In Loving Memory...

[z-man280]

Back in 1992, my passion for this hobby piqued the interest of my eldest brother, Doug. A huge DC comics and batman fan, i remember him saying, " if thay made a batmobile, i would be all over one". With a huge smile on my face, i grabbed a copy of RCCA, shot to the ads in the back, and showed him the one made by Richmond Toys.
Thats all it took. Un fortunately, the lighting kit and "shields" case wasnt available, but the car was. He bought a basic charger, a 1500 pack, and the car of course. He got it UPS'd to his place, and brought it straight over when it arrived. We took it out, oohed and aahhed over the detail, and how scale it was as the battery charged. Downstairs we went, and i watched this magical smile appear on my brother as he controlled "THE batmobile". I will never forget that. It never had the battery fully discharged, because i remember a light snow coming down, so back in we went.
It never ran again.
October of 2005, i lost my brother to a heart attack, and with no will, it took a long time for things to trickle back into the familys hands.
The batmobile surfaced again, and was passed on to my nephew, whom i have gone to great lengths in explaining this should not be run again as a "normal" rc, but to be kept as is. Just holding the car in my hands again brings a tear, and many memories that i will never forget.

R.I.P. Doug, our times will never be forgotten.

( i know this is off topic, just wanted to share the most memorable r/c moment in my life.)
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/P8010102Small.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/P8010104Small.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/P8010103Small.jpg

[fadaching]

sorry to hear that :-/

R.I.P Doug

[rocknbil]

Wow z, I am truly speechless.

I'm glad this precious talisman made its way back to you, although it seldom seems so there is a reason for everything and you will see him again someday. Live your life as he'd want you to, I'm sure he was proud to have you as his lil' bro.

[Vato Loco]

Sorry Man!

[kevin097]

sorry for the loss

[tadium54]

sorry for the loss. rip doug

[z-man280]

After reading my post, my nephew brought me the batmobile, said he thought it should be with me. What a kid, huh? 17yrs old, and to have that kind of respect and generosity. Think i need to get him a r/c now.....

[PocketAce]

Sorry for your loss man. I was really touched by this thread.

[socalBash]

Thanks for Sharing ...

So sorry guy ... this hit me too - as I too run rc's with my little brother and our sons - great memories abound. That loss would kick my arse - in a big way.

All Hail the Batmobile!!! Batman FOREVER :-)

[XXWoodmanXX]

After reading my post, my nephew brought me the batmobile, said he thought it should be with me. What a kid, huh? 17yrs old, and to have that kind of respect and generosity. Think i need to get him a r/c now.....

That sort of generosity and respect speaks volumes for the kind of kid he is. In the few minutes I've spent in this thread, I can certainly see the great upbringing your family has. Even in loss, you are a very blessed person. Thank you for sharing this with us. :)

[z-man280]

That sort of generosity and respect speaks volumes for the kind of kid he is. In the few minutes I've spent in this thread, I can certainly see the great upbringing your family has. Even in loss, you are a very blessed person. Thank you for sharing this with us. :)

Thanks, :)
yes, he is something else. I CAREFULLY opened up the batmobile, as to look to see if all was intact, and WHOA! :eek: Been a while since i seen a set up like that!!!
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/P8030114Small.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/P8030113Small.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/P8030112Small.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/P8030109Small.jpg



she will now be properly cleaned, re-assembled, and i am starting on a glass display case to put above the tv in the living room, along side the pic of him and his late wife.( She was killed in a car accident new years day of 1999, Doug was looking for her, and drove up on the accident scene, we all think he really never recovered from that).


I wanted to show the younger people on here, who might not get a chance to see an r/c from years ago in this condition what we all had to work with back then :p

Ron

[z-man280]

slowly getting things done, going to have batman theatre posters sized down to fit display case....should look good. may fab the light kit and put it on a switch as well,...not sure tho

[Figit090]

really sorry to hear about the hardships your family has gone through and i think what you're doing is awsome, it's very touching. :)

just a word of caution on the lighting...dont get a bulb that will melt the plastic on the car or do damage to your display, i'd hate to see that happen.

[z-man280]

thanks for all the kind words,...i think its therapy to talk about it, and i apologize if i get a bit long-winded on it. Lights will be of low voltage, and should stay fairly cool, such as x-mas tree lights, or something on that order, only smaller.

[Figit090]

good idea. long-winded? nah...

cool car by the way.

