Wrapping Up 2022 – Houston Art Car Parade Weekend

We ran our vehicle and build through three separate events in three days at three different sites.

In downtown Houston at Discovery Green:

We got invited to run fire at the annual Art Car Ball. Here’s a rare Decotoro team pic:

And we got to work with the Renegade Carnies and the Moon Papas.

Performers: Renegade Carnies | https://www.instagram.com/renegadecarnies/
Fire Land at the Legendary Art Car Ball
@renegadecarnies x @moonpapasart x @decotoromv

Photo credit: Mich Martínez @megustadormir

At the parade we got a chance to have this awesome bird hang out on Decotoro’s nose ring.

Image by Tyson Sommer | Screwgun Logic Photography 

At the end of it all, we won a first prize in a category. There were many first prize trophies, but this one is ours.

Decotoro in Houston

Come see Decotoro tonight at Sneak Peek at Discovery Green, tomorrow night at the Art Car Ball at the Orange Show World Headquarters, or Saturday at the parade.

New Projects

Decotoro is now in hibernation until there is an event to go to.

The team is definitely not in hibernation. We have two vehicle projects right now.

Back in October we were given an opportunity to restore and/or mutate a 1971 Chevrolet C30 Custom Camper. We took that opportunity! We decided to demolish the camper (I promise it was very old and had some significant weather/water damage) and plan on doing a restoration to the truck. The overall plan is three phased: 1. street legal flatbed truck 2. regional ready mutant vehicle (read: ground clearance) 3. Burning Man/Houston Art Car Parade level mutation. In terms of what is it going to be, we have some working design ideas but nothing finalized.  You can follow the build at – https://michaelkrolczyk.com/C30/

Patiently waiting in the wings is Chico’s art car from 2009 – 2012, Buddy.

Buddy needs a new engine and an overall rebuild.

New Powder Coat and Photoshoot

While we did not get to show off Decotoro in person liked we had hoped the last 10 months, we were able to do some good things with the vehicle.

We made some suspension improvements, and changed our fuel fill, but the biggest item was getting the flyers, the bridge, and tail powder coated by our friends at Craftmasters Powder Coating in Waco, TX.

To commemorate the occasion, we put Decotoro together and had a photoshoot. Many thanks to Tyson Sommer | Screwgun Logic Photography for the beautiful images.

Fourth of July 2020

On the fourth of July our team and all of the wonderful people who helped Decotoro get made got together, assembled Decotoro, and burned some propane.

Photograph by Andrew Fix
Photograph by Andrew Fix
Photograph by Scott Powers
Photograph by Andrew Fix
Photograph by Scott Powers

Canceling 2020

Wow! It has been a while since we had something to say…

2020 was going to be a big year for Decotoro. We were on track to make appearances at Figment Dallas, Houston Art Car Parade, and Burning Man. Then 2020 happened. These were big cancellations. The Houston Art Car Parade has been going annually since 1989, Burning Man since 1986.

Late 2019, early 2020 we were almost done reconditioning Decotoro and making a few improvements. Then like the rest of the world, we shut down. This month we have been back to finishing reconditioning  and assembling Decotoro.

Pretty even without the body.

Save the date! We are planning on doing a broadcast on Saturday, July 11. Details to follow.

Update, July 6, 2020: We are postponing the Decotoro broadcast event indefinitely. The Decotoro teams feels it would require too many people to pull off the event responsibly and safely at this time.