Covered Wagons: When Paint Just Ain't Good Enough

"QUANTUM SHOT" #533
Link - Article by Steve Levenstein

Cars covered with money... Sounds like GM bailout

Want to dress your ride to impress? We've got you covered... or at least, these car owners do. When a factory paint job doesn't rev your engine, a little creativity can attract a lot of attention. Start with a whole bunch of keys from used keyboards:

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Some car owners can deal with a standard, metal-bodied car only if it's been suitably disguised. The vehicle here (featured previously in DRB but worth a second glance) is one such mod job, covered in what has to be thousands of computer keys. Where the keys came from, we don't know and the owner isn't saying. One thing is certain though - it has to be the only car of its, er, type.

Grass... is better on the other car

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Going green is an expression for some, an obsession for others. These erstwhile polluters have turned over a new leaf, as it were, and are now part of the solution to global warming. One wonders, though, just how warm it gets under the turfy thermal blanket. As for rust issues, it's best not to ask.

Wood, and more wood...

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The Tryane II purports to be an improvement over the Citroen 2CV whose underpinnings lie hidden beneath its sensuously curved polished wood body. The builder, Friend Wood, was seemingly inspired by old Morgan three-wheelers and vintage Chris Craft cruisers. The Tryane II weighs in at a mere 900 pounds, which allows the 2CV's tiny opposed twin-cylinder engine to move it along at speeds up to 100mph (more info)

Speaking of "wooden cars", nothing really compares with the "Ther" - the Temple "Car" of Lord Nellai in Tirunelveli, South India:

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"In recent times these wheels of outer side of four were changed to metal wheels with long ball bearings... Each wheel is around 8 feet in diameter; such eight wheels carry the Giant wooden car that easily weighs a few tons". Superb wooden carvings cover the whole length of this behemoth:

(image credit: G. Athimoolam)

Compare it to the ugliness of some home-made wooden monster, spotted on the streets recently:

(image credit: Bill Jarvis)

LEGO....

Wood may be good but plastic's fantastic. That's what artist Paula K. Wirth was thinking when she began affixing LEGO bricks to an unassuming sedan one day. The result is a riot of primary and pastel color that most certainly pleases everyone who sees it - except for Wirth's kids, who are still looking for their missing LEGO sets:

(images credit: Paula Wirth)

Toy Cars....

Does covering a car in cars seem redundant? James R. Ford doesn't care either way, his old Ford Capri having taken on new life thanks to the 4,000 or so tiny toy cars affixed to its surface. The Capri only cost Ford about $200 at an eBay auction and about half the toy cars came from donations (more info)

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Pens...

If you're like me, you can never find a pen when you want one. The Pen Guy, on the other hand, has so many pens he doesn't know what to do with them. Wait, it seems he found something: gluing pens onto his Mercedes Benz. Which is now the Mercedes Pens Art Car (read that carefully). As to WHY someone would cover a Mercedes - not exactly the El Cheapo of cars - with thousands of pens, it may have something to do with his being Costas Schuler, "The Pen Guy". He's got a reputation to uphold, and you can get that in writing. (more info) -

(image credit: Costas Schuler)

Corks...

The Cork Truck... is it reasonable to guess alcohol was involved? Getting pulled over while driving this undoubtedly fragrant vehicle must be a surrealistic experience for both driver and policeman. How could an accurate breathalyzer reading be taken?This big question, however, is what did they do with all of the wine bottles? (work by Jan Elftman, more info)

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Floppy Discs...

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Most folks who bought their first computer in the 1980s have a few 5.25" floppy discs laying around. The format was one of the first to fade and it's a rare modern comp that can still accept the big 'ol floppies. What to do? Well, one can either junk the discs or plaster them all over the car. Most people chose the former but not all... as "Disc Drive" so obviously states.

Swarovski crystals...

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Upgrading your car's exterior doesn't have to be wacky, just ask Ken and Annie Burkitt of Ontario, Canada. The Burkitts used Swarovski crystals - a million of them, no less - to cover a late model Mini in iconic images of the USA. Perhaps a Chevy or Ford might've been more iconic, but I digress. Fifty different shades of crystals were used with each shade representing an American state. (more info)

Gold Fever...

For the grand finale, a (very) wealthy Russian businessman has set the standard for conspicuous consumption, and the gold standard at that: 24KGB. He had his Porsche 911 covered in gold leaf, intricately detailed to ensure envious onlookers wouldn't think it was merely painted. One wonders what Lenin would think.