[microrcdude]

hey man any updates on the case or anything? Im really interested in what your doing, i hope that someday my brother would do the same for me.

[z-man280]

not too much as of now....Doug had his own business, and i have pics of it...a small grocery store. Thinking of making my own little memorial to him, with pics, ect... to be the backround for the car....

will post pics soon. thanks for the interest....

Ron

[FESTER2004]

sorry about your loss!its nice you are gonna put the car ina dispaly case thats what i would have done!

[Tamiya84]

Sorry to hear about you're lose, Goodluck fixin up the batmobile, let me know if you need any odds or ends to finish it, i cant promise ill have them but its the least i could do.

[z-man280]

well guys get this: my g/f and I take my nephew in,17, dropped out of school last winter, no job. Kid has been in trouble for the last 2 yrs due to my sister not giving a crap about him. I build him a mountain bike, so he can ride with me and the g/f. Mind you, not a cheap p.o.s., but a decent bike. He brings his stuff from his drunk fathers, who wants him out too, and there is the batmobile, the topic of this thread. He understands the story behind it, and gives it to me. Great kid????
Well, we ( g/f and i) tell him he needs to get his g.e.d. or diploma, so if he stays here, he is going to school. He suddenly gets "homesick", and wants to leave. i drive half way across the state, taking him back home after a month. He left a couple of things here, so being only 15 minutes from my mother( his grandma- and her first grandchild, so spoiled by said mother) he tells her he left a few things, and could she call me to have me return them. Now, we bought him a cell phone, so he could of called me himself, but no, he has her call, to tell me to bring ( 2 hr drive ) his 2 baseball caps(!!!!?????) and THE BATMOBILE!! So, i guess even tho it was bought by ME, given to my now deceased brother as a gift from ME, this little prick gets it!

I'm about done with this kid. :mad: :mad:

thanks for all the kind words tho guys, it menas alot.


Ron

[RCMadMatt]

Sorry to hear about your brother passing away, Ron! :( Losing someone you love is very devastating, especially when it's unexpected.
As for your nephew, I would NOT give him anything except for a swift kick in the ass!!! You went out of your way to help him, and this is the thanks you get!? Send him nothing, and cut off all contact with him! Change the locks in your house if you think he might come back to "liberate" his stuff, and cut off service to the cell phone you bought him. What a sad, pathetic, self-centered loser.

Matt

[jamesbernatchez]

Ron, do not give him the Batmobile...it means a hell of a lot more to you than him!!!! Like Matt said, id cut off contact with him for now.

Good luck to you and im deeply sorry to hear about your brother, you are in my prayers :(

[Figit090]

dont give it to him. he'll probably drive it and trash it up...or just trash it up. tell him it's compinsation for the phone. then tell him he'll have to take up payments or something. 2 hours for 2 baseball caps?

thats insane! the money spent to make the trip would eaisly BUY two new ones! thats crap.

he is probably to afraid to ask you these things himself and thinks the authority of the mom asking would obtain better results. call him and talk to him about it and also ask why he didnt just call with his nice new phone... if you feel its the right thing to do (on all of this...since none of us know exactly what is going on) best of luck!

...i wish selfish inconsiderate people didn't exist.

[XXWoodmanXX]

Gotta agree with the above there, Ron. DO NOT give up the Batmobile to this kid. It's gonna end up sold for a few measly $$$ and nowhere NEAR the sentimental value to him as it is to you. He might even be a little ***** about it and SELL it back to you *grumbles*

I've gone through a little of the same thing on this end myself. Wipe your hands of this kid completely. Let'em burn his own bridges, and see the consequences of his actions. And by all means, DO NOT allow mom to persuade you in giving back the vehicle. It was given to you and has such precious value to you. Bluff having to be taken to court over it if need be. Chances are, it doesn't mean THAT much to them and they will fold.

[Roscco]

I have read the thread, and i feel for your loss. You're obviously someone with a big heart and a decent nature. Don't let your nephew take the P. out of you. By all means mail his caps back to him, but DO NOT return the Batmobile. It may have belonged to his uncle, but it also belonged to YOUR brother.

