Ultima Ratio Capitan

Sorry, Readers... I Need A Quick SoapBox From Which To Pontificate!

To Cisco Kid & Spinstopper:

OK, here's the plan, as originally envisioned.

Until I can get someone to solidly convince me that it's cheaper, faster and more efficient to build a (pick one or more) towed, reverse trike, hydraulic, VW putt-putt powered or other technowizardy contraption, this is the plan I'm willing to contribute time and money to.

I want to build another ArtCar. I'd prefer a ship on wheels. Longship or pirate sloop, doesn't matter. If we can get the sheetmetal, I'll do the QEII.

The key word here is CAR. Starting from an existing truck frame & engine gives us:

A) Mobility

B) Carrying Capacity

C) Pre-paid Engineering

D) Power (both in the torque sense and electrical sense)

Start with this: (or a reasonable facsimile thereof...)



Add 2" square tubing uprights, welded directly to the frame. (try that with a VW rear end...)



Build steel platform on uprights. Use whatever's cheapest, 1" round tubing, rebar, whatever.



Build boat around platform.



Trust me on this... It is MUCH easier to engineer the steering and operating controls relocation than it would be to build a scratch-built design. Being able to make this street-legal is just the icing on the cake. Leaving the wiring harness intact will make mounting the lights dead simple.

Plus, being a titled & plated vehicle gives us legal protections that a trailer might not have. ("Wanna search my Viking Longboat, Ossifer? Got a warrant?")

Let's talk. Don't let the engine exhaust scare you off. We'll pipe it right up the mast and out the top. Driving this bad boy to Austin and Galveston at highway speeds would be an adventure!

Remember... 18 foot truck frame means 36 to 40 foot longboat! That's a lotta longboat!