For 24 years, I've had the immense pleasure of being a member of the mutant vehicle community, serving with the BRC Department of Mutant Vehicles. Last year, my camp, the Swiss Space Bar, decided it was time to build a vehicle of our own. Armed with a lot of enthusiasm and little common sense, we created the Raclette One—a mutant vehicle that's a cross between a spaceship from the Jetsons, the jalopy from the Beverly Hillbillies, and a 1960s carnival ride, with a space cow named Frida at the controls.
The Raclette seats nine, five on the main platform and four in the rocket pods attached to the sides. The Raclette One is a love letter to fun, creativity, and the collaborative spirit of Black Rock City. We found our base vehicle—a vintage World War II airplane tug—just two weeks before last year‘s mutant vehicle application deadline. With a shoestring budget and a tiny amount of time, we worked tirelessly for 2 1/2 months to build the 1.0 version. We even finished the final weld just 45 minutes before loading it onto its trailer to head to the playa.
We poured our hearts and a lot of our own money into this project, but we went over budget by 400% in just three months. The Raclette One was a success! We got our license from the DMV and had a fantastic inaugural run at this year's event. But we also realized that to reach its full potential, it needs some upgrades. Due to time and budget constraints, we couldn't complete all the features we envisioned. The vehicle also needs a few fixes to handle the harsh playa environment.
To transform the Raclette One from a promising first draft into the ultimate space-cow-themed vehicle we know it can be, we need your help. Your contribution will help us purchase the materials, tools, and components needed to complete our vision. We're looking to raise funds to make the following upgrades and fixes: authentic rocket pods, genuine ex-NASA spaceship parts, translucent pods with new lighting, improved engine cooling, a better sound system, and more. If there is enough support, our stretch goal will be to mutate the trailer we bring the Raclette out to the playa on, so we can increase the participant capacity of the vehicle significantly.
Any contribution, no matter the size, is deeply appreciated. We can't wait to share our work with the rest of the community at next year's event. Thank you for your support!
The Raclette seats nine, five on the main platform and four in the rocket pods attached to the sides. The Raclette One is a love letter to fun, creativity, and the collaborative spirit of Black Rock City. We found our base vehicle—a vintage World War II airplane tug—just two weeks before last year‘s mutant vehicle application deadline. With a shoestring budget and a tiny amount of time, we worked tirelessly for 2 1/2 months to build the 1.0 version. We even finished the final weld just 45 minutes before loading it onto its trailer to head to the playa.
We poured our hearts and a lot of our own money into this project, but we went over budget by 400% in just three months. The Raclette One was a success! We got our license from the DMV and had a fantastic inaugural run at this year's event. But we also realized that to reach its full potential, it needs some upgrades. Due to time and budget constraints, we couldn't complete all the features we envisioned. The vehicle also needs a few fixes to handle the harsh playa environment.
To transform the Raclette One from a promising first draft into the ultimate space-cow-themed vehicle we know it can be, we need your help. Your contribution will help us purchase the materials, tools, and components needed to complete our vision. We're looking to raise funds to make the following upgrades and fixes: authentic rocket pods, genuine ex-NASA spaceship parts, translucent pods with new lighting, improved engine cooling, a better sound system, and more. If there is enough support, our stretch goal will be to mutate the trailer we bring the Raclette out to the playa on, so we can increase the participant capacity of the vehicle significantly.
Any contribution, no matter the size, is deeply appreciated. We can't wait to share our work with the rest of the community at next year's event. Thank you for your support!
Organizer
