The Sauna - Riding the Alps in Style

The Sauna was built from a Volvo 240 and taken on CzechWrecks 2009, a 1500 mile 4 day journey starting from Calais, France through Swiss and Italian Alps all the way to Prague, Czech Republic.

What we have here is about 1/3rd of a ton of wood paneling being applied to the Volvo.

If you are wondering whether this wood had any impact on performance, I am assured it did. What performance they had to start with, remember that Volvo 240 are agricultural at best, that performance was soon zeroed.

Chris and Tom and their team built this car to raise money for charity and an opportunity to travel in their bath towels riding the sauna over some of the highest passes in Europe.

4 Startfish + 4 Barbies = TWCRV aka The Worlds Cutest RV

I got an "art car" submission the other day for an RV owner who had about 4 star fish, 4 barbies,  one shark, three fish, one Easter bunny, one seagull, two happy faces, a cat painted tire cover, a bunch of burning man stickers, and two bikes. The rest of the RV is totally bare. At first I rejected the submission which I rarely do but I had a change of heart after I looked up the definition of an Art Car.

An art car is a vehicle that has had its appearance modified as an act of personal artistic expression. Art cars are often driven and owned by their creators, who are sometimes referred to as "Cartists"

I guess by definition the "TWCRV" AKA The Worlds Cutest RV is an Art Car. OK Sheldon, you made it to ACC, but promise me you will be adding more stuff and then send me a picture of your progress.

My definition of an art car here on Art Car Central is the same as the above definition BUT, I was looking for something that was a bit more "covered". Like the Art Car Campers below.

Double Decker RV at Burning Man

Wesley Dezern's RV, by artist Pat Waldron

Graffiti RV

Drive by Paintball RV Art Car

Dickens 44 Bascom Art Car Mystery

Dickens44 and Girlfriend with Bascom Art Car

This mosaic Ford Falcon art car was created by artist and former curator for the Unknown Museum Dickens 44 Bascom on facebook a mystery worth investigating.

At first all I found was that Bascom 44 was born on the 44th day of 1944 at 44 minutes past 4:00 am. I am guessing that's were the "44" part of his name came from.

With the help of my friend Amanda who did some more digging I found out that he was part of a growing movement called the "gluers" spearheaded by a group called the Moligator Manufacturing Company, the Northern Frog Works. They met and exchanged gluable materials like costume jewelry, rubber mice, teeth, baby heads, tennis balls, bottle caps, plastic salt shakers and beyond. Dickens Bascom, a noted northern California gluer, looked forward to the day when he could join other gluers and purchase a large office building and decorate it in their fashion. "I'm determined to do it," he says. "I think it's something people need."

Larry Fuente who knew him said he was always raiding people’s basements for ‘art supplies’ and hanging stained glass windows from their trees, engaging neighbors in making art and “an expert at getting people, whole families, to do art together.”

Dickens 44 is still painting and gluing objects after all these years and has managed to produce a very large and wonderful body of art found on his site. The art car itself is pretty amazing and deserves its place here on art car central. Mystery somewhat solved.

The Vochol VW Art Car Covered in 2000 Beads

The Volkswagen Beetle with its long association with Mexico, has been used in a unique project initiated by the Museo de Arte Popular (MAP), and turned into a colorful art car represented with the art of the indigenous Huichol. “Vochol” (from the slang word for the car – Vocho – and the word “Huichol”) was created by two indigenous families over a period of seven months.

This VW art car is covered with over 2 million beads on the body, dashboard, and steering wheel and is intended to highlight the art of the region. The designs on the vw art car were created by master craftsman Francisco Bautista, that depict traditional imagery. Serpents resting on clouds on the front of the art car, sun and four eagles on the roof, and a shaman in a boat on the trunk.

The Vochol will be on display at the MAP in Mexico City and will go on tour in Europe and America, and finally, it will be put up for auction that will hopefully go for about half a million pesos. The proceeds will go to the Association of Friends of the Museo de Arte Popular (AAMAP).

