Need help figuring out mutant vehicle ideas

[inthecolumbiagorge]

I found a stripped down totally operative 87 Bronco II for really cheap on our local Craigslist and now I need help figuring out what on earth to do with it. I am on a budget so pretty much everything I do to it will be reused materials. I want it to be usable for alter abled folks to catch a ride. I don't need to register it as a handicap vehicle though in order to give rides if I am reading things correctly. Right now it has a front seat and back seat, dash and windshield, and the nose is all pretty normal with a hood, but nothing else from the floor boards up. Not really interested in crazy loud music on it and doubt I can manage flames of any kind. I would post a picture but I don't seem to know how to do that here:-((

So any virgins out there with good mutant vehicle ideas that can be built with re-purposed stuff? I would appreciate any veteran ideas as well:-) We do have a virgin run theme camp however with a playground theme so that could be a basis, or the fertilty 2.0 theme, or we are from the Columbia Gorge and that could somehow be a theme, or....? Ideas would be appreciated and if anyone wants to physically help we are totally open to that too!

[theCryptofishist]

How are you thinking of giving rides to alterabled, and what exactly are the alterations you're gearing it towards?

[ygmir]

I found a stripped down totally operative 87 Bronco II for really cheap on our local Craigslist and now I need help figuring out what on earth to do with it. I am on a budget so pretty much everything I do to it will be reused materials. I want it to be usable for alter abled folks to catch a ride. I don't need to register it as a handicap vehicle though in order to give rides if I am reading things correctly. Right now it has a front seat and back seat, dash and windshield, and the nose is all pretty normal with a hood, but nothing else from the floor boards up. Not really interested in crazy loud music on it and doubt I can manage flames of any kind. I would post a picture but I don't seem to know how to do that here:-((

So any virgins out there with good mutant vehicle ideas that can be built with re-purposed stuff? I would appreciate any veteran ideas as well:-) We do have a virgin run theme camp however with a playground theme so that could be a basis, or the fertilty 2.0 theme, or we are from the Columbia Gorge and that could somehow be a theme, or....? Ideas would be appreciated and if anyone wants to physically help we are totally open to that too!

Do you know, though, you still have to register it, mutate it, and get approved from DMV as an MV?

I made an ADA type MV a few years ago.........and if you want folks in chairs to be able to participate, the challenge is getting up on the vehicle.
ramp angle should be pretty slight (there are websites that give angles and such), or, you need a lift.
IIRC, the angles suggested, makes for a very long ramp, to get up on a 3' high deck.
Even doubling the angle (not approved, but with attendants or helpers, it could work) might be a challenge. And know that an electric chair, can be pretty heavy, so two 2x4's 10' long, unsupported will not work.

I'm only saying this all, so you don't get out there, and your design ends up unusable for the folks intended.
Be sure to have a way to secure a chair, once on the vehicle, a strap or whatever, in case of emergency braking or impact (it happens).
seating is nice, too, so folks can also sit with any others in chairs and visit while riding.

I incorporated all this into my MV, and it worked out fine.
Just do some research, as far as space required for turning around and such.

I'm happy to advise, if anything I know can help.

[inthecolumbiagorge]

Yes I do understand that ANY motorized vehicle must be inspected and authorized by Burning Man DMV and I think we have until May 15th to send in the registration. I have read all the requirement information multiple times and have read all the posts on mutant vehicles for the full history of the board. I did not want to "limit" the vehicle by having it be registered specifically as a disabled person vehicle because there can be only one level, no trailer, etc., but I am aware of what would be required to have it accessible for alter-abled folks. There are many levels and limits to physical abilities out there and I do not know if this vehicles aim will be to accommodate a wheel chair rolled onto it, more like a comfortable seat for a few people and a rack for wheelchairs if necessary. I also want the look and design be something fun and creative too.

I am looking more for an idea of the theme or appearance of the vehicle, suggestions of what we could make it look like. We will deal with all the structural aspects and how to make it accessible once we can figure out what it should look like:-)

[trilobyte]

I'm splitting this off from the seeks participants thread, since that thread is for recruiting help on defined projects and not a place to brainstorm ideas for a mutant vehicle. Good luck figuring something out!

[motskyroonmatick]

I'll give you my defunct mutant vehicle or the wheel chair lift on the back if you want either.


I recommend gathering a team of people to do a build.

[inthecolumbiagorge]

So now that I got some instruction (thanks Trilo:-) I can post a photo of the rig.

[inthecolumbiagorge]

I'll give you my defunct mutant vehicle or the wheel chair lift on the back if you want either.


I recommend gathering a team of people to do a build.

That is quite a ramp:-) I am not sure the Bronco could support that? If so I may be interested!

[inthecolumbiagorge]

Since our camps theme is a park playground maybe I should go with that? Perhaps painted park benches mounted on each side and the back of the vehicle and from the body a tree that provides shade for the park benches? Not terribly creative but I know it could be done, hide the vehicle totally, and definitely by re-purposing items I can find around the orchard for the most part. The tree could be lightweight and only have to withstand wind or it could be more heavy duty and actually have a perch or place to sit in it for a view...this would not be possible if I make it an alter abled vehicle with only one level though. Could make a wheelchair rack on the front. Just one idea:-)

[motskyroonmatick]

And
On a second story. Park benches underneath?

