A great man once said, “It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.”
That man was Christian Bale. Batman, more specifically.
The point is that anybody can potentially take up the mantle of the Dark Knight, whether you’re fighting crime and protecting the innocent or accompanying a little trick-or-treating Joker on Halloween.
A 29-year old Australia man named Zac Mihajlovic has taken the charitable route, partnering with the Make-A-Wish to chauffeur terminally-ill children around in his hand-built Batmobile, while wearing the Batsuit of course.
Mihajlovic built the Batmobile, a near-perfect replica of the 1989 Michael Keaton version, over two years with his engineer grandfather. He was able to find several parts from the original movie to start, but for the most part this menacing ride is custom-made.
“It’s got adjustable suspension, and it’s got a working afterburner which is from the film,” he said in an interview with Barcroft TV. “No machine guns, sadly. No grappling hooks. No bombs that come out of the wheel. Pretty much beyond that, yeah, it’s pretty close.”
Since the car has gone public, the Australian has denied six-figure requests to buy it, been chased by news helicopters, and emphatically turned away a couple who wanted to “christen” the car, plastic sheets and all.
But the most satisfying power the car grants him is the ability to make wishes come true, which he has done for over 40 children over the last three years.
“It’s a brilliant charity because it, sadly, gives kids their dying wish. I dress up as Batman and I surprise the kids sometimes with knocking on someone’s door. Some of them run for their lives, but some are just super pumped.”
There are approximately 10 other Keaton-era Batmobiles in existence today, but this one can be driven on the street, something that Mihajlovic says sets it apart from other replicas.
“It’s street-legal,” he explains. “I can take it down and get groceries if I wanted to.”
Because everyone has errands to run. Even Batman.
(Video hosted by Barcroft Cars)
