Thank you so much for visiting our Kickstarter page.  We are very excited to introduce our project, code named: Char-O-Lot.  We are creating this vehicle and taking it to Wasteland Weekend September 27 through 30, 2012.  Our Deadline is rapidly approaching and our funding has been limited.  So now we are reaching out to you and the rest of the internet community for help in order to meet our materials goals.  By pledging your support, you can help guarantee our presence at Wasteland Weekend 2012 and many other events to come.

What is Char-O-Lot?

Char-O-Lot is a highly customized mutant truck, decked out with a hood-mounted dance platform that is fully surrounded by a steel spider-web cage.  It will also be equipped with spikes, buzz-saw blades, side running boards, a protected observation deck, and pivoting turret complete with water cannon.  We will be adding many electronic components including extra headlights, lighting for the dance cage, a PA system, CB radio, security light bar and other visual and functional features.  The design will convert this small and modest Chevy S10 into an intimidating truck, decorated and themed like a bounty hunter's trapping vehicle to match the theme of our camp and Wasteland Weekend.  If you help us exceed our goal we wont stop there, as we have even bigger ideas and plans to expand the design. Concepts such as a net for "drive-by catching" that doubles as a hammock seat and a ditch-digger (aka earth-chainsaw) with hydraulic control on the front of the vehicle.

Designed entirely in the open-source 3D design program SketchUp, Char-O-Lot was quickly and efficiently modeled. Utilizing the diverse set of skills available within our local community-- everything from welding and contracting to venetian plastering and digital design-- we are able to execute this plan entirely in-house. Our only limitation has been our limited budget for materials, the list for which is just outside our reach without your pledge of support.

What will your pledge help fund?

• 150ft. of 2"x2" 14ga square alloy steel tubing (for the main structure)

• 540ft. of 1/4" metal rod w/ decorative wood-grain finish (for the spider webs)

• Angle iron

• Diamond plate 14ga

• Misc. welding tabs

• Misc. hardware (nuts, bolts, screws, and rivets)

• Misc. grinder disks

• Dual-shielded welding wire

• Welding gas mix

• Paint and primer

• Shop space and electricity for the tools

• Misc electronics and light bulbs

• Color-changing spot lights (for the cage)

• 2 extra headlights

• Propane

• Gasoline to get it there and back

• Transmission flush and refill (we'll be stressing it with the extra weight)

• Radiator flush and refill (it's going to be hot out there!)

• Radiator hoses

• Beefier front struts and bigger wider tires to handle the added weight

• Plus some padding for contingency and miscellaneous small items

 [Note: If you have or have access to any of these materials and are located in Southern California, please contact us directly at charolot@podbelt.com]

As you can see, the list is extensive and expensive but we've been bridging the gap with the loving support of our local art and small-business community. Now we are turning the greater internet community, and more specifically to you (yes you!), to help us realize our goals and get this show on the road, both literally and figuratively

What's in it for you?

Well, besides that superlative feeling that comes with contributing to the cultural evolution of our society through patronage of the Arts, pledging your support for our project also gets you some pretty nifty swag:

You get not one but two different stickers!  One of our Wasteland Weekend tribe's logo designed by our very own Rusty Huber.  The other is a blue-print style design of the truck

www.ZipzGear.com will be printing up some high quality shirts for you all.  The shirts will display a mock up blue-print design of the truck.

The wire frame black widow pendants will be hand made by me, Sean Nelson, with ox-aceteline welding rod.  If we catch you at an event wearing this pendant, be warned, we will treat you like very important prisoners!  The pendant also doubles as a survival tool in the case you need to weld and are all out of rod.

For the most generous pledges, we'll even bring Char-O-Lot out to your party or event.  If you really want to step it up and take your event to the next level, you can choose our top pledge and we'll complete the vehicle with sound system, DJs, and beautiful dancers.

With all these great incentives, how can you say no?  Please do your part to help support our community of artists and get this project off the ground by donating today.  Thank you so much for your time and generous contributions.

For more information and to get involved:
email us at CHAROLOT@podbelt.com
or check us out on the web at
http://facebook.com/CHAROLOT
http://twitter.com/CHAR-O-LOT
http://photobucket.com/Charlotte

In loving memory of our dear friend Sunny Rae [August 7 1987 - March 8 2011]