Cars overwhelmingly look like…cars. But sometimes intrepid individuals (or marketing firms) desire to gain attention by making cars that look like other things. What sort of things? Anything you can name, from scaled-up telephones to tiny dirigibles. And that’s what we’re looking for today: any vehicle intentionally shaped like something other than a car.
[Thanks to our own Robert Emslie for this suggestion! If there’s a topic you want the Hooniverse hive-mind to explore in the marble slabs papyrus scrolls electronic bits that make up Encyclopedia Hoonatica, send your topic to the Hooniverse tips line.]
The Caveats (there are always caveats):
- Obviously, we’re not talking about production models, here. Promotional vehicles, custom show cars, homemade art cars, any sort of one-off is acceptable.
- It can’t just be an odd looking car (covered with pennies, etc.), it has to look like something else.
- Likewise, it CAN’T just look like a car carrying something, such as an energy drink, a a wristwatch, or a lion. The entire body of the vehicle has to be the “thing.” Sure, you’ll see wheels and chassis parts here and there, but if you can tell the model or manufacturer of the source vehicle, it’s probably not what we’re looking for.
- Cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other land vehicles are all good. Don’t know how big a rabbit hole boats would be. I’m including airplanes just because I’ll be really impressed if somebody’s built a flyable airplane that looks like a princess phone or a teacup.
Difficulty: Like playing soccer against giant tortoises.
How This Works: Read the comments first and don’t post duplicates! Bonus points for adding photos.
Image Sources: wheresmatthew.com, Higgs56.com, Eric Lindbloom’s Flickr feed.
http://www.oscarmayer.com/~/media/OscarMayer-New/images/wienermobile/wienermobile_billboard_lg.jpg
Is the bottom part of the Wienermobile supposed to be a bun? Or is the sausage floating on a sea of mustard?
Started out as a yellow chassis… and I thought it was a bun.
Maybe cheese?
http://www.2laneamerica.com/wienermobile/
This is just asking for a head-on collision with the Wienermobile.
http://crow202.org/2010/stupid-car.jpg
…or maybe this one?
http://www.pieway.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Strange-Baby-Walker-Car.jpg
The kids and I ran across one recently.
My son got to pose as his favorite food.
I wasn’t sure whether to post this as a reply to Weinermobile or Thing.
http://www.panicmanual.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/gayduo.jpg
What about custom LeMons racers? Speedcop’s “Spirit of LeMons” seems to fit the bill and even gives you your impressive airplane…though not exactly flyable.
http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/zz148/SpeedycopPics/spiritoflemonsdonerightside_zpse38fe97d.jpg
http://speedycop.com/spirit-of-lemons.html
You want to impress me? Show me a Cessna 310 that looks like a Toyota van.
Oh, you mean like this?
This one is more Sikorsky than Cessna.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5jv7kPg4R_A/Ua8ImuLDzRI/AAAAAAAAA94/R8EEMPI51Y4/s640/Funny+Flying+Van+like+Helicopters+Funny+Technology++Pictures+for+Fun+%252815%2529.jpg
Marginally related trivia: Cessna did build about 50 Cessna Skyhook helicopters.
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd208/robbreid/CF-OHE_zpsdcca3e96.jpg
I totally forgot about the Cessna Skyhook! Gotta love piston-powered helicopters.
Ohh Ohh Can we get a post about these on A.T.???
Pleeze Pleeze Pleeze?
And it’s clay tablets around here folks. Nothing else matches their archival
durability…..
car phonePhone car.http://www.thephonecar.com/tele.jpg
http://themutantbrothers.com/images/mutant_vehicles/vehicle_page_main_photo_big-banana-car.jpg
They claim to be 80% through their build of the sub sandwich car too.
http://themutantbrothers.com/images/mutant_vehicles/concept-sub-sandwich-car.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2769/5758848829_3e5fe9ba10_m.jpg
One size fits all?
My other car is a clown shoe.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bqyv8xdVy7s/Tql0Q80oa7I/AAAAAAAABlc/-M0eXSoTqqM/s1600/Picture%2B2.png
http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/autopia/2012/01/BootmobileFlagshipLaunch1.jpg
LL Bean made one too!
Teapot!
http://s.petrolicious.com/vintage/2013/7-5/coffee-pot-truck-3.jpg
What about carnival cars? A boat – with people:
http://p5.focus.de/img/fotos/origs431375/0363566875-w630-h471-o-q75-p5/Brauchtum-Angela-Merkel-beim-Karneval-in-Nizza.jpg
http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1184570!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/zippo-car-hq.jpg
Jinx!
Although this doesn’t pass the requirements for this week’s challenge…
http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicv/vfiles6575.jpg
Shamu.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2216/2377783796_d9b7ae40aa.jpg?v=0
So meta…
http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/radio-flyer-car.jpg
Also meta; a whole car that looks like part of a car:
http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/cms/autos/Boldride/meineke-muffler-car-1.jpg
My brain can’t make sense of the scale of this.
