Made in Kalamazoo- the World-Famous Big Banana Car
An "a-peel-ing" way get around and a bunch of fun: the big banana car was created in Kalamazoo.
Not only is it rich in potassium, powered by a 302 Ford V8, it can hit 85 m.p.h. The banana car is the brainchild of Steve Braithwaite. He got a little bored with the usual fins and chrome you see on custom cars hot rods and wanted to do "something completely ridiculous."
In 2009, the time was ripe. Beginning with a 1993 Ford F150, the body fabrication, molding, customization and reassembly took more than a month of Sundays. Steve and his partner Tom Brown worked only on the sabbath; the project took 2 1/2 years to come to fruition. The pair poured between $20,000 and $25,000 into the project in parts alone. If you've seen the smiles on passengers riding in the big banana car on the streets of Kalamazoo, you know the cost was worth it.
Watch the video below from Bancroft Cars to see how Braithwaite and Brown, "the Mutant Brothers," took an idea that was crackers and transformed it into the banana car.
Kalamazoo Kids tells us the big banana car is offering rides June 8-10.
Friday- June 8th
Twisters Ice Cream Parlour- Parchment
Noon - 9pm
Saturday- June 9th
Old Dog Tavern- Kalamazoo
Noon - 9pm
Sunday- June 10th
Niko's Express- Comstock
10am - 5pm