Batmobile 1966 03

The Futura kit does not have a single piece body, like most modern car kits. It has a bottom half upon which the top half is assembled from six separate pieces. I decided the model would be much easier to modify and paint if it did have a single piece body. I cut out the floor pan of the bottom about a 1/4 inch in from the sides and at the front and rear at the lines established by the wheel wells, using a hobby knife and a steel rule as a cutting guide. Styrene strips cemented to the inside edges of the body support the floor/chassis for final assembly. I stripped the chromed parts by immersing them for a few seconds in Liquid Plumber, then washed them thoroughly with soap and water. Then the body was assembled according to the instructions, except the headlight and taillight pieces were omitted. Plastic tabs cemented on the inside of the model reinforced butt joints, as on the trunk. Large gaps between the bumpers and the body were filled with strips of plastic and lots of superglue.