Introduction: Car-b-que (BBQ Made From the Front of a Classic Car)
On the way home from work, about ten years ago, I saw a 1950s car in a car yard...and made enquiries. The owner said that it was gutted (all parts stripped out) and that it was due to be crushed. If I wanted it, it was mine, providing I took it away within two days. So I hired a low-loader and rented a corner of a farmer's yard in which to cut her in half...and got the parts delivered to my back garden, where they gathered rust for a few years....until about three years ago I decided to make the front into a BBQ, abandoning earlier plans to make furniture out of the car (see sketches done in a school staff meeting).
http://s54.photobucket.com/albums/g102/rivet_101/car-b-que/?action=view¤t=1172427259.pbw
Step 1: Sub-structure
Forgive me - I made this long before I had heard of instructables, so the slide shows are all I can provide in the way of instruction, suffice it to say that the principal parts were mounted on a framework made out of school desk tubing (saved from a skip).
The structure is hidden behind the wheels and is weighted so that the car cantilevers.....It looks like a car -doesn't appear to stand on legs.
Step 2: "engine" Bay
Once the main parts were secured around the substructure I made internal parts with heavy treadplate (where the fire would be set) and lined the sides (to hold utensils etc) with reclaimed steel sheet, then fitted it with a circular grill.
Step 3: Driver
I made a driver (head and hands) and wired them to a weight which, when swung, rocks the head and wobbles the stearingwheel so that it looks like the car is driving.
Step 4: Ignition
I finished the car-b-que in hammerite.
I can't find the pics of it all fired up, but will insert them when I do. It provides a great social and focal point at a party.
Now, check out my adjustable sloping bed for hiatus hernia sufferers, which I think is a better idea than this one, which is getting all the attention:https://www.instructables.com/id/adjustable-sloping-bed-for-hiatus-hernia-sufferers/
39 Comments
13 years ago on Introduction
im not normally one to step on toes but that seems like a waste of a car to me
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
yeh better to keep the car in a scrap yard to rot away?
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
yeah, exactly! Thanks, nospleendean!
In fact, worse than that, I was told I could have it if I took it away within 24hours, after which it was going to be crushed! That's what Yanks call a "no-brainer".
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
thats o.k and like you said a no brainer as the car is being used for something now rather than being crushed and shipped off to china so they can melt the metal and make a cheap and nasty copy of something and sell it back to this country.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
sorry, make that 48 hrs.
13 years ago on Introduction
I think you may have misunderstood, johnnyblegs. The project is complete. the grill is the circular mesh that you put the meat on over the coals. The coals lie on the treadplate. There is in fact a picture of this in one of the slideshows you can link to from my description.
My problem is that I have taken photos of it working only at night time (when I have had parties) and these pictures can be hard to see - dark.
As I say with the lights, I did put night-lights in. They are a kind of candle....but without a ledge to sit on, they fall out if the car is nudged.
I am sorry you don't like the face and hands; I think others feel that they particularly good....to give some quirky context to the piece...especially as they move.
chaqu' un a son gou
13 years ago on Introduction
Nice work!
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
:) Cheers
13 years ago on Introduction
It's sad to see a nice car rotting away to nothing, but some are beyond rebuilding. Major props for repurposing one this way. Good work. :-)
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Thank you :)
13 years ago on Introduction
I misunderstood qazadex last night...and Johnnyblegs' misunderstanding led on from that.
I think it comes down to the use of the word grill....and the fact that we speak different languages - and some are even using translation software.
There is also a potential ambiguity here in the UK. The grille here is both the chrome mesh in front of the radiator of a car and the wire mesh that you put meat on over a fire.
Whereas, I think others use the term grill to mean a gas powered fire? I never intended to have one of those. Mine is an old-fashioned coal FIRE layed on a base.
13 years ago on Introduction
I know you said you're going to post pictures of it all fired up, but I really wished you held off on posting this instructable until you had those pictures. Or at least pictures of the grill under the hood or something other than hands and a face glued to a steering wheel. I'd love to see what kind of design to did. Can't tell from the description.
Do the lights work? That'd be kind of cool to light up when bbq'n with a crowd.
13 years ago on Introduction
This is so cool! Now try turning a BBQ into a grille!
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
like a radiator grille, you mean?
13 years ago on Introduction
One day.. looking at a pile of extra motorcycle parts, and your giving me ideas. ;-)
13 years ago on Introduction
Very nice work, way to recycle. The face and hands are great. Would love to see a old car like that in my back yard.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Thank you
go for it, mate, make one! :)
13 years ago on Introduction
Very nice! This would be way cool to use at a Burning Man festival.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Like November the 5th (UK) Guy Fawkes Night, for instance?
Yeah, we have had a few of those around the Car-B-que.
Thanks CrLz :)
13 years ago on Introduction
Inspirational! Any threat of getting burned by getting a bit too close to the car while the grill is going?