Gotham Garage is a renowned custom car shop based in California, famous for their one-of-a-kind builds that blend classic style with modern performance. Over the years, they’ve created some of the most unique and memorable custom cars in the industry, from a hot rod inspired by the Batmobile to a fully customized 1960s Lincoln Continental. In this article we’ll take a closer look at some of their most iconic builds, from the design inspiration to the fabrication process and the final result. What sets Gotham Garage apart from other custom car shops is their attention to detail and craftsmanship, through which they are able to bring their clients’ vision to life.
Who are Gotham Garage?
Led by founder and CEO Mark Towle, the Gotham Garage team is made up of some of the most talented and experienced craftsmen in the custom car industry. The team was originally featured on “Car Masters: Rust to Riches” in 2018, which aired on Netflix.
Mark Towle’s passion for custom cars started when he was working as a prop maker in the entertainment industry. After building several custom cars for movies and television, Mark found his calling in automobiles. He founded Gotham Garage so that he could express his creativity through the unusual custom cars. However, Mark did not stop at cars, but went on to customize other vehicles such as motorcycles, boats, and even a helicopter. His motto “If you can dream it, I can build it” perfectly embodies his attitude towards new challenges.
Most iconic builds
From stunning Hollywood replicas, such as the Batmobile, to cars that had their inspiration come from toys, Gotham Garage has truly done it all.
Mach 5
Based on the C4 Corvette, is one of the most iconic cars built by Gotham Garage. Its inspiration comes from the classic anime series “Speed Races” which came out in 1967.
The Mach 5 was built from scratch, using a combination of new and salvaged parts. It’s powered by a 5.7-liter V8 engine, capable of achieving great speeds.
The exterior of the Mach 5 is just as impressive as what’s under the hood. With its sleek, aerodynamic design, and custom paint job that incorporates the iconic red and white color scheme of the original Mach 5, the car looks like it came straight from the original anime. It also features a number of custom details, such as the twin exhaust pipes and the custom hood scoop, giving it a unique and aggressive look. The Gotham Garage crew even installed the iconic periscope camera and cutter blades. Sadly, as the car is fully road legal, the blades are not functional.
Inside, the Mach 5 is equipped with leather seats, a digital dashboard, and a powerful sound system. The car also doesn’t lack any of the modern tools such as GPS navigation and a rear-view camera, making for a comfortable driving experience. The Mach 5 is a great display of the team’s creativity and skillful engineering.
The Batmobile
Gotham Garage’s Batmobile on the other hand, is a stunning custom car that pays homage to one of the most iconic vehicles in pop culture history. Inspired by the Batmobile from Tim Burtons 1989 Batman film, this car is a modern take on the classic design.
Probably the most impressive feature of the Batmobile is its exterior design. The car features a sleek, lowrider style, with a custom black paint job that incorporates the iconic Bat-Symbol on the hood and rims. The car was built with such accuracy to the original one, that it got Mark sued by Warner Bros. studio for copyright infringement. Despite the Warner Brothers winning the lawsuit, this amazing tribute car is still adored by the fans.
Yesterday, two Fair Oaks officers traded in their cruiser for the Batmobile as they patrolled Fairfax Corner #Batman pic.twitter.com/0l5urjE50a
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) July 29, 2016
Frank’N’Bus
With a 1960’s VW hippie van as its base, the Frank’N’Bus breaks apart from the stereotypes associated with it. Peace, love, and flowers might just be the last words that come to mind when looking at the Frank’N’Bus – quite the opposite; the bus looks like something that came straight from a Mad Max movie, thanks to its bulky look, paintjob, and two rear axles.
It’s not just the design of the vehicle that signals power, but the engine within it as well. A powerful 700 horsepower supercharged V8 replaced the tame 72 horsepower one that originally came with it. The engine can also be seen from the inside through a one-inch layer of bulletproof glass.
The factory suspension was also replaced, as it wasn’t capable of handling the newly added weight and torque of the vehicle and its motor. In its place, a boxed ladder frame holds the vehicle together.
Frank’N’Bus is a creative twist of the VW hippie van, which stands as a testament to the visions of Mark’s team, and their abilities to execute them.
Splittinimage
Based on a toy, Splittinimage is an incredible feat of engineering, as nearly all of its parts were hand-fabricated by the Gotham Garage team. The only factory produced parts used for this build were the C4 Corvette chassis and drive train.
The car features a bullet-proof double cockpit outsourced from an aircraft manufacturer, necessary for its “split in half” look. A custom build exhaust runs down the center split of the car, but mounted on the top instead the bottom of the car, just behind a polished, but non-functional supercharger. This gives the car its unique look, remaining faithful to the toy it drew inspiration from.
https://www.facebook.com/Muntzindian/photos/a.568448969895389/1806728599400747
Bug Rod
The evergreen VW Beetle was also used as a base for one of Gotham Garage’s projects called “Bug Rod”. Since it was first produced, the Beetle has been modified in all sorts of creative ways. However, Bug Rod still manages to stand out in the crowd of unique Beetles that exist out there.
The Gotham Garage team managed to modify the car into a hot rod. Its roof has been removed, and it has its front axle pushed further to the front, as a true hot rod should have. It also features a matte black paintjob which allows the chrome axle to stand out between large 4-inch-wide tires. Its handstitched interior helps solidify it as one of Gotham Garage’s most unique builds.
Recap and conclusion
These unique and non-conventional builds done by Gotham Garage team, firmly solidify their name as one of the best custom car shops today. Their creativity and attitude with which they conduct their projects have struck a cord with fans who just can’t wait to see what they will create next.