Maybe it would help if someone could photoshop in a 6 year old dressed as an adult, and a 40 year old dressed like a child?
..
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xRFNBWST25E/SUHyfYYFZpI/AAAAAAAACHk/tkCOJNU_vz4/s400/Bobys+Big+Wheel+Art+Bike.jpg
I think this qualifies, but I’ll bow to the decision of the judges
http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/Cw9Ue8hXMRM/mqdefault.jpg
Whatever floats your boat.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IuLbQP-wugM/TmVQqw9BR1I/AAAAAAAAAMM/_xy9RDZXj94/s1600/9-4-11+-+Burning+Man+141.JPG
What about drivable giant sized versions of production cars?
https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.carthrottle.com/workspace/uploads/comments/60dad86e-97fe-41d4-8d5a-fd1182883496.jpg
http://www.air-and-space.com/20130209%20Parada%20del%20Sol/_BL34876%20m.jpg
http://www.air-and-space.com/20130209%20Parada%20del%20Sol/_BL34878%20m.jpg
But those all look like cars.
Exactly. Well, assuming you count pickup trucks and microbusses as cars.
But they look like DIFFERENT cars. The Power Wagon is an apartment. The Bug is a fire truck. Not sure about the bus.
Fiskar or Fishcar? You decide!
Orange you glad they didn’t do a lemon instead?
http://www.supercars.net/gallery/119513/2182/886113.jpg
I’ve heard a rumour that these are the ONLY cars banned from Le Mons, for fear of diluting the series.
Not because of the wheelbase shorter than the track width?
The directional instability must be a hoot at any speed above walking pace.
mutt ( not the M151)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2005/02/09/2002175646.jpg
Uhmmm ..
hello kitty
This one is both local to me and is totally overboard.
http://api.ning.com/files/1wKh57E-s8xvkrlZSYjpb5Mq59Y8*amgrJfd*ZUAeZCgrFr3zMbmfxePhM9Bp*CeozNv3fO5uJQ9GdJKmkWa9by6A5oWRcEd/1150947094.jpeg
Or would that be outboard?
been done..
it is a big one …
Murry
http://s.ecrater.com/stores/36301/46de131fc0344_36301b.jpg
http://www.ww2incolor.com/d/11504-9/kubelwagen.jpg
I agree: That looks quite a lot like a Thing to me…
http://images.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/04/CC-33-064-800.jpg
http://tanshanomi.com/temp/animated/walked-into-that.gif
http://viz.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/104.jpg
Ahem…
Yep, similar markings.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a3/Thing_v2_1_coverart.jpg/250px-Thing_v2_1_coverart.jpg
http://highroads.az.aaa.com/sites/default/files/main_IMAG0234_0.jpg
I’ve heard of this one, and knew it sprayed water from the beak, but its other abilities are even more astounding:
“To make sure the Swan’s other amenities befit the marque, Matthewson had a multi-note, exhaust-driven horn installed that he could play on a keyboard in the rear seat, but an even more startling way to clear the roads ahead was the swan’s beak, which emitted a jet of scalding water onto anyone in the way. Other features: glowing eyes, Indian silk upholstery, plenty of gold leaf, brushes to keep the wheels clean while moving, and an “orifice” round back that would deposit whitewash on the roads. Because sometimes a swan’s gotta go.”
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/23/jay-leno-examines-the-bonkers-1910-brooke-swan-car-at-pebble-b/
http://www.fiatforum.com/gallery/data/500/car_sofa.jpg
Early Pony car:
http://s3.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/1899-Horsey-Horseless.jpg
No, that’s clearly a Brass Era Automobile With Horse Affixed Also.
(for those who don’t get the Kienholz reference, perhaps you shouldn’t Google it at work.)
This bike really moooooooves.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9pZSnkua8_M/TzEqiacgLAI/AAAAAAAAEnk/-c4kHQcxDO4/s1600/wacky-bike-4.jpg
Not a Holstein-Davidson. Must be a Cowasaki.
…with power steering.
Hard to make out the Brand from here.
Cowja?
That’s the “before” pic.
http://yotamak.blogs.com/.a/6a00d8341c145e53ef01156fc415d1970b-pi
He’d never steer you wrong.
Registering at the DMV should be easy. I mean, all you need are headlight (check), tail lights (check), turn signals (check), functional horns (check).
http://beachpackagingdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/boxvox/6a00e54f0014bd88340120a5425569970c.jpg
http://beachpackagingdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/boxvox/6a00e54f0014bd883401127936ed6528a4.jpg
“We’re not talking about production models”
But, of course, there are exceptions.
http://pitstop.gozoomo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/cupcake-car-pitstop.jpg
Neiman Marcus did try to sell these for $25,000 each.