That bronco will hold a second story the size of the vehicle foot print no problem. Might not be able to have a standing room area on the first level though.

[inthecolumbiagorge]

That would be pretty crazy amazing:-) It obviously could not qualify for the disabled category but it could still be accessible transportation for any that need a ride. Mobility camp mentioned actual "bus stops" where people needing a lift can catch one. I can picture people flying off the merry go round though while it is being spun at warp speed ..oh my!

[moonrise]

Maybe lose the windshield, they're dust magnets, this is bad for night visibility.

Remember if it rains, stop and wait for the playa to dry out or we end up with bad ruts.

[Galaxo Magic]

Since our camps theme is a park playground maybe I should go with that? Perhaps painted park benches mounted on each side and the back of the vehicle and from the body a tree that provides shade for the park benches? Not terribly creative but I know it could be done, hide the vehicle totally, and definitely by re-purposing items I can find around the orchard for the most part. The tree could be lightweight and only have to withstand wind or it could be more heavy duty and actually have a perch or place to sit in it for a view...this would not be possible if I make it an alter abled vehicle with only one level though. Could make a wheelchair rack on the front. Just one idea:-)

I have been a worker on 6 MV's and last year built my first MV. I like the park bench idea. You could attach benches to both sides of the Bronco. The tree idea is really cool, but how would you make that? Can't be a real tree, would be too Moopy. Also, a tree will catch the wind and change the 'center of gravity'. If the tree is strong enough to support someone climbing on it, it will probably add a LOT of weight to the base vehicle. The more your base vehicles weighs without passengers, the fewer passengers can ride on it.

Also test out the Bronco for very slow speed driving. Automatics are much better than manual transmissions. You can burn a clutch out on manual transmissions. Be sure it is in GOOD working order. Our Chevy van would roll at 5MPH in low, so we weren't constantly having to brake or push the gas pedal to maintain a good 'slow' speed. Some vehicles tend to overheat if they never go above 5 MPH.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

[inthecolumbiagorge]

It is a 4x4 with low 4 wheel drive which should just chug along at 5mph really well. I don't really know how or if a perch or seat in the tree would work but I will run it by my engineer brother and see what he says. Depending on that information I would think the tree, especially if not supporting anyone in it, would be rebar reinforced paper mache or something along those lines. My daughters and I could totally do that. Whatever we do it will be structurally sound and safe. I am a 55 year old woman and in no way would I be transporting anyone on a vehicle that is not as safe as it should be:-) At the very least it could provide some sort of shading for the park benches.

We won't be running it if the playa is wet, not to worry:-)

[Galaxo Magic]

Good thinking, paper mache is very light weight. In 2004 we turned our golf cart into a giant lotus flower. The pedals were paper mache. You'd need to seal the paper mache, cause you know what happens when it gets wet.
In 2011 we built a pink elephant and as a man older than you are, I wanted it to be easy and safe. We accomplished both and the elephant was very well received. Good luck!

[Major Krash]

before you begin altering, be sure it does not leak any fluids (run the engine for 30 minutes over some cardboard, which will show any drips). If it leaks, think really hard about using this vehicle at all (unless you are prepared to fix them).

Consider doing something about the suspension - beefing up the springs and/or replacing shocks with bars. This helps eliminate the sway and lean that comes from lots of Burners riding on top...

Pretty much everything is already removed that can be. A "sealed" drivers compartment can be useful for riding out dust storms and securing the vehicle against theft/tampering.

I like to start with some photos of the vehicle printed out on paper (with lots of blank space around it). Then I start doodling ideas - turn it into a Dragon? A Boat? An Island? Pretty soon you get a feel for the kind of shape(s) that will work with the vision requirements, height/width limits, and available funds.

Make anything people climb on or sit on very strong. Everything else should be as light as possible.

You will need power for lighting (an extra alternator at least, or generator). The vehicle's stock alternator at 5mph puts out a fraction of it's full power - if you run large invertors to power lights and sound, your battery will run dead and the vehicle will stop. Figure out your appx. power needs and plan accordingly.

Be sure you have a trailer and properly sized vehicle to transport this. You will probably need a second way to get your other stuff down there (unless your trailer and pull vehicle are both enormous).

Also think about where you will store this off-season.

Have fun!

[inthecolumbiagorge]

We have actually made a large tree from paper mache before and it looked great and we have been playing with the idea of well place fabric sales to represent the green spaces of the tree for this vehicle. I found a company in Portland that advertised their large cardboard tubes free, some are 20 ' long, and they work great to build off for the "trunk".

before you begin altering, be sure it does not leak any fluids (run the engine for 30 minutes over some cardboard, which will show any drips). If it leaks, think really hard about using this vehicle at all (unless you are prepared to fix them).

Thanks for the alert and we definitely will make sure we are not polluting the playa with any sort of mechanical fluids.

