The Arroyo Car Anonymous

Here in New Mexico, when a car is no longer wanted, it may not go to the junkyard. Instead, cars may end up in a place we call the “arroyo.” “What is an arroyo?” you ask. Some might call it a ditch, but to me it is closer to a car dealership without the hassle of a salesperson. I have always wanted a car to take apart, and one day I found the perfect one for a price that could not be beat: free. I towed it home and got straight to work. The first problem was that there was no key. Now, anyone who has seen action movies knows that hot-wiring a car is as simple as touching the red wires together, and, Shazam! the car starts right up, so gave it a try. After pulling the wires from under the steering wheel, I started connecting different wires together and, through some trial and error, I got the car started! Then, I wired them to some sleek switches, creating my space-age looking car, which I called the “Tracer.” I added my personal touches, including cutting the roof off and giving it racing stripes, then I decided it was time to take it up a notch. I overheard a conversation about go-carts, and I knew what I wanted to do. I envisioned taking the engine out of the car and building a go-cart frame.

Now, there was one big obstacle...