns a company considered by many to be in the automitive replica industry to be the leader. And he's built himself a Batmobile. What's more, he's built mire than one. So you can buy one. Ok, maybe it's not an impulse purchase at $150,000 (that's £90,000 in proper money), but look at what you get for your cash;
• Opening aluminum five door roll-top dashboard that includes fuel, water, and oil gauges, headlight and bright switches, key and push button ignition, warning light switch, a high end DVD/CD Player/Radio with a 7" LCD screen, and the Remote Computer Switch
• Deluxe six speaker sound system with two amps and a sub-woofer
• Finished dashboard ends and windshield post extensions, just like the original
• Chrome painted sweeps on the door panels
• Chrome painted strip across the dashtop that matches the door sweeps
• Terrific dashboard label placards
• Working gear shift indicator lights with a neutral safety switch
• Working green triangle turn signal indicator lights
• Five light sequence flasher under the arch
• Working "rocket exhaust" flame thrower, custom-made from heavy gauge steel, with a hidden ignition device
• Chromed "triple rocket tubes" behind the rear windshields
• Accurate stainless door sill chevron plates
• Accurate faux air conditioning vents on the rear package tray
• Radir rims with accurate spinners
• Phone pedestal and Batphone
• Detect-a-scope with green Lumadisk and working lights, with accurate custom-built knobs
• Accurate roll-bar arch, that narrows at the front, and widens at the back, covered in leather
• Accurate chromed beacon cage and red beacon light
• Accurate right and left aerial antennae "antlers"
• Automatic gold antenna grid, operated from a knob on the dash top
• Increase Output knob molded from an original vintage knob
• Custom-built, accurate Futura steering wheel, with working turn signal switches in the pods, and a polished aluminum bezel, and working lights
• Working headlights, front and rear turn signals, and brake lights
• Custom-built, accurate Futura leather seats, with chrome painted seat surrounds
• Electric actuators that open the hood or trunk with the flip of a switch
• Accurate reproduction of the "batcave radio link" rear antenna
• Accurate grilles for the headlights and the front and rear openings, bolted to the car
• Durable 1/4 inch thick windshields, mounted on the top of the windshield lip, just like the original
• The most accurate one piece center console, complete with light, fire extinguisher, custom-milled aluminum grille, and blue triangle knobs, with milled and polished aluminum insets around the light, the blue triangle knob, and behind the fire extinguisher
• A "real" show car quality $20,000 paint job is included, with six passes of clear coat that are sanded and buffed to an extraordinary shine
• The underside of the car body is painted black
• Brand new 350 GM crate motor with warranty
• Brand new TH350 GM transmission with warranty
• Brand new alternator, distributor, oil pump, fuel pump, water pump, ignition coil, and an Edelbrock carburetor and intake Manifold
• Brand new fuel cell and new fuel line
• Brand new dual exhaust
• Brand new racing performance radiator
• The frames are powerwashed, sandblasted, and painted with POR 15
• The underside of the floor pan is powerwashed, sandblasted, and painted with POR 15
• 1/4" thick fiberglass body, with non-binding doors, hood and trunk
• Steel plates are fiberglassed to the body during construction for added strength when mounting the chassis
• Reinforced with LOTS of THICK-walled steel square tubing
• Fin bodylines that come to a knife point, just like the original
• Built-in solid fiberglass rockers that connect the body to the floor pan
• Built-in fiberglass dash top and rear package tray
• Heavy gauge steel firewall and engine apron walls
• Heavy gauge steel wheel well tubs to protect the car from rocks
• Deep set headlights, just like the original
• Deep set tail lights, just like the original
• Built from a 1970's Lincoln Town Car that we provide (Title and VIN tag are included)
And where are you going to get a motor that comes with chrome triple rocket tubes and a batcave radio link rear antenna these days? Just imagine how much fun your drive to work in the morning would be.
As you'd expect there's lots more info on the official website here. Me? I'm writing my Christmas list right now.
