Batman! Dadadadadadadada!

[LaqueRatt]

Just stumbled across this picture. What kind of boat is this? Totally custom, or just customized? Anybody know?

 

[flashback]

Have no idea, it's probably a Hollywood special but CC made one with a big fin on the back named aptly enough: Cobra..

 

[JimS123]

If I had to guess I would say it was a George Barris custom made from a factory hull. He was the creator of the original Batmobile, plus all the other iconic Hollywood creations.

If you google it, you will find a plastic model of that very boat.

 

[southkogs]

It's a Glastron. Hammond had a hand in the customization. You can read a bunch about it HERE.

 

[FunInDuhSun]

This is a Mannerfelt B24, made in Sweden in the early 2000’s. This one was the first one imported to the US. 80+MPH with a single V8.
Notice the Bat signal on the transom. Everyone calls it the Batboat.

 

[redneck joe]

I had a go fast boat for a bit and had a batman symbol added to the new upholstery

 

[southkogs]

GW Invader had a little two seater (forget the model) that you could get dressed up like a bat boat for a while back when the Michael Keaton film came out.

 

[LaqueRatt]

Have no idea, it's probably a Hollywood special but CC made one with a big fin on the back named aptly enough: Cobra..

Why Cobra?

 

[flashback]

Why Cobra?

Beats me, I suppose they felt the fin gave it a menacing appearance. I think it more silly. Americans had an obsession with fins back then..

 

[southkogs]

Dunno' about the name: but I think the zany thing is pretty cool lookin':

But, then again I like the '58 Fury:

 

[YellowT]

Americans went nuts over aviation and airplanes after the First World War. The fascination morphed from aviation to spaceflight in the 1950s. All those fins on cars, boats, dishwashers and refrigerators, toys, bicycles, etc., represented tails and ailerons on planes, and later landing or flight stabilizer gear on rockets. It wasn't about function; it was about consumer identification with "progress" and it sold very well for several decades. Some of the stuff is still gorgeous.

(Wrote a research paper on this once.)

 

[flashback]

I had a few of those winged autos. They were cheap back then..LOL

 

[JimS123]

Dunno' about the name: but I think the zany thing is pretty cool lookin':

Built in the early 1950's it was a decadent model made to turn heads. It sported a Cadillac engine. In an era when wood was king, it was an early use of fiberglass for the fin and deck section. Not many made and not a whole lot of them still in existence.

 

[LaqueRatt]

Dunno' about the name: but I think the zany thing is pretty cool lookin':

But, then again I like the '58 Fury:

My family had a Plymouth like that when I was a little boy. With a push button transmission, it was a really neat car. Also for a short while I owned a red 1960 Impala convertible which had fins, but they were of the horizontal variety. I agree many of these finned products were things of beauty. Set them apart from the competition. Now all cars pretty much look alike. I once could ID a car a half mile away. Now not only are they non-distinct, curiously, many times don't have a nameplate on them at all.

 

[redneck joe]

Vanilla vehicles, all of them.

 

[JimS123]

Vanilla vehicles, all of them.

If you consider a CC Cobra vanilla, then what do you consider chocolate?

 

[airshot]

My family had a Plymouth like that when I was a little boy. With a push button transmission, it was a really neat car. Also for a short while I owned a red 1960 Impala convertible which had fins, but they were of the horizontal variety. I agree many of these finned products were things of beauty. Set them apart from the competition. Now all cars pretty much look alike. I once could ID a car a half mile away. Now not only are they non-distinct, curiously, many times don't have a nameplate on them at all.

Especially today's SUV's.....From any distance you can't tell one from the other. In fact they are so similar, it makes we wonder if the same designers created them all and added minor detail changes to make them seem different. And all have the same price tag as well.....hmm.....

 

[JimS123]

Especially today's SUV's.....From any distance you can't tell one from the other. In fact they are so similar, it makes we wonder if the same designers created them all and added minor detail changes to make them seem different. And all have the same price tag as well.....hmm.....

Jap cars were crap. Nobody wanted them. Then, the American cars went downhill, while at the same time Jap cars got better. So, american fools bought the jap cars.

Now, American designers made the American cars look like Jap cars so we would buy them. Then the jap designers made them look like American cars so we would like them.

Vicious circle.

As far as price, its called competition. If they are both similar, you might buy the cheaper one. Same price, now they can lure you to them.

 

[redneck joe]

Ill stick with my german diesels

06 e320 mercedes, cdi 4matic
14 vw sportwagen, tdi, six speed stick


then betsy is my 96 ford POS keeps chugging along as needed,even with all its end of life electronic epa systems issues

 

[JimS123]

Only one VW and One Mercedes dealer within driving distance of my house. Most private garages won't work on them. My buddy who owns one says German parts are hard to come by these days.

"Fix or repair daily". My son's Dodges are rust buckets. It's Mother, apple pie and Chevrolet all the way.