batmanspawn
Member
awesome build man love the 66 you rock
creebobby
Well-Known Member
Time for an update!
I built a big Bat fin for the BAT 01.
It's lightweight, mounted, lights up, and is strong and stable.
I wanted to experiment with rivets, thin aluminum sheet and coroplast. It's fun to fabricate with, and the results are about as good as I hoped.
Now I'm working on a mockup of the trunk sides and rear quarter panels in cardboard. I've gone to a pointy 'bullet tail' design for the sides.
Here's Photoshop mockup of what I'm working on:
I built a big Bat fin for the BAT 01.
It's lightweight, mounted, lights up, and is strong and stable.
I wanted to experiment with rivets, thin aluminum sheet and coroplast. It's fun to fabricate with, and the results are about as good as I hoped.
Now I'm working on a mockup of the trunk sides and rear quarter panels in cardboard. I've gone to a pointy 'bullet tail' design for the sides.
Here's Photoshop mockup of what I'm working on:
creebobby
Well-Known Member
I got most of the patterns worked out in cardboard for the rear quarter panels and trunk parts.
But then I realized that I need to sort out the wheels and tires that will be on the final car and then build the fenders and quarter panels around those. (I don't want to build rear quarter panels, then put on big wheels and tires and have them rub and possibly damage the new body.)
So, after looking at a LOT of wheels and tires (and learning about wheel sizes and tire sizes and offsets etc) I ordered the following:
Wheels:
Xxr 002 wheels:
15x9 +0 offset for the rear
15x8 +0 offset for the front
(The current stock miata wheels are 15x6 +45 offset)
Rear Tires:
Mickey Thompson 295/50r15
(The current tires on the miata are 205/65r15 in the rear and 205/50r15 in the front. 295/50r15 is the size they use on the back of AC Cobras!)
So, I got the rear tires already - they're awesome! The wheels are on backorder till January.
In the mean time I realized I'd need to trim the fender wells for the new big wheels and tires to fit.
So I made a jig for my reciprocating saw and this morning I trimmed all four wheel wells by 1/2".
I'll wait until the new wheels and tires are on the car before I trim any more (but I don't think I'll need to.)
New tires and wheels:
Side by side:
Trimming the wheel wells:
But then I realized that I need to sort out the wheels and tires that will be on the final car and then build the fenders and quarter panels around those. (I don't want to build rear quarter panels, then put on big wheels and tires and have them rub and possibly damage the new body.)
So, after looking at a LOT of wheels and tires (and learning about wheel sizes and tire sizes and offsets etc) I ordered the following:
Wheels:
Xxr 002 wheels:
15x9 +0 offset for the rear
15x8 +0 offset for the front
(The current stock miata wheels are 15x6 +45 offset)
Rear Tires:
Mickey Thompson 295/50r15
(The current tires on the miata are 205/65r15 in the rear and 205/50r15 in the front. 295/50r15 is the size they use on the back of AC Cobras!)
So, I got the rear tires already - they're awesome! The wheels are on backorder till January.
In the mean time I realized I'd need to trim the fender wells for the new big wheels and tires to fit.
So I made a jig for my reciprocating saw and this morning I trimmed all four wheel wells by 1/2".
I'll wait until the new wheels and tires are on the car before I trim any more (but I don't think I'll need to.)
New tires and wheels:
Side by side:
Trimming the wheel wells:
Attachments
Awesome build going on. Well done for not letting the dream die. 
I cannot believe I am just stumbling onto this thread now.
We have a lot in common, cause I too am using a Miata as a donor car for a Batmobile build.
I plan for mines to look similar to the 1989 Keaton car tho and I am using a smaller fibreglass shell as the 'top' skin, with the 'missing' pieces fibreglassed into place. Two piece shell - front (bolted to the existing hood) and a rear piece bolted over the back of the car.
I think a fibreglass outer skin is the way to go - for protection against the weather.
My 'build' has currently stalled - I live in Scotland and winter is very cold. I have also hit a small 'snag' cause my bigger rear wheels are currently rubbing the arches of the body at the rear (using spaced out 14 x 8" rims and 205/70/14 tyres).
The next step is to cut the rear arches for clearance and test fit the body panels (shell has been cut into quarters in prep ) :eek
So here's some pics of my 'raw materials'.
Good luck on your journey :cool
I cannot believe I am just stumbling onto this thread now.
We have a lot in common, cause I too am using a Miata as a donor car for a Batmobile build.
