Popular Mechanics just published a story, “10 Wild Art Cars From Burning Man”
Some highlights:
The Golden Mean
Because the vehicle is intended to carry up to 19 people, Sarriugarte replaced the stock VW suspension with airbags and a compressor that can vary the load-carrying capacity. The engine is hot-rodded and has a large snorkel system to keep sand out during Black Rock Desert sandstorms. The steering linkage and brake systems are a custom design, he says, but the rearview mirror and a split rear window are homages to the original Beetle. Small balls of flames shoot from the vehicle’s antennae, and the vehicle is licensed for street use.
The Golden Mean won’t be at this year’s Burning Man, though, since Sarriugarte and his wife, Kyrsten Mate, are bringing two new 50-foot-tall wheeled serpent vehicles instead.
Official site here.
From the Golden Mean, you can derive the Nautilus. But not this one:
The Nautilus
Californians Christopher and Amber Marie Bently conceived the idea; Five Ton Crane, creators of art sculptures in the San Francisco Bay area, built it. The Nautilus is 25 feet long and 12 feet tall and made of laser-welded steel with decorative rivets lining the hull. The engine and steering controls are on the “bridge” of the machine. The Nautilus features surround sound, a library, a map room, and a full bar.
Neverwas Haul
Shannon O’Hare of Vallejo, Calif., took the frame of a fifth-wheel camping trailer and built a three-story Victorian mansion on top.
The powertrain for the motorhome is from an 80-year-old forklift three-cylinder motor driving a hydraulic pump that in turn powers a wheel motor connected to an International pickup truck axle. The driver steers the front-drive machine from a command deck in the front of the vehicle via hydraulic cylinders.
The first floor of the mansion is the “engine room”; it’s made of a steel frame to support the upper levels. Upstairs is a lounge deck that will hold about 10 people, O’Hare says. Above that is an observation deck.
A 70-gallon propane tank fuels the machine, which tours the Burning Man playa daily during the event, covering about 30 miles a day. For the 2012 festival, the Neverwas Haul is getting a new three-cylinder Kubota engine.
Berserker
…and here’s how to build your own one.
Hey, very nice site. I came across this on Google, and I am stoked that I did. I will definitely be coming back here more often. Wish I could add to the conversation and bring a bit more to the table, but am just taking in as much info as I can at the moment. Thanks for sharing.
Electric Aircraft Tug
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