Thinking, me

[z-man280]

Aprpeciate the words guys. Ya know, I'm at a point to where i dont really care. I worked side-by-side with him when his store opended, showing him a few pointers, and running it from open til close at times. When he passed, i was living down-state. When they had his estate sale, i was down-state. When they rifled thru his belongings, i was down-state.I find my nephew with some of Dougs most memorable things, his Lions jacket, memorabilia, the Batmobile, and so on. He constantly reminded me of, "this was uncle Dougs, grandma gave it to me".
I am thinking he is not all to blame, as my mother completely left me out of everything. As a gift for the store, i bought Doug a backwards running clock, that now hangs on MY WALL! If that is the only thing i will have of his, than so be it. At least i will sleep at night. I have his memories, and they cant take that from me.

[RCMadMatt]

Ron, don't let what the punk or your mother have done to you in the past, and present, ruin your memories of Doug!
Keep the Batmobile, cancel the cellphone service, burn the damned hats, and tell your mother to tell your nephew to get lost (not my first choice of words!)! Possession is 9/10ths of the law as they say, so let the nephew make the next move!
Keep your chin up Ron! You and your brother are in my prayers!

Matt

[z-man280]

The batmobile is gone. I dont want to cause any friction in the family, so i gave it back to him( nephew), ( well, to my mother) and it is not to leave her home. I told him the phone is all on him( i got him a pre-paid), so if its shut off, his problem.
Honestly, i gave it a lot of thought, and every time, i could see in my head, Doug, head in hands, feeling bad that he caused problems. I couldnt deal with that.
If its meant to come back to me, it will .

thank you all for all your support. My family is approaching the 1 yr mark since Doug left us, it will be one year next month, and all your thoughtfull words and prayers have been passed on to them. I have no words, my appreciation cannot be expressed on here enough.


thank you all,

Ron

[z-man280]

sorry to dig up an older thread, but ....just returned from my parents. This was waiting for me..
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/P9280033Medium.jpg

so, i still have something of Dougs. Oh, and in other news, my poor little nephew read this thread and told his grandma how upset he was of all the bad things i said....so if you are reading this Alex heres some more fuel for your feeble little fire.

:flame:

[RCMadMatt]

Alex will prolly want this stuff as well! If he does, tell him to kiss your...well, you know what! What an a-hole...

Matt

[XXWoodmanXX]

I HOPE that little selfish punk reads this. The little b*stard needs to be taken over someone's knee and have his butt spanked like the little child that he is. Alex,....grow up, kid. Life isn't about crying and wimpering until someone gives you a hand-out. Jerk.

[z-man280]

well guys, just to let ya know...the batmobile CANNOT leave my parents house by him. He, nor anyone else, is allowed to take it out of there.

[RCMadMatt]

well guys, just to let ya know...the batmobile CANNOT leave my parents house by him. He, nor anyone else, is allowed to take it out of there.
GREAT TO HEAR!!!!

Matt

[Figit090]

so nobody gets it, not even you? well whatever works i guess.

i'm sorry that you're having trouble, glad you got something of his, and i wish you better luck and i hope that your relationship with your nephew goes better. maybe he'll be more considerate. good luck.

[z-man280]

thanx. Regardless of what he has done, he is still family, and i cant turn my back on him. Alex has not had the easiest life, and now, at 17, his mom picks her husband ( not his dad) instead of him. His dad, is a alcoholic..and treats him like dirt, ( where he lives now). He was recently suspended from school for wearing a jack daniels t-shirt,..refusing to turn it inside out. He has a horrible temper, but when he is with me, he's helpfull, curtious, polite, ect. But, doesnt want to be with me... and i dont understand why. He needs help, to control his emotions, but wont admit it. He is brilliant, scored in college levels at age 13...just a dirty shame he chooses this life. his mom doesnt help matters either, whenever his step-father and him would argue, he would call the cops on Alex. So, after doing that enough, he became a "marked" kid... very sad....

thanx for the support guys, just thoguht you should know a bit more about the ordeal. He's a good kid, just needs guidance.

[XXWoodmanXX]

Gotcha, Ron. Guess I can be a bit more open-minded and understanding to BOTH sides of this. ;)

YGPM dude. :cool:

[Figit090]

wow. it feels different now. i feel bad for the kid and if he reads this i hope he changes for the better. i agree that he needs guidance, but if he was doing college level stuff at 13 he definatly has a futue and any ass that would call the cops on his stepson like that should be thrown in jail for a few years. i hope he makes some better choices in the future because it definatly sounds like he has the potential to do great things. just has to set his mind on better things. good luck to both of you then.

[GTB_USER_ERIK]

thank you for sharing that part of your life with us, Take care and God bles
peace and goodwill to you