THE BAT MACHINE BY MPC

MPC (Model Products Corporation, of Mount Clemens, Michigan) was a US model company, best known for its range of 1/25th scale model cars. Alongside the usual road cars and muscle machines, there were some pretty way-out customs.

One of these was The Bat Machine, a 1970 Chevrolet SS 454 convertible. It glowed in the dark, and was covered in monster decals depicting vampires, bats, and cobwebs - you do not get much more way-out than that.

The kit was in the usual 1/25th scale. It was moulded in whiteish glow-in-the-dark plastic, with clear, clear red, and chromed plastic parts; a set of black 'rubber' tyres; plus metal axles and two metal screws.

The model could be built as a standard road car, or there were plenty of custom parts, including a bat fang grille, human skull hood ornament, bat air scoop for the hood, chromed rat fender mounts, bone steering wheel, a bat cape tonneau cover, and chrome wheel hubs with spiders and cobwebs.

Kit number 624-200 sold for $2.00. I do not know when it was released, probably around 1969/70, but it does not seem to have been available for long, as it was not included in the 1971 MPC catalogue, and does not appear to have been re-issued.

The box art shows the car against a suitably spooky nighttime scene, with owls and bats on the wing, twisted trees, and a castle. One side of the box shows the range of stock and custom parts, the other shows how the completed model will look - the two box ends are identical.

Runs like a wild thing...Glows like a full moon...and looks like something else ! said the box. Good grief.

Paul Adams from New Zealand