Monday, May 23, 2011

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

General Lee Rally Art Car

General Lee Rally Art Car

Every so often, someone enters a General Lee into one of our events, this was Cima Racing's entry into Home2Rome 2010. We generally see more General Lees in Europe than the US probably because of the politically correct thing that surrounds the Confederate Battle Flag in the US these days. The chances of an Italian throwing a brick through the window of a General Lee in Europe is marginally less than in New York for instance.

This car was originally sourced from a tv props department for a very famous TV programme about cars. I haven't seen the episode so I'm going on witness statements but the car was bought within budget (£150/$275) on the condition that it was made into a General Lee.

What is surprising is that this car was not at all perfect. You'd think that a 15 year old Lexus would be in fairly good condition, but not this car. It had a bad time getting through its MOT (yearly UK safety check), and despite the aerial on the roof, the CB didn't work in the slightest. Car to car communication involved shouting loudly whilst the windows were down (thats if they would go down). It also had other issues so I'm told.

The theme is obviously quite simple but it's important to be accurate.

And I don't mean the 01 or the Battle Flag on the roof, I mean, it needs a Daisy Duke. You see, any old person can paint their Lexus orange, and put a number on the side and put an accurate Confederate Flag on the roof.

But what sets this car out is the Daisy Duke it was sporting.

This ArtCar is for all the Daisy Dukes out there!

By Justin Clements Street Safari
Original posted on Art Car Central 

General Lee Rally Art Car

General Lee Rally Art Car

General Lee Rally Art Car

Monday, May 16, 2011

Gravity Defying Lego Bike

Gravity Defying Lego Bike

Mutant Monday is brought to you by Brikapolis with this gravity defying
Lego Art Bike, to go along with these other lego art cars here on Art Car Central.

by Brickapolis

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Pimp My Rocket - Burning Man Mutant Vehicle - For Sale

Pimp My Rocket - Burning Man Mutant Vehicle - For Sale

Are you running behind on creating a mutant vehicle for this years Burning Man event? Not to worry because this little electric pimp my rocket mutant vehicle is ready to go. Its now for sale at a reduced price for only $1,995 on ebay located in Resada, CA

It's a 36 volt, 3 wheeled electric car originally built in the 1950's, rebuilt in 2005 with an EZ-GO motor and rear transfer case. Not a golf cart, but rather a little car with a cab, and lockable trunk. Fiberglass body on a steel frame chasis. New batteries, new shocks (2008) New springs (2010) Completely stripped and repainted (2010) "Playa Ready" meaning it's been to BM five times, as recently as 2010. MODULAR DESIGN: Top Cab can be removed for convertible look. 2 Door mounted wings, 2 rear mounted 'rocket pods' (elaborate light fixtures), top mounted fin/rocket. A perennial favorite on the Playa. *Never been denied a day or night license! Must submit application to BM DMV. OR... Try something new. Your own spin on the vehicle base! Yay! Just have fun with it.

Pimp My Rocket - Burning Man Mutant Vehicle - For Sale

Pimp My Rocket - Burning Man Mutant Vehicle - For Sale

Pimp My Rocket - Burning Man Mutant Vehicle - For Sale

Monday, May 9, 2011

How to deal with Crazy Mondays - 9 Wheeled Crazy bike

How to deal with Crazy Mondays - 9 Wheeled Crazy bike
8 Wheeled Bike - Via

Monday's are known for being a bit crazy especially after a long fun weekend. What better day to deal with crazy Monday's that with this 9 wheeled crazy bike.

Italian Job Police Rally Art Car

Italian Job Police Rally Art Car

Today's delectable car is a lowly Fiat Tipo Polizia cop car look alike.

This car deserves a mention because it really was beautifully executed as a replica, so well done, that every time we saw it on an event our hearts ran cold "uhoh cops". You see we never like meeting local cops on the events, cops mean trouble for the most part. We simply want to pass through a town, not get arrested and locked up, waiting for "Fair Trials Abroad" to come to our rescue.

The team (who built Thunderbird 4 the following year) took a picture of a real Italian Polizia Tipo and copied it absolutely perfectly. Graphics were copied, they even had a blue light on the top (highly illegal), siren, they even dressed up as Italian cops.

If you saw this in the corner of your eye, it really did grab you, in a bad bad way. It was only once you focussed on the two faux Policemen larking around that your heart would drop from it's 300 beats per second and you'd remember "thank god, it's only Team Maestro Masters".

It has to be said that we did get revenge on them - they did not want to be seen one morning when some real Italian cops would be in attendance. Copying foreign cops probably isn't wise, and the Maestro Masters team were bricking it. But we assured them, that nothing untoward would happen to them. In all honesty, we didn't know what would happen to them, we just knew that we were safe.

But after they had spent 3 days scaring the life out of us, we were willing to take the chance they wouldn't be arrested.

In a wonderful twist, the cops actually loved the Tipo, and apologised that literally, 2 months ago they retired their identical Fiat Tipo Polizia car.

This was an unexpected high point, with a significant low point to come.

The car was seized in Rome and dragged to a police station. When the team went to collect the car they were promptly arrested and interrogated for a few hours. Only after chatting up a hot Italian woman, who happened to be a senior detective were they released from custody with no charges.

The car was not released, and we can only think was eventually crushed by the Italian authorities.

Farewell Fiat Tipo Polizia, but you do live on on the internet.

(If you are wondering why we have a picture of a toy car of the original - it's because we couldn't find an original picture of a real Polizia cop car).

By Justin Clements Street Safari
Original posted on Art Car Central

Italian Job Police Rally Art Car

Italian Job Police Rally Art Car

Friday, May 6, 2011

12 Chalkboard Art Cars to Draw For

Chalkboard Toyota Art Car - Via


What better way to keep in touch, write down a giant grocery list or just tell the dude he parked in your spot again than with a chalkboard art car. If you can't afford a new paint job for your car, consider $50 worth of chalkboard paint and a box of sidewalk chalk and everyday you can drive home in a new masterpiece... or not!!!

A while back I wrote about the Chalkboard Art Car. but today I found the mother load of cars covered with chalkboard paint :) It sure looks like fun.

Chalkboard VW Bus Art Car - Via

Chalkboard BMW Art Car - Via

Chalkboard Cadi Art Car - Via

Chalkboard Fiat Art Car - Via

Chalkboard Honda Art Car - Via

Chalkboard Pickup Truck Art Car - Via

Chalkboard Saturn Art Car - Via

Chalkboard Art Car - Via

Chalkboard Van Art Car - Via

Chalkboard VW Art Car - Via

Chalkboard Truck - Via