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scrap built Dymaxion

All > Other > Babies > scrap built Dymaxion by bishopthirteen
I've always loved building vehicles from found bits. I grew up at the top of a steep hill so engines were never a consideration until I moved to West Oakland (think a paved dry lake bed with stop signs)and started going to BurningMan (Think a Dry lake bed with no stop signs). This is my first homebuilt "car" not based on a bicycle drive system.

Great salvage opportunities abound in this part of the Bay Area. Still lots of industrial flotsam and jetsam about. Most cities have been scrubbed clean of anything interesting or useful, not West O! Just yesterday I found a box of solenoid valves and pressure-stats, Two weeks ago I found a commercial grade weed whacker with a broken string feed mechanism and a running 24cc motor, Score!

Regarding the pictured vehicle; more info can be found on my web pages:
http://bishopthirteen.googlepages.com/bishopthirteenhomepage

Burning Man historically has given me a place to drive weird useless contraptions around to my hearts content and there is video at the Dangermouse page of us driving it around the desert.

cre.ations looks like a great site! I am looking forward to browsing other peoples projects.

Self centering steering works great, never spilled a cocktail yet.
This engine is; Smokey, loud, way too fast and I melted a piston last outing... but the chassis and running gear are tested, I'm looking for a suitable steam engine for the next power plant.(write me if you have one you might part with, I own a few high quality interesting items, one we might find to be on par for a trade.)
Front wheel drive, chain to differential, six speed.
steering cables visible here. I should make a less Flintstonian steering system but it is sooo simple as is. Two steam powered rams would be nice though.
The only new parts were the tires and axles.
Video Screen Capture from the first drive
Doing a Man drive-by.

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Comments:

Posted by jesse 2 years ago ( 07-Jul-2007 17:32:24 )

THis is similar to a project I always dreamed of doing, making a vehicle to cruise around the hood in. I really like the scrap built look! I don't know about anyone else, but, to me pulling together a ton of pieces of "junk" that could continue to lay in the garage inanimatly into a working awesome gizmo...is very satisfying. Kudos!

Posted by kristian 2 years ago ( 09-Jul-2007 13:04:14 )

That's very cool !! And I like Jesse thinks the scrap built look is awesome.

Posted by bishopthirteen 2 years ago ( 11-Jul-2007 21:09:09 )

Thanks guys, It took allot of careful planning to achieve the scrap pile look...Really the lack of polish was due to time constraints, I would love to have polished it out like an Air stream trailer, put in real seats, added nose art, finished the interior, added some exposed clockwork for steering, etc. But until I find a new power plant and shake loose some time Dangermouse will remain moonlighting as a stable mobile and the "patina" will remain intact.

It's a fun project to look back at. Wanna see picture of my latest project, me painting my house? Yeah I didn't think so. Nearly done though.

This comment was edited at 2007-07-11 21:56:12


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