VW Beetle conversion into giant snail

A few years ago, my friends Jon Sarriugarte and Kyrsten Mate converted a civil service vehicle into the SS Alphafox, a fire-spitting rover straight out of 1960s science fiction. Now, they're transforming an old VW Bug into a snail. From the project description:

The snail will be roughly 12 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 8 feet high. The body and head will be built out of scrap galvanized metal cut into scales and the shell will be shaped from perforated steel. The structure of the shell and its growth rings will have Jon’s trademark rivet detail. The shell will offer a great opportunity for a beautiful patina job. The snail will be driven from a bench seat set back into the shell. To do this, we are extending the power and steering mechanisms up and back. This is all built on a Volkswagon Beetle frame that is completely stripped.

We are working out the light scheme; we would like something to outline the shape of the snail and the means for the shell to glow from within. We are also working out the details of the details; amber antique headlights, small brass touches on handles, a tiny “hobbit” door to enter the shell. Being Jon, the snail will have a bit of fire on it; 2 small fire poofers out of its antennae.

Snail car (Form and Reform)

Previously on BB:
• Jon Sarriugarte's fire and metal art

• [Buckethead]

  What a surprise that this guy goes to Burning Man!

• [subterrene]

  It reminds me of the living cars (snails?) on Cartoon Network’s “Chowder”… cool

• [GamebizGirl]

  Am I the only one reminded of the Giant Snail in ‘Doctor Doolittle’ with Rex Harrison? Still one of my favorite musicals.

• [ErikO23]

  i just hope they paint a big “S” on the side of it.

• [Bob]

  ERIK, why so you can watch the big S car go?

• [wgmleslie]

  This will make a perfect mail delivery vehicle.

• [Nelson.C]

  Oh, is this the great snail of technological progress that the RIAA are struggling to escape?

• [SpigotHead]

  Right there with you, GameBizGirl. I was going to make a Doctor Doolittle comment, but found you beat me to it. I’ve never seen the movie, but read the “Voyages of Doctor Doolittle” as a kid, and still remember the Great Glass Sea Snail. I would have given anything to be Tommy Stubbins…

• [dove]

  Another one for the Dr. Doolittle movie, for a second I thought I was the only one to think that!

• [Mike Harris]

  Volkswagen, it’s obviously lush equipment. The Beetle … Lord, utterly eponysterical!

• [gladeye]

  The instant I saw this I thought Burning Man. It’ll be beautiful, but once there, it will be one of a thousand other equally amazing sites.

• [strider_mt2k]

  Rule #7: NO POOFERS!

• [Takuan]

  inverter/110V low wattage LED colour wash panels (less than 100W_) programmable/presettable for every shifting pastel internal glow – coupla hundert bucks