1/6 RC Dark Knight Rises Tumbler

autoprops713

I promised Art I would share more with this community than I kinda have in the last…eek, 11 years. So, ok here’s one I just wrapped up for a client.

Some history first. I worked in Hot Wheels at Mattel when they first got the Batman license. In addition to the 1/18 1989 Batmobile that I worked on I also had my hands in many things Batmobile related back then. When Batman Begins started production we had the opportunity to do the Tumbler in a whole range of scales. If you’re into that car you know we did 1/64, 1/18, etc. Just before I left, Tyco (RC division of Mattel) was developing a 1/6 scale RC Tumbler. Remember, this was years before Hot Toys came out with theirs. Because of box size issues and costs the proportions had to change a lot even though we had full computer files of the actual Tumbler. Sorry to the collectors out there…I tried to make every Batmobile as real as possible when I worked there. Even the “toys”. J

Flash forward a few years and a couple good friends got me one of the Tyco 1/6 Tumbler test models that sat around in the Mattel warehouse. It was about 50% production and 50% still prototype. The thing sat in a box for another who knows how many years. I received a call this spring asking if there was anyway to convert this car into a camo Tumbler that would be in The Dark Knight Rises. I signed up when people started posting filming pics from Pittsburgh. Plus I was always curious to see what a large scale Tumbler would look like in 1/6 scale. I don’t know if anyone tried this with the Hot Toys model.

For the modelers/accurizzers out there, here is a list of the mods…IF you start with a stock Tyco Tumbler.

-cut off front canopy and completely rebuild
-cut out all windows and replace with black plex
-remove front axle and attach front wheels horizontal control arms and outer axle hubs
-replace yellowy LEDs with white high intensity LEDs
-modify top of back engine area
-add blue LEDs…1 white for forward motion
-lower body on chassis by dropping center steer wheel
-modify wing struts and bring them lower to body
-whole bunch of other stuff I can’t even remember!!

Then paint match by examining dozens of pics on FLICKR. Ps….best site for reference sometimes. J

I had a good friend of mine take some pics in our garage the other day. We are going to gather up some fall leaves next week, crunch them up, and run the car again.

If things go forward as planned….you’ll find one of these later next year on the shelves. Yes, 1/6 scale! Can’t tell you what company though…yet. Enjoy the pictures, I thought they came out great even though it’s a bit still chunky!

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vetteboy1982

That is AWESOME !!!!! I wanted on of those but could never find one. Then Hot Toys came out with one but who has that kind of money ? I wanted someone to make a 1/6 89 Batmobile in the worst kind of way, but I guess that will have to be a scratch build

autoprops713

Thanks! But you do know that Hot Toys is making a 1/6 1989 Batmobile right? Not sure what the retail will be though.

yuumi2891103

Woow ! I love this vihicle !

This is one of the coolest vehicle in the movie history.

I heard that some of the actual model used in the movie were 1/6 too.

Thanks for sharing these.

Katsu

autoprops713

Thanks Katsu!

The ones in the first 2 films were about 1/4 scale and at least twice the size of this one! They had it on display at Comic Con last summer and it was BIG! But very cool.

dexter1138

Very neat, I think it still looks very much like a toy, but a nice one. The tires are the only real drawback and the thickness of some of the parts. If new tires were made or grown and cast in rubber, it would have a more realistic feel.

Nice work.

Dex

autoprops713

Yeah at some point it's easier to just get a Hot Toys tumbler

I had to keep this somewhat looking and performing like a toy. I agree, the wheels and tires were pretty cheap but also lightweight which help with the speed.

vetteboy1982

1/6th 89 Batmobile ??? You have got to be ****tn me ! Any idea of when that might hit so I dont miss it like I did the 1/6 tumbler. I guess I'll start saving now !

Ray22

Found a Video on the 1/6th hot toys 89' B.M. hopre you don't mind me sharing it here Autoprops and is that you in your Avatar pic working on a model? I was supposed to study auto design back in 1987 at thr Art Center of Design in Pasadena after the Army. I read that Chip Foose went there the same year I was supposed to attend but things didn't pan out for me due to finances. Hot Toys Tim Burton Batmobile SDCC '11 - YouTube this thing is huge.

autoprops713

Haha, no. That's Mark Hamill doing some design work on what looks like a Barbie Vette in Corvette Summer. I figured that pic best represents me since it kinda combines car designing, toys, and even Star Wars.

