# How would you landscape a Batmobile racing set.



## fhdavid52 (Sep 7, 2003)

Looking over the pictures of the Batman race sets produced over the past 10 years or so, it struck me that they are all pretty lame. Besides the batmobile in the set, it seems that the only distinguishing features are some cardboard cutouts and the box art on the front of the box. 

So I am curious as to what you might do to a layout to make it "Batmanish" If you actually have made a Batman themed layout maybe you could post a picture of it. If you have done a landscaping job on a simple figure 8 ( which seems to be all Mattel knows how to do ) I would love to see photos of it.


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## torredcuda (Feb 1, 2004)

Which era?TV show or movies?I would do a city with very tall,dark biuldings somewhere in the `50`s-60`s era but older biuldings,very industrial.


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

Batman roamed Gotham CITY.


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

I would try to do the Gotham City from the movie based on the TV show with the Batboat, Bat Copter, Bat Cycle [with Robins little break away (go cart) side car]. all the usual suspects, Penguin, Joker, Riddler, Catwoman and some of the henchmen thrown in for good measure. I have an extra Joker, Riddler, Batman, Robin from CLIX that are perfectly sized to go with the AW 4-gear Batmobile and surely one of the other Clix will closely replicate Catwoman.
if I had room for a layout, I would be working on it right now. LOL


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## Hittman101 (Oct 21, 2009)

I was thinking about doing one end like Gotham and the other end like the Cars movie.. But I still need to get more track and add onto my table before I can do anything..


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## dlw (Aug 17, 1999)

Since this is Batman, you got to have a 'Batcave' to emerge from. This may take AW designing a US-1 type of spur track section and some single-lane pieces, and a Batcave.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

All the bad guys hangouts will need to be banked 35 degrees.


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## gomanvongo (Jun 12, 2010)

NTxSlotCars said:


> All the bad guys hangouts will need to be banked 35 degrees.


too funny!

I just stand that way when I'm being evil!

john


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## fhdavid52 (Sep 7, 2003)

Gilbert did the JAMES BOND set years ago. I've only seen pictures of it, and never had a chance to race on one. I am wondering how that layout adapted for Batman might look.


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## eastside johnny (May 13, 2008)

*Gotham City*

Here's a map that might help.


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## 440s-4ever (Feb 23, 2010)

I see a track with different zones

With a nod to the TV series, part of it would be curvy burbank hillsides with lots of greenery. Then it would cut into a well lit downtown area, where all the buildings were 5 stories tall, sand colored, and had bright trim colors. 

Another part of the track would have to be dark, and a tunnel connecting the areas would be a plus. The key to this area would be tall, narrow, stylized, night time building facades that are right up on the edge of the track to emphasize the towering effect. Lighting is a key part of this section to create the downtown effect, with cars that disappear momentarily in dark sections before reappearing under bright, focused beams. Bonus points for a chrysler building.

Gotta have Wayne manor somewhere on the table. 

Last, you would need the enemy of all "serious slot racers" (lol), stunt sections. It's a central theme to many eras of the character.

Plus there's a hundred special sets you could do for a specific villian.


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## old blue (May 4, 2007)

You might also consider a Bat-signal. ThinkGeek.com has one.


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Driving a slot car through an urban setting which really limits visibility can be a pain. First suggestion would be to expand the set. A simple figure 8 just isn't going to cut it. I would have all your big buildings as a backdrop in the city area, and use low buildings inside that city section. Things like a couple vacant lots, maybe a used car lot, and gas station to keep the track visibility to the maximum. Wayne Manor is outside the city, so maybe a couple nice houses (The nicest being the bat-house) along with a nice wooded section to keep things separated. 

As far as buildings go, there are many in HO scale that will work. Scope out DPM (Design Preservation Models) for ideas. They have backdrop buildings that would work nicely and save space since they aren't very deep front to back. More bang for the buck!! 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DPM-Design-...910005?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item20cac5bcb5

A search of DPM in HO Trains will yield all sorts of buildings. Granted, some will be a little small, but the main focus is the cars, so it'll work! Another search in HO trains for houses/mansions should get you a few to choose from. Here's one..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Plasticvill...761269?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item4d01262e75

Looks Wayne Manor enough!! Other houses that would fit the neighborhood would be the Addams Family house and the Bates Mansion. Both are available, though kinda pricey..


Good luck with your planning!!


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

*007 gotham city*



fhdavid52 said:


> Gilbert did the JAMES BOND set years ago. I've only seen pictures of it, and never had a chance to race on one. I am wondering how that layout adapted for Batman might look.


I just sold one on the Bay and have a bunch of extra panels that all need TLC. if someone was interested, I would make them available.


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Ya know, even with the current/recent Auto World and Scaley (and mattel?) Batman race sets, it never occurred to me to landscape a track that way. What an awesome idea! Wonder if you could tie in other superhero stuff. The Green Hornet Black Beauty comes to mind...

--rick


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

I seem to remember one of the die cast manufacturers making a bat cave but cannot recall who. I might even have one in my own cave in the second bedroom.


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## torredcuda (Feb 1, 2004)

I agree there also needs to be a Wayne Manor up in the hills with the Batcave entrance out back.


