When I first encountered the Battle Cruiser in a lot in Eugene containing some other odd cars, I though it might have been a prop for a dystopian sci-fi movie. But thanks to commenter zykotec, we now know know the truth, and it’s stranger than science fiction.
The story was written up in the Prescott AZ Daily Courier: In 2001, Bobby Lichter, a young man from Laka Havasu City, AZ, wanted to study music at the Musician’s Institute in downtown Hollywood. When the parents saw the neighborhood, they were worried for his safety. According to his Dad, Bob Lichter: “It’s a rough area; street violence, gang wars, random shootings; not good”. Bob was not going to let Bobby attend, without certain precautions; like a bullet-proof armored vehicle.
The price for an armored vehicle being out of reach of the family budget, Bob, the owner of German Wrought Iron, decided to build one himself. He bought a 1979 Cadillac for $500, cut off the body, and fabricated a new bullet-proof body from scratch. The exterior is made of quarter-inch steel plate, and the windows are one-inch thick plexiglass. And there are deadbolts embedded in the doors “nobody is going to break into this thing”, according to Bob.
But a few problems arose: the Battle Cruise now weighed some 6000 lbs, and a new front suspension had to be installed, and dual coils in the back. According to Bob: “It’s not very fast, you can get it up to 80 or 90, but in town, it’s pretty sluggish”.
So what was Bobby’s reaction to his new going-to school car? “He thought it was pretty cool” And it seems he survived.
I have no idea of this car’s provenance, but the hood scoops and general front end styling remind me of a third-gen Camaro!
Yes, my first impression too. As if Chevy had built a hummer in 1990.
Not only the Caddy steering column, but the sweep speedometer and floor hinged gas pedal (broken, on seat) also look like Cadillac sourced parts. Oddly, it’s not 4 wheel drive. If this is an old junkyard recreation based on a Caddy, I’m curious what lurks under that hood. 425? 472? maybe even a 500…. i’m liking this bizarre machine more n more.
*evil laugh*
Well, it’s not one of these, at any rate… Oshkosh had a display at Oshkosh this year, with some impressive hardware.
This item does look “purpose built,” but the five-lug wheels suggest its only purpose was to perplex CC-spotters like us. More likely, someone had a running chassis, scrap metal, decent welding skills and a bit too much spare time on their hands.
+1 for effort, tho!
Every year in Houston we have an art car parade. This just needs some strangely dressed characters to operate it and maybe sit on top. It’s not quite weird enough to fit in yet but it’s getting there.
My guess is it was a good running old caddie that turned into a rust bucket. A welder and grinder is about all you probably need to do this.
As soon as I clicked I saw Ed’s comment. Guess all I needed to say was +1.
I dunno. Projects like that usually retain the original greenhouse. This thing is 100% hand-built sheetmetal, and all flat glass. It could plausibly have been built on just about anything that has a frame. Wheelbase and the 5-lug wheels are the only really reliable hints.
I’m betting is an ex-movie prop, something you’d see in the mass scenes where the hero (Schwartzenegger, Willis, Stallone) is cutting thru the bad guy private army/local militia/government forces. It looks real good outside (from 10′ away where you don’t notice the Silverado/F150 wheels) and the interior is the absolute minimum to hold a driver and an extra who was probably expected to pop out the passenger door and immediately get blown away.
Punching ‘cadillac battle cruiser’ into google got me this result
Bad picture but seems to be the right car. And indeed a Cadillac(1979) based bullet-proof (according to the builder) one-off car.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=894&dat=20010809&id=VqkKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GE0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6815,1091715
The wheelbase looks too long for a Cadillac, with the exception of a limo. Its a 5 bolt lug pattern so that means it’s a half ton 2 wheel drive GM truck chassis. My guess it’s a long wheelbase Chevy/GMC truck or van.
If you read the newspaper article from 2001, it says that it is was made from a 1979 Cadillac. My quick search shows that this probably has a 121.5″ wheelbase, while a longbox pickup or Suburban of the same era had a 131.5″ WB.
The first thing that came to mind looking at the side view was……….mid-year Corvette Sting Ray! Most likely the side crease with the tumblehome and the squared off wheel wells stirred the gray matter into this bizarre and sacriligous thought. Is that a duck tail rear end, too????????
Could be too that the builder had a mid-year Sting Ray on his mind? Most likely more I need a little rest…….
quarter inch thick steel panels make it pretty tough to bend complex shapes. flat panel at the bottom, flat panel at the top, they bow out in the middle to give it a little shape and more space in the middle.
I think that’s the first
caruhm, machine(?) posted here that’s had Moss on the inside and none on the body!That’s a pretty cool creation. Add some 500 Caddy power, some more lighting and a couple of M134 “Miniguns” and you’re set for the Zombie Apocalypse, Switching of the Poles or maybe even more!
Quarter-inch thick bodywork… the surface rust next the door won’t be problem for a looong time!
Bob Lichter sr. must have had the A-Team theme blaring on a loop when he was building this thing!
This is the vehicle Charlton Heston WISH he could’ve commandeered in “Earthquake!” instead of the cool-looking altered-roof Blazer. “Ahh…a vehicle that can go anywhere!”
Hey, what’s up with the watermarks? I can’t use your images as wallpapers without that glaring at me…
Just for this one….I have my reasons. If you really want this one unblemished, let me know.
OK with that. I’ll pass on this one.
Just thinking about this – with so few full-framed vehicles left today, what are the chances of seeing something like this in the future made from one of today’s cars?
You forget that small scale complex forging and pressing tech is around the corner, with 3D printers and computer-controlled English wheels. Making a body panel for today’s cars will be easy within twenty years. Just as auto-manufacturer’s tech improves, so does backwoods mechanics’. We are already seeing it in engine tuning products, where piggy-back ECUs have taken the place of carb jet kits.
There’s an awful lot of pickups out there, which would have probably made more sense in the first place, given how heavy this got.
Judging from the seats this must have been an Eldorado originally; they look like the same style as the ’83 from last week. I like the stock one better myself.
This reminds me of the new marauder from the Paramount group. Loved the idea
Regards
.A-