Keaton Batmobile color ?
- Thread starter Twinsen
- Start date
ave4uevoli
Sr Member
matte black version is probably more screen accurate.
The glossy black is, I think, too glossy.
The glossy black is, I think, too glossy.
Twinsen
Sr Member
I'm saying this because I own the "regular" one, released in 2003, but when I saw the 1:1 scale screen used Batmobile that was sold on eBay, I realized it was really really shiny :confused
Later on, I read that the car in the movie was painted using 70 (yes, seventy) coats of black pearl acrylic lacquers. :eek
Later on, I read that the car in the movie was painted using 70 (yes, seventy) coats of black pearl acrylic lacquers. :eek
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I have the '89 Batman issue of Cinefex around here someplace and I recall them saying that the hero car was painted with many layers of different colors and densities to produce a "beetle shell" appearance. Not matte not gloss, not black, not bown but a bit of all of them. I'll see if I can find it and get the exact quote.
I saw the '89 car too back in 1990 at it looked pretty much like pictured above. The top clear coat had subtle red and blue metallic highlights in it to accent the curves of the body (which looked terrible).
Dave
I saw the '89 car too back in 1990 at it looked pretty much like pictured above. The top clear coat had subtle red and blue metallic highlights in it to accent the curves of the body (which looked terrible).
Dave
Victorious-Jay
Well-Known Member
The real 89 number 1 car was painted a matte black with the metalic pearl added in different areas. Green somewhere, blue somewhere, etc. He's right about the beetle thing. In my opinion it's pretty much impossible to reproduce it perfectly. For a true 89 replica car it should be more of a matte finish.
However, for Batman Returnsthey repainted both the number 1 and 2 cars glossy black. They painted the gunmetal wheels black too for some reason except for the "wheel bats". They also added some exra features like windshield wipers to the cars for Batman Returns. They both look really cool but I prefer the 89 color because the gloss black washes out a lot of the cars detail. Just my opinion.
Here's the real number 1 car from 1989.
However, for Batman Returnsthey repainted both the number 1 and 2 cars glossy black. They painted the gunmetal wheels black too for some reason except for the "wheel bats". They also added some exra features like windshield wipers to the cars for Batman Returns. They both look really cool but I prefer the 89 color because the gloss black washes out a lot of the cars detail. Just my opinion.
Here's the real number 1 car from 1989.
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I always thought it was gunmetal !!
I learned something !!
I learned something !!
Twinsen
Sr Member
Wow thanks for the input ! That was some interesting bit of information.
That means the Hot Wheels 2003 Regular edition is in fact screen accurate ?
It has this "satin/matte black" color and the wheels & engine are smoked chrome, not black.
On several "showroom style" Batmobiles, everything is glossy black : the car, the rims, the engine, the exhaust, everything. It looks really cool but unfortunately, even on the "glossy black" 1/18 Hot Wheels Batmobile, the rims & engine remained smoked chrome...
To make it look correct, one should take the whole car apart and spray some gloss black paint here and there.
Maybe I should buy the glossy one and do the modifications myself to have both versions...
That means the Hot Wheels 2003 Regular edition is in fact screen accurate ?
It has this "satin/matte black" color and the wheels & engine are smoked chrome, not black.
On several "showroom style" Batmobiles, everything is glossy black : the car, the rims, the engine, the exhaust, everything. It looks really cool but unfortunately, even on the "glossy black" 1/18 Hot Wheels Batmobile, the rims & engine remained smoked chrome...
To make it look correct, one should take the whole car apart and spray some gloss black paint here and there.
Maybe I should buy the glossy one and do the modifications myself to have both versions...
Found it. It's not as detailed as I had remembered but here it is from page 23 of Cinefex #41. Quoted from an interview with Anton Furst:
"The Batmobile was built in kevlar," Furst noted, "which is a polycarbonate that is extremely light and yet very strong. It is the same material used to make racing cars. We then had a custom paint job done on it. There were about six different layers of colors to give the car the finish of a beetle--a lot of colors coming through the blackness so that it had a three-dimensional quality to it rather than just being a flat black. We did not go to a full gloss on it--we left it with a slight matte finish to make it look more like a war machine."
