Art Cars & Mutant Vehicles They are all here, and most of them have fins. This is a gallery of Tom's art car projects; the solo work, the collaborations and the commissions. A number of years ago, Tom realized that he wanted to create more cars than he could own himself, and life since then has been a search for those who might commission him to make a one-of-a-kind art car or mutant vehicle especially for them. A mutant vehicle is a subclass of art car that inhabits the Black Rock Desert for the Burning Man Festival. Can we make one for you?
Ripper the Friendly Shark.....Began construction in 1991, this is my first art car, currently stored in France. Original build took place in Houston on Phil Misner's ranch. Friend Eric Ensing helped me weld the 1/2' square tubing frame together before I learned to weld in 1992. Ripper was updated each year thru 1994, finally attaining current look in a 1999 update. David Crow installed fresh motor in 1999 as well as designed the opening mouth and chrome gills.
 Kitty Cat Car..... Built in 2005 with Haideen Anderson, Flash Hopkins, Dana Albany and other Famous Grouse Collective members for Marian Goodell, aka Maid Marian to strut her kitty cat self around the playa. Haideen and Dana detailed
the face, including cheek shape. Dana decorated the interior. Auxillary wiring by CybersAM. Many others helped us finish installing the fur. A Brad Miskell photo of the car appeared in the NYTimes in 2005. We did a photo session with car before sending it to the playa including Victoria and daughter Haley. Built in San Francisco's Bayview district, we would drive it around the 'hood late at night and freak out the street freaks.
 The Whale..... Built for 2002 Burning Man Festival, Black Rock Desert in collaboration with Flash Hophins and Dana Albany. The Whale appeared for a second time in 2003, courtesy of Simon Cheffins and the Extra Action Marching Band. Dana designed the belly (interior), and was assisted by Jen Lum and Julia Ellingson. Welding, sound and lighting help from Darrick Servis. Electrical backbone by Mike Tackaberry. Tail Flapping by Cazz and Patrick Dailey. Much other help by Tony Campanale, Victoria, Linda Kim and Roseanna S. and many others. Thanks to Larry Harvey, David Best, Lady Bee and crew for the art grant. The Whale is currently stored on Flash's ranch and one day will be resurrected. We will always remember our playa jousts with the La Contessa!
 Topsy Turvy Bus..... Ben Cohen, the ice cream marketing guru and all around good dude, found us, interviewed us and asked us to submit a proposal to build the idea that he credits to NYC graphic artist Stephan Sagmeister with. The idea was to create a "rolling billboard" that promotes the idea of reducing obsolete Pentagon weapons systems and spend the saved money on schools and health care. The first six weeks of the 2007 build was with Haideen and I chopping and deconstructing 2 buses, working with a crane supplied by Dan Das Man and Karen Cousolito; we were then joined by Flash Hopkins, Dana Albany, Chris DeMonterey, CybersAM Frangiamore, Steve Monohan, Mike Tackaberry, Cazz and other friends. Project Engineer: Michael Prados. Roof Finishing: Jim Skinner. We put a lot of love into this project as we have a strong affinity with its theme of reducing Pentagon waste. Haideen and I got to deliver it from SF to Vermont in May 2007. Read about our adventure. Special thanks to Ben Cohen, Jerry Greenfield and Duane Peterson for this gig.
 Green Dream Machine..... A mutant vehicle built for Bart and Bonnie Kaplan for Burning Man 2007. Special features include oak leaf awning held up by its single stem truss, and a school bell alarm system. At night, the ultra-green LED glow was intense! What is your green dream?
 Visitation..... Built in 2004 for Lyndon Rive; updated in 2005. This spaceship playa party barge was built on a Olds Cutlass Calais and reverse engineered to steer with its rear wheels. Alien abductions are inevitable when operating this craft.
 Nash-ional Car-isis..... This car has had many looks and names. I originally bought the 1993 Ford Ranger from Joe Havel in 2000 for only $700, the amount he was offered at a trade-in. The plexiglass bubble window above the windshield was a gift from David Best; it was turned into a fin you could stand up in. The car was originally called something like the Tri-Fin, and received its first fiberglass skin in Jim Skinner's Portland, Oregon driveway after the 2000 BMan Fest. The car was renamed the Nash Tri-Fin Deluxe after being grafted with a 1951 Nash Rambler Airflyte found for sale on the side of a Portland street for only $300. Name changed to the One Eyed Wonder when the car attended the 2001 Indy 500 Parade. The car lost its eye in 2002 when the hood flew open on the California freeway and the car was retired for 18 months. Resurrected as Blackie in 2004 as the roof was removed and reconfigured. After enduring many Batman salutes, car was painted red in 2006 and renamed Nash-ional Car-isis; army men glued on in fall of 2007. 