You will need power for lighting (an extra alternator at least, or generator). The vehicle's stock alternator at 5mph puts out a fraction of it's full power - if you run large invertors to power lights and sound, your battery will run dead and the vehicle will stop. Figure out your appx. power needs and plan accordingly.

We do have 2 whisper quiet generators and one will be dedicated to the MV. The tree could be illuminated partly by solar lighting and EL wire as well and we are not all night revelers more than likely so I doubt we well be on the playa in the wee hours of the morning (much:-), so I think we can manage with minimal generator power but we will have to test it all out and manage as we construct.

Be sure you have a trailer and properly sized vehicle to transport this. You will probably need a second way to get your other stuff down there (unless your trailer and pull vehicle are both enormous).

A friend has a car trailer and we can borrow it, already checked and my boss has a big 20' trailer I can borrow if needed that it will fit on easily. It will require one more of us to drive a pick up probably but a friend from another theme camp may be bringing a semi with enough room to bring our playground components and if that works out we would be golden. If not 2 of my husbands nephews works for Enterprise car rental and gets us %50 off of any rentals so we will just need to rent another truck at worst. (He says we don't need to even mention Burning Man when we rent the vehicle by the way and he is a manager:-)

As to storing the vehicle, we live in a very rural area and we have lots and lots of room:-) I bought a portable car port for $50 on CG just for a kitchen area for the theme camp and that can become the house for the MV here.

I think all this is totally doable and unless we come up with a better plan, the park benches with a tree for shade seems pretty darn simple compared to mostly everything I have seen in photos from years past. Good project for virgins probably:-)

Thanks for all the input! It is appreciated:-)

[Galaxo Magic]

Keep in mind the end date for getting your application in.

We are not late night partiers either but we would be out to midnight, so if you think you'll even be out at night for a couple of hours you will need to 'radically illuminate' your vehicle.

[tink2011]

Your ideas sound fantastic! I'm a 50-year-old woman and made a vehicle too! Nice to hear of other women out there doing the same. I made a vehicle off of a golf cart base in 2010. It's a space ship with a huge alien standing on top holding the world. Once you get the basic plan down (safety, transportation, etc) you can start the welding work. Do you know someone who can weld? That's a big component. My suggestion would be to make as many things detachable from the car for transport, as driving to the playa puts some pretty strong forces on the load and things can tip and get scary on the road (trust me on this one).

With regard to the paper mache, I made my 10 foot tall alien with a paper mache head, hands and a world (that he is holding). It rained on us a few times and it came through with flying colors. I used Helmsman Clear Satin Urethane and put on two coats. Best decision I ever made, plus it made things look really nice. I used wallpaper paste for the glue and regular newspaper. There were many nay-sayers, but it still looked good for the second year. This year it will need some touch ups.

I'm not sure how you will be able to keep it totally inexpensive, because this stuff adds up. But, I wish you the best. How is the project going so far? Oh, and one more piece of advice. Put your application in now. The longer you wait, the less likely you are to get approval. I already got mine for this year and received the go-ahead. BEST WISHES! Keep us posted on your progress.

[Elliot]

Does that Bronco have manual locking front hubs? I cannot tell from the picture. We have figured out in an other thread that manual locking hubs is the only way to go when using four-wheel-drive. If it does not have it, an inexpensive conversion can be bought from several manufacturers -- just ask the nearest 4x4 store.

[Captain Goddammit]

It looks like it does...
What he's getting at is the ideal way to run is to put the transfer case in "4 Low" for the super-low gearing - but you don't want to be in 4 wheel drive because it will bind up and chug and act screwy when you turn. If you have manual-locking front hubs, you can have the case in 4 low but leave the hubs unlocked. Run it around a bit on hard ground in 4 Low and you'll see what I mean, but it will be a LOT worse when it's heavily loaded down and getting lots of traction.

[lemur]

if you havnt already got an application in.. be sure to get one in..

http://forms.burningman.com/

deadline is just a week away

may 15th at noon pacific

[inthecolumbiagorge]

Well.....with input from the rest of our camp and realistically looking at transportation constraints, our mutant vehicle plans changed entirely from what I originally thought of. I had wanted to bring a vehicle that could be used for to transport folks with disabilities and had an idea but it was so involved it would have required 2 trailers to get it to the playa and at this point I just can't commit those resources personally this year so.....we changed it quite a bit and submitted our plans.....and it was ACCEPTED!!!!! We will have a big version of a windsurf board with a sail and people will ride on the deck of the board. It will be radically illuminated and be on the playa at night as well as long as we pass inspection on the playa. I was right down to the wire getting in my plans and was very concerned about it all but happily it must have been OK enough to pass. It will represent our special little part of the world we live in here on the Columbia River in the center of windsurfing country and that makes me very happy!

I am a bit disappointed that I cannot help out folks with disabilities with rides this year but hopefully next year we will be able to manage something specifically for that:-) Due to health issues it turns out my 77 year old mother won't be coming to the playa after all and it would have been her disability permit we would have been using so that option was not possible for us as it turns out.