"The Batmobile was built in kevlar," Furst noted, "which is a polycarbonate that is extremely light and yet very strong. It is the same material used to make racing cars. We then had a custom paint job done on it. There were about six different layers of colors to give the car the finish of a beetle--a lot of colors coming through the blackness so that it had a three-dimensional quality to it rather than just being a flat black. We did not go to a full gloss on it--we left it with a slight matte finish to make it look more like a war machine."
allosaur176
Sr Member
qft
Victorious-Jay
Well-Known Member
Wow thanks for the input ! That was some interesting bit of information.
That means the Hot Wheels 2003 Regular edition is in fact screen accurate ?
It has this "satin/matte black" color and the wheels & engine are smoked chrome, not black.
On several "showroom style" Batmobiles, everything is glossy black : the car, the rims, the engine, the exhaust, everything. It looks really cool but unfortunately, even on the "glossy black" 1/18 Hot Wheels Batmobile, the rims & engine remained smoked chrome...
To make it look correct, one should take the whole car apart and spray some gloss black paint here and there.
Maybe I should buy the glossy one and do the modifications myself to have both versions...
I'd mod the glossy one and have one of both. It's a pain but because the Returns Batmobiles are so glossy it's tough to get a really good picture of them. I always look for the windshield wipers.
Strangely enough years after Batman Returns, WB actually painted the number 1 and 2 89 Batmobiles gunmetal grey for use in the OnStar commercials.
Twinsen
Sr Member
Well I already own the matte version since 2003, and I think the modded glossy one will be representing both '89 Showroom & '92 Returns versions.
Thanks for all the precious informations, it's been a great help to better understand the whole thing :cool
Edit : OH NO ! Someone bought it before me... :cry
Thanks for all the precious informations, it's been a great help to better understand the whole thing :cool
Edit : OH NO ! Someone bought it before me... :cry
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Victorious-Jay
Well-Known Member
No problem, glad I could help. The Burton/Keaton Batfilms are the core of my hobby interests. I'm pretty much obsessed with them.
-Jason M
-Jason M
Victorious-Jay
Well-Known Member
EDIT : The seller had another one in stock
Nice!
Twinsen
Sr Member
I should receive it next monday, it will be shipped express :cool
If it can be easily taken apart, I will spray paint the engine, wheels and exhaust in a nice glossy black color with several layers of clear coat, to match the '89 "Show car".
If it's too tricky, then I'll leave it as it is. It'll look cool anyway to have both versions, satin and glossy
By the way, can someone tell me how many Keaton Batmobiles were made, and what were they used for ?
I know there were 5 cars for the '89 movie, but I read somewhere that Warner Bros produced more Batmobiles after the release of the film (five more?)
Were the "Show cars" built only for display or were they former screen used cars merely repainted ?
I'm a bit lost and i'd love to get things straight in my mind :wacko
If it can be easily taken apart, I will spray paint the engine, wheels and exhaust in a nice glossy black color with several layers of clear coat, to match the '89 "Show car".
If it's too tricky, then I'll leave it as it is. It'll look cool anyway to have both versions, satin and glossy
By the way, can someone tell me how many Keaton Batmobiles were made, and what were they used for ?
I know there were 5 cars for the '89 movie, but I read somewhere that Warner Bros produced more Batmobiles after the release of the film (five more?)
Were the "Show cars" built only for display or were they former screen used cars merely repainted ?
I'm a bit lost and i'd love to get things straight in my mind :wacko
cap70
Well-Known Member
Yup :thumbsup
For all batmobile information you seek http://www.chickslovethecar.com
TONS of fantastic information about all of the cars...and buildups of custom ones.
TONS of fantastic information about all of the cars...and buildups of custom ones.
