Scoutch Pix

These photos courtesy of JON ALLOWAY & NATE FOLL

The Robo-Scout started life as a $300 parts car for my 1979 International Scout. My trip to Burning Man 2001 convinced my to scrap my plans to scrap the car and turn it instead into the post-apocalyptic public-abuse powerhouse it is today. Two years of work later it was done. It features a hydraulically actuated scorpion-like tail originally from a military Bomb-Loader, twin prisoner-of-war detention whipping posts/propane flame towers up front, twin liquid fueled flamethrowers converted from prop guns from the movie "Blue Thunder," ear-splitting pneumatic truck horns, and an ever-changing variety of other goodies. It's possible that I've never done anything quite as fun as driving this thing around at Burning Man 2003... I can't even tell most of the stories!

In 2004 the Robo-Scout was re-christened "The Scoutch" and triumphantly returned to Burning Man. New this year was a large-capacity front-mounted air-cannon and improved safety for couch riders. Also, many people's dreams were realized when the mannequins which usually gracefully don the front of the Scoutch were replaced by real women on the day of the DPW parade! The last five pictures are from 2004, which, although it seems hard to believe, was actually more fun than 2003!