I plan for mines to look similar to the 1989 Keaton car tho and I am using a smaller fibreglass shell as the 'top' skin, with the 'missing' pieces fibreglassed into place. Two piece shell - front (bolted to the existing hood) and a rear piece bolted over the back of the car.
I think a fibreglass outer skin is the way to go - for protection against the weather.
My 'build' has currently stalled - I live in Scotland and winter is very cold. I have also hit a small 'snag' cause my bigger rear wheels are currently rubbing the arches of the body at the rear (using spaced out 14 x 8" rims and 205/70/14 tyres).
The next step is to cut the rear arches for clearance and test fit the body panels (shell has been cut into quarters in prep ) :eek
So here's some pics of my 'raw materials'.
Good luck on your journey :cool
Last edited:
creebobby
Well-Known Member
Mr A,
Welcome!
Finally, the other miata batmobile building person I've been waiting for!
That is an awesome little 89 body! - what is it, where did you get it, what was it originally made for?
14x8, 205/70r15 should fit in the rear pretty easily.
You might be able to get the clearance you need with spacers.
A few months ago I redid the rear shocks on mine to jack up the rear and lower the front.
I used FatCat Motorsports top hats with FatCat Motorsports spacers. (Their spacers go underneath the top hat.)
I also made some DIY HDPE spacers that go between the top hat and the car.
I've attached the template I made to cut the spacers.
Using both types of spacers I raised the rear 1.5".
I didn't use any spacers in the front and the FatCat top hats lowered the car 1/2".
Welcome!
Finally, the other miata batmobile building person I've been waiting for!
That is an awesome little 89 body! - what is it, where did you get it, what was it originally made for?
14x8, 205/70r15 should fit in the rear pretty easily.
You might be able to get the clearance you need with spacers.
A few months ago I redid the rear shocks on mine to jack up the rear and lower the front.
I used FatCat Motorsports top hats with FatCat Motorsports spacers. (Their spacers go underneath the top hat.)
I also made some DIY HDPE spacers that go between the top hat and the car.
I've attached the template I made to cut the spacers.
Using both types of spacers I raised the rear 1.5".
I didn't use any spacers in the front and the FatCat top hats lowered the car 1/2".
creebobby
Well-Known Member
Found the thread on chickslovethecar:
1989 Batmobile Kit (9 feet long)
It's a Go-Kart body! Way cool.
Batman tot rod; kitcar; hot rod; go-cart; fibreglass toy car; custom; collectors | eBay
1989 Batmobile Kit (9 feet long)
It's a Go-Kart body! Way cool.
Batman tot rod; kitcar; hot rod; go-cart; fibreglass toy car; custom; collectors | eBay
creebobby
Well-Known Member
Chopped the Nose
I wanted to mess up the nose of my car to make it less 'miata' and more BAT 01.
So I went to work with a jig-saw and some $20 fog lamps.
I also made some quick bat-nub covers for the bumper sides, but they look a bit too manic/goofy from the side, so I don't think I'll use them.
Also, I just got an email that my new wheels have shipped! Can hardly wait!
I wanted to mess up the nose of my car to make it less 'miata' and more BAT 01.
So I went to work with a jig-saw and some $20 fog lamps.
I also made some quick bat-nub covers for the bumper sides, but they look a bit too manic/goofy from the side, so I don't think I'll use them.
Also, I just got an email that my new wheels have shipped! Can hardly wait!
Thanks for the welcome
I just wish I had your fabricating skills. Your info on the rear suspension set up is most welcome but I think I will have to cut more than 1/2" off my wheel arches. My rear wheels stick out around 4" from the body already and I think I'll have to raise the shocks another 1" or two after trimming the body's wheel arches.! I am watching your progress with envy.
Regards
Mr A
I just wish I had your fabricating skills. Your info on the rear suspension set up is most welcome but I think I will have to cut more than 1/2" off my wheel arches. My rear wheels stick out around 4" from the body already and I think I'll have to raise the shocks another 1" or two after trimming the body's wheel arches.! I am watching your progress with envy.
Regards
Mr A
Engelnicht
Well-Known Member
Looking good! Standing by to help.
creebobby
Well-Known Member
Thanks!
Mr. A
I see your point - if the wheel's sticking out entirely past the wheel well, you have to have enough fender gap to cover the entire suspension travel.
Chopping the rear fenders isn't hard with a reciprocating saw, though it takes some patience because the sheet metal is 2 layers thick, and 3 layers thick towards the front of the car.
