The Bat Dude

Building the Bat Car

Fabrication and mounting of the bat fins

 

  1. Fabrication and mounting of the bat fins.

  2. Engine Cover and hinge mounting

  3. Complete re wiring

  4. Fabrication of steel windshield frame

  5. Fabrication and construction of Convertible  Top

  6. Fabrication of back window

  7. Fabrication of Front Beam support structure

  8. Fabrication of Gull Wing Doors

  9. Constructing retractable Headlights

  10. Mounting and fitting of front turn signal lights

  11. Mounting and fitting of Gas Tank

  12. Fabrication and installation of side scoops

  13. Fabrication of a 2"body lift

Fabrication and mounting of the bat fins.

I first found photos of a Bradley GT and used Corel Draw to draw the batwings on the car to the correct proportion. I then scaled it up to fit the actual size and transferred the shape to masonite and cut to shape made four ribs to keep a uniform thickness and angle to the bat wing.

Below two part polyurethane expanding foam was mixed and applied to wing on the  car to fit the actual contour of the car. I made two brackets with 1/4 20 bolts glued them to the bottom of the masonite wing so they could be removed from the car while working on them. Once dry the wing was removed from the car and laid on it side and more foam was applied. It took about an hour for the foam to cure enough to be shaped with a rasp.

Once the foam was shaped and sanded, three layers of fiberglass mat was applied one layer at a time. the last layer had black pigment added to the resin. it was sanded smooth and resin with pigment was brushed on and sanded several more times until the surface was smooth. 

Next it was time to re-glass the hole left by removing the spoiler. I used a sheet of .090 polyethylene plastic the width of the car and about 6" wide taped to the bottom inside where the spoiler had been removed and started to build up with fiberglass mat and resin one layer at a time until  the hole was filled and sanded smooth. I used foam on each side where the wings were to be mounted. I then mixed up a batch of expanding foam poured it where the wing was to be mounted and very quickly bolted the wing on as to let the foam expand out from underneath the wing gluing the wing in place as the foam set up. When cured I sanded the foam to match the contour of the body.

After sanding the foam smooth several layers of fiberglass mat and resin were feathered in to match the body to the fin.