WARNING: if u buy a pickup truck DO NOT tick the dealer option for ‘Rhino coat’! its not what I expected.
http://www.fosilfueled.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/animal_cars_001_11212013.jpg
“Obviously, we’re not talking about production models, here.”
How about an honorable exception for the wittily named Nissan S-Cargo which really does look like a snail?
They have become quite common around here and tany sighting always makes me smile.
http://images.honestjohn.co.uk/imagecache/file/width/640/media/6347067/Nissan%20S-Cargo%20(1).jpg
http://www.tflcar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/S-cargo-05.jpg
http://www.tflcar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/S-Cargo-spec.jpg
http://images.honestjohn.co.uk/imagecache/file/width/640/media/6347077/Nissan%20S-Cargo%20(2).jpg
The best A-Team-themed LeMons car ever made. There was a cone air filter inside one of the nostrils, if memory serves.
http://blog.caranddriver.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/24-Hours-of-LeMons-American-Irony-Mr-T-21-626×426.jpg
Living in Houston and attending the Art Car Parade every year is cheating! Deliciously cheating!
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6e/31/60/6e3160c516a5e9661c2e6bde45016629.jpg
There aren’t nearly enough wagons on U.S. roads.
http://www.radioflyer.com/content/sites/default/files/radio%2520flyer.jpg
Can I have a legitimate claim for Belly Tank racers?
http://13252-presscdn-0-94.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/1948_Bellytank_Lakester_SCTA_Bonneville_Race_Car_For_Sale_Front_1.jpg
I think that is an unwritten rule. Belly Tank racers, Miata, and Raptor are always the right answer.
Which one of these two Cosy Coupe’s would you rather own?
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/01/29/article-2548056-1B0C0EC400000578-840_634x423.jpg
You’d say the big one, I know, but it’s based on a Daewoo Matiz so that makes the choice a little trickier.
But the little one seems to spend lots of time with the mechanic:
I think this fits the rules somehow…
http://lindstrand.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/Bike-2.jpg
In the same vein…
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xRFNBWST25E/SJ6INUrJnTI/AAAAAAAABKA/0Nrv8qZmArM/s400/Wood+Nissan+Art+car.jpg
In planes:
http://images.the-scientist.com/content/images/articles/24460/1.jpg
HawkPlane is cooler than FishCar
http://www.todayifoundout.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/flying-tank.jpg
Comrades, bask in the russianness of the Antonov A-40.
Screw that is a vehicle that is a screw?
http://patentpending.blogs.com/patent_pending_blog/images/capture1005200490636_am.jpg
Slow as a….
Or even slower….
“Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger, can I take your order?”
http://onscreencars.com/content/uploads/2010/11/good_burger_car_1.jpg
Fun fact: this is the same Pacer used in Wayne’s World.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v429/Mooneyzs/Plastic%20Models/Jolly%20Rancher%20Wheel%20Stander/Jolly%20Rancher-7_zpsdfyghazr.jpg
Appliance, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/07-08_Toyota_Camry_XLE.jpg
Spongebob Van
NO, that’s a decorated Sienna.
How about a more accurate rendering of a different cartoon character?
https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6135/5916411455_4e2617628d_b.jpg
AvoCARdo
http://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/subway-s-avocado-car-for-sale-on-craigslist-80094-7.jpg
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q50/eyerush/showrods/ChuckMillersRedbaron-1.jpg
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q50/eyerush/showrods/ChuckMillerHarryBradleyWoodburner.jpg
I wonder what the weight distribution is on that. I bet she’s not really leaning on it.
Cat bus anyone?
http://studioghiblimovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/18ksulishx4anjpg.jpg
Those movies are nightmare fuel.
the couch and the orange are both Edd China inventions as are the shed, the builders skip and the office desk. theres a company running track days in the Uk using Edd’s inventions as the track cars
http://www.greasejunkie.com/worlds-wackiest-racers-old.html
it appears he also built the doubledecker cars that TopGear used in the international challenges, he made a bathtub sidecar too
let google images be your guide as i’m a bit thick to be inserting images here
Elvis,
Nah, I might have gotten fat but I never did go grey, let alone white. Maybe you’re thinking of Jim Jarmusch.
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UC26Cqerbeg/TGFRhp1BkFI/AAAAAAAAByQ/n27NhhAgkO0/s1600/jim+jarmusch.jpg
Oooh, horse carriage?
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s–blMzlEvz–/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/1515540515586969741.jpg
….http://images.complex.com/complex/image/upload/t_article_image/emf79jqsflxki6yrljwi.jpg
Slightly surprised that no one has mentioned these. What’s not to like about strange French trucks from the 50s and 60s? http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2009/02/21/le-freak-not-so-chic-tour-de-france-promotional-vehicles/
http://assets.blog.hemmings.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/Group%20shot_1.jpg