Carthedral F.A.Q.s
Q: Did your boyfriend build this for you?
A: No, butthead
Q: Really? you built this? a woman? Really? I would have thought some ugly Rob Zombie type guy made this, but a woman? Really?
A: Is that so hard to believe? sheesh.
Q: What is it?
A: an Art Car
Q: What's an art car?
A: an Art Car can be any motor vehicle
that's been permanently, artistically altered.
Q: What's it made of?
A: Carthedral is made of metal, fiberglass,
and found objects
Q: Is that another car on top?
A: Yes, it's a VW bug
Q: How did you get the bug up
there?
A: forklift
Q: Can you stand up in there?
A: Yes, I removed the ceiling in the hearse
so I can stand up. There is a little shelf big enough to sit on where
the back seat of the bug used to be, otherwise it is completely
open.
Q: Do you sleep in there?
A: Yes, it is quite comfortable.
Q: Do you live in there?
A: Not any more!
Q: Why did you do this?
Before I answer this, let me first say that
WHY questions are the most difficult to answer. There is no one quick
reason. So, I have compiled a short list of various responses I might
give, depending on my mood, how much time I have to answer, and who
asked the question. I think you will find that none of these answers
are very satisfactory.
Answers to "Why did you do
this?":
Why not? (answering a why question with a
why question cancels out the why...who ever thought of this was very
clever...)
Why do anything? (here's another one...make
the questioner contemplate the why's of life and gets me off the hook
at the same time)
Someone had to make it (cosmic)
Because the voices told me to (schizophrenic)
It seemed like the thing to do at the time (apologetic...I don't really like this one...but it's kinda funny in a pathetic way)
If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand (arrogant)
I am an artist and this is my art (vague)
Q: Is it street legal?
A: Yes
Objects in mirror are closer than they
appear
Q: Don't you cause accidents
everywhere?
A: No, I have never caused an accident
(knock wood) People seem to be used to distraction on the road...with
cell phones, fax machines, and animated billboards, people have
become good at "multi-tasking"...some people just ignore me. They
don't want to give me the satisfaction. I am like road entertainment.
During your commute to work or that boring ride to grandma's house,
you might catch me driving too and hopefully you'll freak out but
stay in your lane while you do!
Q: Do you get hassled by the
police?
A: Nope. They have left me alone so far. As
long as I obey traffic laws, I am not doing anything illegal. There
aren't any laws against decorating a car or designing your own car.
as long as you comply with vehicle codes, use common sense, and drive
consciously. I have met many officers who just want to look, take
pictures, or ask questions. It's almost as if they forget for a
moment that they are police and they become little kids again...but
there's probably gonna be that one cop out there who's gonna try to
get me for something. They have to realize that I would be stupid to
try and get away with anything illegal in that car...I mean, come on.
I can just hear it over the police radio: "....the suspects are
heading west bound goin about 60 mph....a little faster on the
downhill...be on the lookout for a.......black ...1971 gothic
cathedral...I repeat....1971.... gothic cathedral....the suspects are
thought to be armed with a welder and a caulking gun..."
Q: How tall is it?
A: 12'10"
Q: Do you have to watch out for low
overpasses?
A: Yes I do...however, I am under legal
height limit which I believe is 13'6" (the height minimum for federal
funded highways)...overpasses on commercial highways nationwide will
not be lower than this. If they are, it is usually clearly marked and
I follow signs for trucks. I just learned that on the East coast,
especially New York, there are low overpasses that out of town trucks
will often hit. So I would have to be careful if I ever made it out
to the Northeast. I have to watch out for low tree branches and wires
too.
Q: Is it top heavy?
A: No, not like you'd think. It handles
great. You don't even feel the extra height when your driving.
Q: Do you have trouble in high
winds?
A: I feel winds like you would in any large
vehicle...but it takes alot to move me around
Q: How fast can you go?
A: I travel the speed limit...Carthedral can
cruise at 75 mph on the freeway, but I normally keep it around 65
mph
Q: What's your gas mileage like?
A: I get about 11 miles to the
gallon
Q: Do you drive this every day?
A: No, it's not a commutor, it's more like an RV
Q: What do you drive every day?
A: A 1962 Dodge Lancer
Q: How often do you take it out? Where can I
find it?
A: I live in Oakland, California... so I
have mainly been in the here on the west coast: the northwest,
southwest and as far east as Houston, Texas. I hope to take it
farther east someday. I take Carthedral out at least once a month,
and depending on the time of year, I take it out
more...click here to find out where I've been and
where I am going next
Q: How much does it weigh?
A: 7500 lbs
Q: How long did it take you to make
this?
A: I started in October 1999
Q: Is it finished?
A: No, Carthedral is a work in
progress
Q: What else are you going to do?
A: You'll have to just wait and see! I make
it up as I go along...and as the materials present themselves and the
inspiration hits me.
Q: Hold on a minute... back up...do you have
the tech specs of the original car? I mean, just how much weight do
you hope the suspension will stand? You said it's work in progress
and that you'll be adding stuff...
A: The hearse started out at around 6100
lbs...but remember that it was designed to carry upwards of 1000lbs
of payload (those lead lined caskets are pretty heavy). We also just
upgraded the rear suspension, with custom made springs and adjustable
air shocks. while we don't know how much weight these new springs
will handle, we're about 2 inches higher than stock, and the bulk of
the weight is already on the car. the 472 cu.inch engine doesn't seem
to mind, we're getting the same gas mileage as stock.
Q: What's the interior like?
A: It's my secret sanctuary...
Q: Where did you get all the
stuff?
A: Garage sales, flea markets, thrift
stores, and donations from friends
Q: Why have you painted Carthedral flat
black? I think it would look a lot better if it were shiny...
A: I think you would have to see Carthedral
in person in order to fully understand my aesthetic. I might be able
to explain by saying that Carthedral is less about preserving or
presenting a conventional surface, and more about a sculptural,
tactile, decaying surface. In other words, I come from more of an
artistic place than a car enthusiast place...I hope that makes sense.
I am of course associating a 'shiny' surface with a 'flawless'
surface...(that is how you get the best shine after all!) I think
'flaws' are human, natural, and beautiful.
Q: How much did it cost to do this to your
car?
A: Sorry, I don't know...I don't keep track.
I am not wealthy...just resourceful. Once you start a project like
this, you'd be amazed how your friends and neighbors get involved and
try to contribute what they can. You can often find me at junk yards,
flea markets and in dumpsters.