The 1/6 Hot Toys 1989 batmobile is pretty impressive but I see some issues with it. For example the number of slots in front of the canopy look incorrect and actually match the made up number I came up with when building our Hot Wheels studio scale charity batmobile. My main concern is they get the finish right and the price isn't out of control.

Chip Foose graduated a couple of semesters before me. We've worked for the same people many times and have crossed paths but I have not had a chance to work with him yet. Art Center was awesome but the tuition was always a big concern. I had to work my tail off for years afterward to pay off the loans. There are many more schools nowadays that give students more options.

Ray22

Lol, I said Autoprops does kind of look like Mark Hamil in that pic and I did notice the Corvette, thats cool that you work in the industry. Its rumored that the H.T. will go for $2000 or so to me thats high, thats what I paid for my last real car Lol! Take care,
Ray

mikey123mushukl

There are paper models of the 1989 batmobile as well as the tumbler that can be scaled. Check out papercraftmuseum.com

Robbie TPC

Awesome model really awesome… excellent paintjob. more pictures please and a video perhaps.

I am planning to build a 1/6 scale aluminum RC Tumbler with combustion engine, pretty expensive project but it would be so cool to see a scale Tumbler that makes a lot of noise and smoke, and off course the smell of gasoline…

replayreb

Excellent work! Here's a full RC mod of a 1/6 Tyco Tumbler with correct steering, V8 engine and moving flaps and was considering painting it camo when I came across this thread. Here's a video of the build: 1/6 Scale RC Batman Tumbler Mod - YouTube

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autoprops713

That's awesome! What happened with mine was I ended up going the opposite route. Once I started butchering it and then rebuilding some of the body (and lighting) I got burned out on doing any RC mods. The car just sits there spinning its plastic rear tires.

The one thing that bothered me was the solid front axle which looked like crap. I ended up just having the front wheels spin but fixed to those side arms. That center vacuum-cleaner-looking wheel still does the steering. I've seen your video online and it looks great steering and driving down the street correctly!

I'd go ahead and do a camo paint job if you're up to it. I think the brown/tan shapes help break up the weird proportions of the Tyco body. Plus it will stand out from all of the regular Tyco and Hot Toys Tumblers out there. I have a Hot Toys version that I'm also modifying and boy is it different next to this one...even after my mods.

I wonder if we'll see a lot more camo tumbler toys than previously next summer.

comicguy

Wonderful work on this, the detail is amazing.

PAPER

NICE WORK . Corvette Summer is still 1 of my favorite movies .
to bad there isn;t a 1/6 version of the Vette he built

JMChladek

That is a nice avatar there. When I was in high school, I would have LOVED to have access to an auto shop like they had in that movie. Of course I imagine in California, such high school shops like that probably did exist, but they were probably rarities to say the least.

I need to get Corvette Summer on DVD since it is such a guilty pleasure (and I love that metallic candy red paint on the car with the metallic candy orange flame effects). The 70's may have been a bit over the top on auto customizing, but at least I can look back on those years more fondly than polyester leasure suits.

BTW, I've got one or two of the smaller Batmobiles in my stash (mainly the 1/50 series as I don't have the room for the bigger cars). Thank you for being part of the team that did these cars as they are some of the best looking diecasts Hot Wheels ever did IMHO. And the re-worked Tumber prototype looks nice BTW (I loved that car in the camo warpaint better than the black one as it had more character IMHO).

greatballs

Wow. Fantastic job.Would really want one of those.

justice88

awesome! . nice to see one of those in person!!

Darph Bobo

Just watched replayreb's video, AWESOME! Truly inspiring teardown and rebuild!

Kinda puts me in mind of the six million dollar man intro:

We can rebuild him,

stronger,

faster,

center68

That looks absolutely fantastic - I subscribed to this thread in anticipation of when you announce when and where these will be available (and through whom) for sale!

Thank you for the pics and the progress!

ShrunkenLamb

Sooo cool. I wanted one of those. Really, really cool.

666

that's a really cool car, and mods comes great!!!
congrats

daryllwin

That thing looks BIG! Probably wouldn't fit in my tiny house at the moment.

Incredible build man. Its my favorite batmobile of the lot because its the most realistic. I wouldn't see any army actually driving it tho...