How to sell an Art Car by Bizarro

Comic by Bizarro

Anyone who has ever had an Art Car for sale will tell you that convincing someone to look past all the paint and glued objects can be tough. This Bizarro comic depicting a father attempting to get the buyer to look past all the barbies glued on his daughters 2001 Mercedes S430 sedan says it all.

McDonald's Toy Art Car

This is exactly what you do with all those McDonald's toys that are now banned in San Fransisco. You glue them all over your Mazda art car and then you go for a joy ride through San Fransisco, for spite. No happy meal for you, I guess they are call them sad meals in SF.

Ultimate Shoe and Hand Bag Accessory Car - Excessories Odd-Yssey Art Van by Kelly Lyles

Kelly Lyles in her Excessories Odd-Yssey Art Car - Photo by John Lok
Well known flamboyant artist Kelly Lyles who is known for "Leopard Bernstein" and "For the Birds" art cars,  has now created another amazing art van called the "Excessories Odd-Yssey" using a Honda Odyssey minivan. This van is a reflection of her love of fashion and having fun with her wardrobe, especially in grey Seattle where she desperately wants to see more colour. Kelly's art van is covered with women's accessories: shoes, purses, belts, jewelry. The hood is a giant paper-doll with magnetic outfits of her own clothes. The dashboard is tiny doll clothes with all the matching accessories. Prada eat your heart out.
Kelly Lyles Excessories Odd-Yssey Art Car with Magnetic Hood Ornaments
Excessories Odd-Yssey Art Car photo by John Lok	Excessories Odd-Yssey Art Car Side
Auto Pilot photo John Cornicello	Excessories Odd-Yssey Dashboard
Shoe Rack - Photo by Phil Scroggs	Excessories Odd-Yssey with Pearls

Check out "That Car" I and II - Doll Head Extravaganza on wheels by Greg Phelps

That Car #1 By Greg Phelps

Greg Phelps of Columbus, Ohio, is the creator of "That Car" I and II both daily drivers with the same vanity plate THAT CAR because he says everyone shouts, "Check out THAT CAR" when they see it.

That Car #2 By Greg Phelps

That Car I is a 1990 Mazda Miata, covered in toys, plastic, glass, bone and a lot of doll heads all glued on with silicone. He drove it between 1999 and 2006 and is now a part of the permanent collection of the Kentucky Museum of Art & Craft as a functional piece of art.
That Car II, a 1999 Chevrolet Cavaliergot got started in the spring of 2006 and is also covered with plenty of reconstructed dolls, toys, skulls, shells and reflectors that he is always double-checking to make sure nothing goes flying off the car onto the highway. Nice work.

Happy Meal Art Car

 by psko.

I am guessing and hoping that all these happy meal toys were donated to making of this art car. Putting all those drive though trips to good use.

VersaTile Art Car by Big Al

photo by Krazy Horse

"VersaTile" is 1971 Buick Centurion (455cu V-8) covered with over 600 pounds of ceramic tile and china plates and 100 caulk tubes of Silicone. Created by Al "Big Al" Bartell, this 5,200 pound behemoth is a mosaic masterpiece. Big Al spent six months carefully crafting "Versatile." The car defines opposites: sun/moon, day/night, heaven/hell, male/female, coyote/road runner...The sleek lines of this Buick make an excellent surface for the broken shards of tile and plates that Big Al collected from garage sales and from his family then meticulously glued them each into place. "VersaTile" is Big Al's first art car, but you'd never know it by looking at it. via

Little Bit of Nonsense Art Car by Randy Blair

Little Bit of Nonsense art car was just sent in by Randy Blair shown here with his wife Wendy Wanda at this years Houston Art Car Parade. Its a tiny 2007 Toyota Yaris, that's completely covered with Dichroic glass, magnets, bumper stickers, toys and a ton of other things that he has made. This would be under the "Holy Moley" category I am about to create. Photo by Paul McRae

