Car Terminator
Builder Competition
The wildest build challenge on Earth. A 2-week music festival, welding extravaganza, and maker competition in the Mojave Desert.
Bring a beater. Bring an idea. Build something crazy.
Take a forgotten vehicle.
Build the impossible.
Builders, artists, mechanics, welders, and creators come together in the Mojave Desert to transform ordinary cars into extraordinary machines. At the end of two weeks, the creations compete for prizes, bragging rights, and the title of Car Terminator Champion.
What You Can Do
Six ways to create, compete, and celebrate.
Modify Onsite
Welding, fabrication, and creative engineering — transform your vehicle in real time with full workshop access.
Rolling Art
Turn old cars into rolling works of art. Paint, sculpt, and express your vision on four wheels.
Scrap Engineering
Build wild machines from scrap and recycled materials. Limited only by your imagination and skill.
Race Day
Compete in a one-of-a-kind race. Pit your creation against the wildest builds on the planet.
Live Music Festival
Two weeks of live performances, art installations, and a community of builders rocking the desert.
Builder Community
Connect with mechanics, welders, artists, and creators from around the world. Trade skills, share tools, build together.
The Timeline
Build Phase
Arrive with your beater. Set up camp. Start cutting, welding, and building. Live music every night.
Refine & Race
Final touches, test runs, and the main event — the Car Terminator Race. Awards ceremony and celebration.
Building for a Better Future
Funds raised from the event support innovative agriculture projects, food production, and programs that help communities grow their own resources.
A Celebration of Builders
This isn't just a car show. It's a movement.
people who can build.
Mojave Desert. 2027. Bring your machine. Build the impossible.
Sign Up to Build