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Big Batmobile Colorado Is a Lifted ‘73 El Camino With a Heart of Gold

They say not all superheroes wear capes, but this one definitely does. Because he’s Batman.
BIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truck 10 photos
Photo: Facebook / Big Batmobile Colorado
BIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truckBIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truckBIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truckBIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truckBIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truckBIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truckBIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truckBIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truckBIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truck
Look anywhere in the world and you will find a lot of Batman impersonators / cosplayers and even some very convincing replicas or interpretations of the Batmobile. This particular Batmobile is different from them, in that it doesn’t try to replicate the aesthetics or the features of Dark Knight’s ever-reliable ride, but rather its spirit.

At the end of the day, the Batmobile is the ride the Batman uses to do good, and this is precisely what the Big Batmobile is. It’s a custom build put together by Zack Loffert, a father and customizer from Littleton, Colorado. Loffert has experience in the field, since he runs the Colorado Movie Cars company, which, you guessed it, makes custom cars for movies.

BIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truck
Photo: Facebook / Big Batmobile Colorado
As such, he owns several famous or instantly recognizable movie cars, but Big Batmobile, or BIG for short, is his favorite by far. He put it together after he realized that, in the world of Batman impersonators, not a single one drove a monster truck. He would be the exception.

BIG has the body of a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truck and, according to Loffert Batman himself, the project took three years to finish. Apparently, the biggest challenge was lifting the El Camino, requiring “a lot of research.” Once that was done, 44-inch tires turned the resulting Batmobile into a genuine beast.

Powered by a 350 Chevy block engine mated to automatic transmission, BIG has AWD, a custom two-tone interior, and a heart of gold. It’s not very fast (Loffert says it can top 70 mph /112 kph if it’s going downhill), but it’s ok.

BIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truck
Photo: Facebook / Big Batmobile Colorado
Unveiled publicly in 2015, BIG is the kind of vehicle you simply can’t miss. In addition to standing very tall, it also attracts attention for the custom paintjob, which consists of three layers of Rhino Line paint that make it “like a mini tank.” The bright decals also help, as do the rear-facing seats in the bed, which are used mostly by kids.

Indeed, BIG rarely sees any other type of action than when it’s used for charity events, birthday parties and the occasional auto event (though Loffert did take it offroading several times, just to see how it fared). Since 2015, Loffert has been driving BIG to kid events, be they visits to local hospitals, charity appearances and fundraisers, and the two have become a local staple under the motto “Be someone’s hero.”

For about the same amount of time, Loffert has been using BIG to raise awareness on the project closest to his heart, the Superhero Playground. The idea is not a new one, but it would be the first time it was implemented in Littleton: an all-inclusive playground for everyone, regardless of age or abilities. Loffert is looking to offer disabled children in particular the playground they deserve, but he needs to raise some $900,000 first.

BIG is a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino on top of the frame of a 1976 Chevrolet K10 truck
Photo: Facebook / Big Batmobile Colorado
In fact, as he told Barcroft Media a couple of years ago, that’s the only thing that would ever get him to sell BIG: if someone offered him enough money to build the playground.

“The only reason I will sell the Batmobile is for somebody who is going to write a check to complete the superhero playground,” he explains. “The playground means more to me than anything, and I know it will be something amazing for the kids. That’s the only reason I would ever sell.”

Until that happens, Loffert is using BIG to raise awareness on his admirable cause. As of the time of writing, BIG has made many appearances in the local media, has been to Comic-Con in Denver and was included in a display at Forney Museum of Transportation in Denver.

For a Chevrolet monster truck that has little to do with the actual Batmobile visually, that’s quite an impressive list of achievements.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
Elena Gorgan profile photo

Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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