Red Ranch Bus..... Originally called Our Lady of What We Have in Common, this 1973 International school bus was purchased in early 1994 from Charlie Keuhne at 7K Bus in Houston and entered into Houston's Roadside Attractions: the Artists' Parade that spring. Primary initial collaborators included Shelley Buschur and Eric Stephenson and other University of Houston sculpture students and combined with 1961 GMC pickup truck at the U of H sculpture studio. 1959 Cadillac Hearse rear end was added in 1997; ski boat added to roof in 1999. This bus went to the West Coast in 1994 and again in 1998. Was the Fanatics band bus in 1998 & 1999. Voted Best Political Entry in 1999 Art Car Parade courtesy of Doug Michaels. Also helped the art car entry win the Grand Prize Trophy at the 1999 Houston Martin Luther King Parade. Updated and sold to Adam Adams of the Red Ranch (Missouri City, TX) in late 2005.
 Dusty Dave the Dolphin..... Built in 1996 and 1997 for Harry Leverette and Penny Smith. Cover of National Geographic World magazine in 1999. Current rolling representative for the Texas Surfrider Assn.
 Max the Daredevil Finmobile..... Ripper's faithful sidekick and tow vehicle. Worlds Tallest fins measure 13'3" from the ground. Once built, I drove this vehicle for 80,000 miles from 1995 to 1999, won many parade awards, got pulled over many times and broke down a few more. Appeared in local NBC affiliates "Spirit of Texas" ads.
 Beaterville Cafe Car..... Built for Portland Oregon restaraunt empresario Beater Bill in phases from 2002 to 2003, we adorned a Volvo station wagon with fenders and hood from a 1939 International Pickup Truck and rear-end wrap-around from a 1961 Rambler Ambassador. Paint by Bill. Crows by Extremo. Car also has a detachable fin (not pictured).
 Dinosaur Demolition Cars..... Built in 2006, culminating in a demonstration for the participants of Art Car Fest. Regrettably, the city of San Francisco has confiscated both dino cars. There was a worry that people would all start crashing their cars into each other and they put a stop to it. Click here for theme song written by Tom and performed by his old band the New Fanatics. This project will be resurrected when the time is right. More at www.dinosaurdemolitionderby.com
 Fishcycles and Art Bikes..... Rolling sculptural delights, one and all, even an ant bike built for the Marshall (TX) Fire Ant Festival....and a shark bike named Smoker, shaped like a cigar of course!
 One Arm Red Parade Car.....In October 2004, New York theater producer Adam Adams hired us to create a rolling art spectacle for the DUMBO Arts Festival Parade. At the last minute, the official parade was cancelled due to rain, but the police had already shut down the streets, and we were ready, so we rolled, and for about ten minutes, we owned that town.
 Bush Cheney Cruise Missile..... This car was driven as is from Portland to San Francisco on Halloween night 2006. Those guys are dicks, aren't they? Missile Dick Chicks Dolly Daily Bombings and Maiden China are also pictured.
 Harmony the Hippopautomobile..... Commissioned in 2000 by hippo collector and clown Sue Shefman, who seven years later in 2007 hired us to make her another hippo car, dubbed Cheerio.
 Healthmobile..... A 1997 grant from the Harris County Cultural Arts Council saw us working with over 100 kids in the park to build this car. Special thanks to Claire Lowe who ran the neighborhood health center and who helped secure the grant.
 Shep the German Shepherd.... I was hired for one day to help them get started on this German Shepherd Rescue car.
We built the ears and the armature for the dogs snout. Thanks to Beverly Hayes and her hubby Tim for the gig.
 Jeffery Jerome Memorial Pig Car.... When the reverend Bryan Taylor aked for my help to build the snout and nose on this memorial car, I could not refuse. It was christened at a Houston folk art environment called "PIGDOM."
 Jimmy Buffett Fan Fin Car..... A strap-on fin and tail custom made for these delightful Jimmy Buffet fans. Where is my lost shaker of salt?
 Planet Smoothie Car..... I transformed their 2-D "Cupman" logo into a roof riding surfer to help build awareness at store grand openings. It worked, but was so tall it would hit trees! Your Car Here..... can I build one for you???
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