Detroit’s weird, beautiful CarCroach hits auction block for charity

Auction to raise money for Burning Man Project

CarCroach. (Doyle Huge)

DETROIT – If you’ve attended a Detroit event, parade or anything that can fit a car -- you may have encountered the CarCroach.

And if you can’t remember it, you probably didn’t see it.

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The CarCroach is, well, a vehicle, sort of. It can definitely move and drive, but it’s not your typical street car. Developed by Ryan Doyle, the CarCroach was built in a modern studio located at the original Lincoln Motors facility in Detroit. It’s built from recycled steel, random found objects and diverted garbage, all on the chassis of a 2004 Honda Civic.

The CarCroach is meant to be a symbol of survival in Detroit, playing off the indestructibility of a cockroach, of course.

It has become a staple of Detroit events, like the annual Marche du Nain Rouge parade in Detroit’s Cass Corridor. It gained a lot of attention on social media after being spotted at multiple protests last summer.

Now, Doyle is auctioning the car off for a good cause -- the Burning Man Project.

Burning Man Project and Sotheby’s are collaborating to produce a charitable online auction that will offer up for sale an eclectic, genre-defying selection of artworks, collectibles, mutant vehicles, NFTs, and experiences from artists and creators within and adjacent to the Burning Man community.

Boundless Space… The Possibilities of Burning Man will provide crucial funds to help ensure Burning Man Project’s long-term survival, and directly support Burning Man Arts and Civic Engagement programs, which nurture an ecosystem of artists, makers and community leaders.

Sotheby’s estimates the auction between $30,000 and $60,000.

Check out the full auction post here, with more background on Ryan Doyle and the CarCroach.

The CarCroach with the Ambassador Bridge in the background. (Matthew Naimi)

About the Author

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.

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