Fire, Steam, and Trout: The Best Custom Rides at Maker Faire

The San Mateo Fairgrounds is huge. As the home site of Maker Faire Bay Area, it has to be. With thousands of Makers’ exhibits spread across numerous zones of the faire, there was a lot of ground to cover.

Walking is all well and good, but rest assured knowing that Makers are serious about their forms of transport.

Smaller vehicles whizzed through the crowds while some hulking behemoths sat in the South Lot, spewing fire and music from their innards. Finely polished hot rods. Electric baked goods. Animal shaped, steampunk inspired, scrap metal made, graffitied, puppeteered, the list goes on and on.

Every flavor of vehicle was found at this year’s Maker Faire. Indeed, the only things they seem to have in common are that they move and that they were lovingly custom made and brought to the greatest show and tell on earth. Check out the slideshow below to see some of our favorites.

The Chimera Tricycle has room for two!

Rhino Redemption by Reared in Steel

This towering eagle car guarded the entrance to Fiesta Hall.

Cupcake Cars by Acme Muffineering

Chester the Fire Breathing Horse Art Car

The Electric Trout Car by artist/maker Alvin Petty.

The Nautilus Submarine Art Car

The hackster.io Delorean

Cat of a Different Color

Cluck Norris by Chuck Schuler of PSI Makers

The Pittsburgh Art Car by Jason Sauers

This car is too detailed to only show one angle!

Monster Bumper Car cruises the South Lot at Maker Faire.

Miss Tickle

Golden Mean Snail Art Car by Jon Sarriugarte and Kyrsten Mate

LegoJeep by Kevin Mathieu

The M.G. Locost, a replica of a 1963 Lotus Super 7 that’s street legal and made from scratch.

The Walking Pod