Jake von Slatt has published a progress report on this project to turn an old 1929 Mercedes replica kit car (which is basically a 72 VW Beetle underneath) into a Von Slatt-fied steam-powered showpiece.
Steampunk Car Update – Catalytic Converter on an Aircooled VW Motor
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Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.
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After reading this website, looks like the extent of this car’s steampunkishness is the looks… its going to be gas powered. Apparently anything made to look like it was made before 1930 counts as steampunk.
Yeah, it’s going to be an internal combustion engine, that’s why the text reads:
“Phase III will be the ultimate conversion to steam power which will likely utilize a monotube boiler with a forced induction gasoline/diesel burner and a Stanley style twin cylinder dual acting engine coupled directly to the differential.”
Hm…I thought that steampunk WAS all about appearances.
Page 24, MAKEzine #12 has a great article on it.
Awesome work so far, just getting that heap back on the road and street-legal! That’s an accomplishment in and of itself.
As far as the definitions, given Jake’s proposed project phases, I’d propose these definitions for the phases:
Phase 1 – just plain Punk (just look at it!)
Phase 2 – Steampunk
Phase 3 – Full-on Steam