Also, if you're chopping more than 1/2" (as I might end up needing to do), there will be a gap between the two layers of sheet metal because one layer is the outside body skin and the other is the inside rear fender well (they meet at the wheel well lip)- I don't know if it will compromise the unibody structure or not in any way if we cut enough off so that the two layers of sheet metal don't touch each other.
We'll see in a week or two what tires fit under a 1/2" chop and 1 1/2" rear jack-up.
Anyways, for now I'd love to see any pics you might have of the chopped up bat-body, or the rear wheels sticking out 4".
Mr. A
I see your point - if the wheel's sticking out entirely past the wheel well, you have to have enough fender gap to cover the entire suspension travel.
Chopping the rear fenders isn't hard with a reciprocating saw, though it takes some patience because the sheet metal is 2 layers thick, and 3 layers thick towards the front of the car.
Also, if you're chopping more than 1/2" (as I might end up needing to do), there will be a gap between the two layers of sheet metal because one layer is the outside body skin and the other is the inside rear fender well (they meet at the wheel well lip)- I don't know if it will compromise the unibody structure or not in any way if we cut enough off so that the two layers of sheet metal don't touch each other.
We'll see in a week or two what tires fit under a 1/2" chop and 1 1/2" rear jack-up.
Anyways, for now I'd love to see any pics you might have of the chopped up bat-body, or the rear wheels sticking out 4".
creebobby
Well-Known Member
Trunk Sides
Made some good progress on the trunk sides today.
I got the big 30" sheet metal bending brake from Harbor Freight, which should (hopefully) bend just about anything I need for this project.
These panels are .023 sheets of aluminum that'll be backed with coroplast.
Made some good progress on the trunk sides today.
I got the big 30" sheet metal bending brake from Harbor Freight, which should (hopefully) bend just about anything I need for this project.
These panels are .023 sheets of aluminum that'll be backed with coroplast.
Fantastic. Really glad to see you back on the project.
stromo
Well-Known Member
Me too!
creebobby
Well-Known Member
Wheels and Tires Installed
I finally got my big wheels yesterday!
Well, they fit!*
*With a few tweaks needed.
When driving straight and cruising easy there is no rubbing.
The fronts were initially rubbing on the fender well liner mounting nubs so I cut those off.
I went riding around last night. When turning into a gas station I got some rubbing in the front, and on a big bump I got some rubbing in the rear right.
So I think I'll need to trim the rear fender wells a little more, and it's possible that I'll need to either put spacers in the front, trim the front a little more, go to a slightly smaller tire in the front, or a combination of all of those, if I want to be able to corner hard without fear of any rubbing.
Not to mention that this was with only me in the car. Add a passenger and 70lbs of Bat-Kit and the rubbing would only increase.
But at least it's driveable as is, with a little care on the turns.
Specs:
205/65r15 on 15x8 0+ offset in the front.
295/50r15 on 15x9 0+ offset in the rear.
Front lowered 1/2".
Rear raised 1 - 1 1/2"
Fat Cat Motorsports Top Hats
Stock springs, OEM shocks.
I finally got my big wheels yesterday!
Well, they fit!*
*With a few tweaks needed.
When driving straight and cruising easy there is no rubbing.
The fronts were initially rubbing on the fender well liner mounting nubs so I cut those off.
I went riding around last night. When turning into a gas station I got some rubbing in the front, and on a big bump I got some rubbing in the rear right.
So I think I'll need to trim the rear fender wells a little more, and it's possible that I'll need to either put spacers in the front, trim the front a little more, go to a slightly smaller tire in the front, or a combination of all of those, if I want to be able to corner hard without fear of any rubbing.
Not to mention that this was with only me in the car. Add a passenger and 70lbs of Bat-Kit and the rubbing would only increase.
But at least it's driveable as is, with a little care on the turns.
Specs:
205/65r15 on 15x8 0+ offset in the front.
295/50r15 on 15x9 0+ offset in the rear.
Front lowered 1/2".
Rear raised 1 - 1 1/2"
Fat Cat Motorsports Top Hats
Stock springs, OEM shocks.
Engelnicht
Well-Known Member
She's a beast!
ttownmaul520
Member
i saw this mx-5 build and thought it was weird but it really started to come out... the first drift car i ever built was a 92 mx-5 and loved it, awesome to see someone do something different with one than just drift or staance it out. awesome job man personally i like that you scrapped the 66 mobile i hate that one (the animated series from the 90's was my favorite being that i grew up in the 90's), i like the one you're going with.
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