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## guinnesspeanut (Sep 25, 2009)

*Traditional or new concept?*

If the goal is traditional, you'd need a cardboard mountain with a 'cave' entrance. Something they never did was have a flap you had to drive thru. There have been some older sets with flying helicopters. Basically a slow RPM motor with a wire sticking out, and a Batcopter on the end. I think I saw a JL kit with a Batglider, or I'm sure you could find/make a flying machine for any of the arch enemies. If you set up the motor on a tilt, you could have it be an obstacle you need to stop for when it flies just over the track.. Grab a few of those old, yellow Aurora ramps for jumping obstacles, such as Hotwheels Joker mobiles.. They'd look great for box art, but I don't know how fun it'd be with today's ultra fast chassis.. Every Batman movie I can remember, and even the old TV show, often had chases thru Gotham city streets. Turn the figure 8 into an 8 with a pair of RR X-ings and a small oval for a trolley or 2, all relatively inexpensive add ons. Jump the trolley/train tracks instead?? Back to that slow RPM motor.. If you have a Tyco US1 chassis, that can work. Or an old Lego/Erector motor. Or, dig out that nasty looking fiber optic tree. In the base is a nice motor.


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## eastside johnny (May 13, 2008)

Batman & Robin have been around for a longtime. Way before the 60's TV series were B&W movies serials that played week to week at the movies (think Turner classic movies now) In those early weekly shows the Batmobile was a *49/50 Mercury. *
They had to stop the car & get their costumes out of the trunk & put them on! Years ago I recorded all of these when TCM was showing them in order. Every once in a while I pull it out & re-watch it. Great vintage stuff. 
Lots of good ideas here. Considering all of the various Batmobiles to choose from, that choice would determine the rest of the surroundings. 
Would be a blast to build.


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## sbrady#0 (Nov 18, 2007)

Why would it have to be just one lay out? you could put up your fig8 and have a more longer lay out on the same space just over lap them


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## SCJ (Jul 15, 1999)

While it may look funny running anything other than the dynamic duo.....what a great idea!

A single 4x8 sheet should work great with one third +/- done as city scape, one third in bat cave/mountian and the rest in transition.

As for only running the dynamic duo, if you don't mind doing a little conversion, you could use the McDonalds Batman toys from a couple years ago and come up with a half dozen different batmobile, joker helicopter, penguin car, poison ivy car, joker car, catwoman car, two face car, batcycle, catcycle, robincycle and I'm sure a few more I just don't remember.......most can probably be found at the local thrift if not at the bottom of your kids toy box and/or of course ebay.

They had small two inch or so comic book figures recently as well, a few of these may look cool.

Would love some pics.

-------------------------
www.SlotCarJohnnies.com


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

Just make sure you post some pix of the project! :thumbsup: rr


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## 440s-4ever (Feb 23, 2010)

LifeLike made a stunt/obstacle that's a non functional slot car mounted to an arm which sweeps across the track, battery powered. There was a thread about those recently, somebody found a car and wondered what it was. 

Anyway, that wipeout arm would be a great place to mount villain cars that aren't slots. And simply turning it off would be the difference between play and race.

Or a guy could do something similar with a villain car mounted to a slow revolving motor, Hide 2/3 of the thing under a bump or building, let it spin 360 even though you only see 120 degrees.


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

440s-4ever said:


> LifeLike made a stunt/obstacle that's a non functional slot car mounted to an arm which sweeps across the track, battery powered. There was a thread about those recently, somebody found a car and wondered what it was.
> 
> Anyway, that wipeout arm would be a great place to mount villain cars that aren't slots. And simply turning it off would be the difference between play and race.
> 
> Or a guy could do something similar with a villain car mounted to a slow revolving motor, Hide 2/3 of the thing under a bump or building, let it spin 360 even though you only see 120 degrees.


I was in on that. Here ya go:

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=360145

--rick


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Who and where escapes me but...*

I seem to remember someone doing a batcave in their landscape. I think it had a mossy overhang like the 60's TV show version did. Not sure if it was Jeff Ryan or someone's layout I saw on HO Whirled who was running a Jeff Ryan Smokin-Tjets Batmobile??? Memory fails me again, but it might have just been a scenic element... For a more interactive version though, a LeMans start might be handy to have so the car could emerge from it. Almost any kind of turn-off / turn-in specialty piece might do the trick. :thumbsup:


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

US1 turn off would be perfect!!!


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## gomanvongo (Jun 12, 2010)

this is what i'd done a while back, when i got the batmobile in a trade with Grandcheapskate. 

I took a part of an old diecast city set, and buried it to give me a batcave (what you cant see is the concrete texture on the floors and the tiles on the walls.- as well as a cool ventilation fan molded in the back - hey a bats gotta breathe, right?) Note the evil villian's lair behind (they always seem to set up shop in the old volcanoes on the edge of town)










I then had the gang park the mystery machine nearby, because those were some of my favourite scooby doo episodes of all time (the ones where the scooby gang paired up with don knotts are right up there for me too!)










not really a whole batman setup, but at least one small corner of my layout is well protected!

john


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

440s-4ever said:


> LifeLike made a stunt/obstacle that's a non functional slot car mounted to an arm which sweeps across the track, battery powered. There was a thread about those recently, somebody found a car and wondered what it was.
> 
> Anyway, that wipeout arm would be a great place to mount villain cars that aren't slots. And simply turning it off would be the difference between play and race.
> 
> Or a guy could do something similar with a villain car mounted to a slow revolving motor, Hide 2/3 of the thing under a bump or building, let it spin 360 even though you only see 120 degrees.


I knew I had seen this somewhere. I got one for trade if you want...

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=373647


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