(Editor’s note: Craig wrote this story and we ran it some weeks back to let people know about the fund raising effort that the builders of the Carpool Deville were putting on in an attempt to get the funds necessary to compete at Speed Week in 2014. Well, they did it and they’ll be there. As you will see in this story, the guys apparently got permission from SCTA to compete and we cannot wait to see this weird ass thing on the salt. That being said…we’re not sure where all the water is coming from to fill it. This is going to be weird and glorious.)
We’ve seen guys fill the beds of pickups with water to hilarious effect, but never the entire passenger cabin of a 1970 Cadillac Coupe DeVille Convertible. That’s what these guys have done, and they’re hoping to generate some much needed funds to run it at Bonneville, setting a record for the World’s Fastest Hot Tub.
I admit, I thought this was dumb the first second I saw it, but I watched the video and I’m shocked to say that the engineering that went on behind the scenes is pretty amazing. They built a complete fiberglass tub and waterproofed the steering column, laid up a fiberglass binnacle for the gauges, and stashed all the pool mechanicals and an overflow tank in the Cad’s generous trunk.
Also back there is all the required equipment for an air-ride suspension, which they needed for the additional 5,000 pounds of weight all that water provides.
The cage required by SCTA regulations is absolutely gorgeous. You could use it for a custom ladder in your own pool after these guys are done with it.
Ingeniously, they moved the gearshift, throttle and brake controls into two marine-style controllers mounted on the driver’s door.
Duncan Forster and Phil Weicker are the two knuckleheads behind this project. They met in 1997 in Hamilton, Ontario as engineering students at McMaster University. This isn’t their first rodeo building a water-based full-size GM car. The pair used a Caprice as the raw material for another hot tub they showed at the 2001 Canadian International Auto Show.
It was there, with that car that they met up with some of the folks from the SCTA. They threw down the gauntlet. If the pair could get The Carpool to the Bonneville Salt Flats that August, and run the course, the SCTA would help get them the Land Speed Record for the “World’s Fastest Hot Tub”.
The team’s trying to generate $15,000 with a Kickstarter campaign. They’ve got a handful of backers and 21 days left to generate funds. If you’d like to see these two achieve their goal, donate a few bucks and they’ve got some cool premiums to give away. Good luck, fellas.
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW TO SEE THE WHOLE CARPOOL DEVILLE EXPERIENCE!!
No thanks…….
I would recommend a baffle
I would recommend Thermite. Poor Caddy.
Poor Caddy nothing! You should have seen how bad it was when we got it!
I guess it could have been worse, they could have made it a trar. Ok, no it is worse…
There is creativity . And then there is this abject object of blatant stupidity . Proving once again the old adage ;
” Just because you can … doesn’t mean you should ”
What makes this even worse is the fact that they mutilated one of the last Cadillacs back from when Cadillac still was Cadillac ….. instead of the futile EuroSnob wanna be travesty it has become
GuitarSlinger, you should change your screen name, what with all the sh!t you sling around.
Care to explain yourself there Mr Bob ? Care to errr … say … take me on in a little one on one debate here or anywhere else of your choosing on any subject you think I’m FOS about ?
No ? Thought not . All talk and feeble attempts at insults * with absolutely nothing what so ever to back it up .
* I mean really . Like no one else has ever thought of that one ! Real original .. let me tell you !
BWTM .. it just hit me . You’re probably peeved because you actually were stupid enough to buy one of Cadillacs new EuroSnob wanna be abject pos ! Oh well like ole PT once said … ” There’s a sucker born every minute ” … no doubt the Cadillac salesman seeing you coming from a mile away .
Awesome!
Although its definitly not for me, it looks like it might be a blast to party in. The whole thing is well done and totally unexpected.
Yeah …. partying … that being about the only thing the likes of you and this ridiculous travesty posing as a custom car are good for . Beer addled .. drug infused sh*t for brains partying .
Hmmn .. and I’m supposed to take an insult from low life pond scum and a perfectly good waste of air like you seriously ?
I think not 😉
Have they been to Bonneville before? I could see somebody getting ready at the starting line, sweating in a firesuit, thinking, “I wish my car was full of water right about now.” But it is a bit… odd.
Been there before ? Heck … they can’t even get there now on their own dime without begging for alms via crowdfunding .
Seriously .. the only thing more pathetic than the car itself … is the crew that built it … now needing welfare/donations/subsidies [ gee .. kind of like GM lately ] to see the project thru to its intended destination
I bet you wouldn’t say that to their face. Hide behind your internet persona all you want, all your comments just tell me that you are a very jaded and unhappy person.
Awesome, looks like enough people have felt it worth their entertainment dollar that the builders/promoters have beat their goal by over a thousand bucks. Love the Hemmingway quote on the website, wish I knew more guys personally like that.
Are they planning to drive it [full] from the nearest source of water or contract with a water truck to fill it up on-site? Hell, they’re already beggin’ for expense money.
Do SCTA rules dictate a hot tub going for a non-existent record be full or will a few inches of water get ’em through tech?
Hmmm…a Caddy hot tub full of water (what’s that gotta weigh?) errantly finding a soft spot on the salt? The tow-out pic should be interesting.
Methinks there is a chance we’re being hornswoggled, here…
I think with todays rain they can just park it to fill it up. 🙁
After all the history of Bonneville it is possible that Speedweeks has finally jumped the shark with the bullshit of party boys.
Being an “open” record what class fire suite are you required to wear?
AND how much will it (the fire suite) wiegh wet?
has anybody ever drowned during a run? I know Breedlove nearly did AFTER one.
What is the alphabit soup class for this one “A” (surely they used a 500ci engine) G HT (Hot Tub) A/GHT ?
Ha, ha! You’re thinkin’ outa the box.
Alphabet soup?
Maybe A for the size of the engine, slash, S for spa, H for hot, I for insane, and T for tub?
Brilliant. A limo plate on that thing in Nc avoids seat belt laws. Just might want to teather yer pool float in case of sudden movement.
I think I see what you’re doing there, sir…welcome!
Wow, there are a few condescending jerk wads on here (guitarslinger?). I don’t see where this is much of a waste…most of the car community doesn’t pay attention to late 60’s caddy’s anyway. How many have been cut up and destroyed in demo derby’s, etc?
I think this is a neat project! What better car to do it to than a land yacht caddy?