IFSM - Interactive Functional Scuplture Mobile by Ken

Photo By Harod Blank

Ken from Bizbee, Arizona is the proud owner and creator of the IFSM - Interactive Functional Sculpture Mobile. I am not sure what kind of art car it is but its covered in all kinds of recycled objects and gifts given to Ken over the years.
I especially like the Mona Lisa on the door and the sign on the front side fender that says: "Take  a photo, leave a buck". Nice work Ken:) This photo was sent in by Queen Becky

The Card Car aka JoeCar From New Zealand

TheCardCar nicknamed JoeCar or JOKERis 1983 TOYOTA STARLET, created by Ted Charlton for art and fun and I believe the first art car submitted from New Zealand. The car has a dozen jumbo decks, four 500 decks and approx. four standard decks, then coated with two coats of polyurethane resin. The character cards from two German decks are also placed behind the rear doors and inside on the front dash, due to their wonderful artistic quality.

Ted is looking for like minded art cars covered in cards so he can compare notes on technique, so be sure to let him know if you come across another one. I know of a few cars covered in paper products such as the Pokemon Art Car and the Stamp Art Car, so their might be some connection there. Good luck Ted and thanks for your submission.

8,000 Ping Pong Ball VW Art Car by Katherine Smith

via

Katherine Smith, of Jarrettsville, glued 8,000 colored ping pong balls on an old 1971 Volkswagen Beetle named "The Last Cup". Her art car features different scenes each section of smiley face hood peace sign on a even the hub caps and bumpers are covered with ping pong balls.

Mercedes Bonz Art Car - New meaning to the word road kill

by surlygrrrl [ELBfoto].

by Delta Niner.

This Volvo is covered in hundreds of bones is called the Mercedes Bobz. Road kill just took a different meaning.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Art Car - Happy Fridays:)

I woke up this morning and glitter was on my mind so I remembered that Twinkle Twinkle Little Car was sent in by Nicole Strine some time ago and decided it was time to put her up on Art Car Central. This Honda Civic, I think, and is covered in thousands of cut up CD's donated by a few software companies in Texas. Nicole and her Husband spent about 6 years working on the car and unfortunately this beauty is not longer with us. After it was vandalized they scraped all the CD's off the car and some time later was broadsided at an intersection. May she put a twinkle in your eye today and may she live forever here on Art Car Central.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Art Car Covered in CD's

Patriotic Art Car

via Never Forget 9/11

Van Covered with Stuffed Bear Road Kill

A van covered in stuffed bear trophies is one way to tell the world "I am cute and cuddly" or "I brake for carnival games" or "I break for garage sales" or "I am covering a major bad paint job or "my car is really a clunker in disguise"

15 Most Popular Penny Art Cars Worth Every Penny

Penny covered cars seem to be a dime a dozen, but are worth every penny. These are the 15 most popular penny vehicles I found on the web starting with Steve Baker who covered his 1971 Ford Econoline van in pennies. He was also featured in Harrod Blanks Art Car Book "Wild Wheels" but I believe the car is no longer in operation. Steve is seen here wearing a penny suit that he wore while driving his art van and while playing golf. Steve wore this suit because he believed in the healing power of copper.

1) Penny Van Creator Steve Baker in his Penny Suit



2) Pennymobile Art Car

via GypsyMermaid

3) The Penny Armored Art Truck

by tokyohanna

4) Penny Honda Civic Art Car at the Ripley's Believe It or Not museum!

by abbyanduriah

5) Jimmy McDole and Susie Q and the Penny Art Van

by Delta Niner

6) Cadillac Penny Art Car

by Theresa Thompson

7) Penny Art Bike named Copperhead

by denaldo

8) Old Penny Art Car

by RoxanneRayes

9) Penny Minivan Art Car

by SanDiegoMama

10)Penny Mini Art Car

by edenacadia

11) Penny Cadillac Art Car

by Photosbychristensen

12) Penny Ford Escort Art Car

Photo by

13) Penny Corvette Art Car

via PennyVett

14) Penny Art Truck by T Stone

via Zenzibar

15) Penny Canadian Penny Dodge Van

by Endlisnis