some vehicles Steve McQueen owned were on display, and surprising me was that the GMC 4x4 was used as high school daily transportation by it's current owners kids. Think they were impressed to have a truck of Steve's?

wow, a 34 Husdon Terraplane garage made truck from a car, because during WW2, trucks were given more gas rations (and a lot more useful to working guys than a car)

Commentor "Stll Out There" asks why "they" call this a garage made/ home made conversion. Because it looks like one. And because I have seen no evidence of a Terraplane truck from the factory. http://www.hetclub.org/burr/other/technical_service_bulletins_vol4-ts34-001-ts46-001.pdf

I know it's a Terraplane from the speedometer

Firstly,  to address "Still Out There" there is no "they" here at this blog, it's just me, Jesse, and I am Just A Car Guy, not an expert, and the back of the cab has a square and un conventional non factory termination look. The graceful curves of the fenders and under the pick up box represent the design quality that Hudson made cars with, and the flat-straight lines of the back of the cab don't. Seriously, look at the bottom of the rear of the doors.

No car company made such a bad transition to the back of the cab from the doors by adding a square bottom inches away from the bottom of the doorline. They would have been shot for that.

In the past couple of hours a family member (Bent metal) of the owner confirms that this exact vehicle IS a garage conversion, not a factory job. http://www.classiccar.com/forum/discussion/160636/green-34-t-pu That rear pan that goes between the back fenders is on cars only.  Trucks didn't have that.

Far out! This little socket set is an unusual hex head instead of the common square drive of 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2 inch... and is mounted above the rear window

see under the tail gate? not how trucks are made. That was my 3rd indicator that this was a garage conversion.

below is a look at what this looked like before the truck conversion

In 1934 the word "Essex" was dropped and the car became the Terraplane. The cars were slightly heavier and rarely joined competitive events, particularly as they now lacked the eight-cylinder powerplant. The name Terraplane remained constant through the 1937 model year. By 1936 Terraplane commercial cars were produced in fair number.


 In 1938, knowing they were going to drop the Terraplane, Hudson management chose to phase out the Terraplane name similarly to how it had been introduced, and the 1938 cars were named Hudson-Terraplanes. 

The Terraplane contributed greatly to Hudson Motor Car Co. sales during the Depression 1930s. Sales of the Terraplane outpaced Hudson vehicles in the late mid-30s and it is said that Hudson management was not fond of that fact and that was partly why they chose to eliminate the car as a make. One unique feature was "Duo-Automatic" brakes. Terraplanes had two brake systems—hydraulic and mechanical. Should the hydraulic brakes fail (i.e. the brake line had a leak in it), the mechanical brakes would be used to stop the car.

Perhaps the most memorable sales slogan of the Terraplane years came from 1933: "On the sea that's aquaplaning, in the air that's aeroplaning, but on the land, in the traffic, on the hills, hot diggity dog, THAT'S TERRAPLANING".

Info and bottom photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/homer----simpson/6931919281/

African Truck Covered in People

This is a new one, a truck in Africa is covered in people and goods, and somehow ends up looking very artistic.

Afro Truck

Last one, this Afro Truck made with a big giant pile of sticks all tied together in the back, definitely no smoking while driving. Also looks like a lions mane and a heart shape. OK now its late and I am starting to see stuff, time to go.

Art Car Transformed by talented high schoolers - Jeffrey "Hippie" Morris

Carolyn Marcantel sent me this write up about some very talented High Schoolers and their Art Car Project called Jeffrey "Hippie" Morris that they are getting ready for the Houston Art Car Parade May of 2009. The car is not complete but they have done a lot of work so far. It's neat to watch an art car in the process and I am looking forward to seeing the video and the completed pictures of the car. All the best to you all and great job.

The Automotive Collision & Repair students in the Hurst Euless Bedford Independent School District , a suburb of Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas, are in the midst of transforming a 1983 Toyota pick-up into a "boat-extraordinaire" complete with a trailing shark. With an anticipated completion date of sometime in late April, the HEB ISD Art Car will make its debut this May in Houston's Annual Art Car Parade. The truck was donated to the students by the family of the late Jeffrey H. Morris, a local gifted musician and artist whoprematurely lost his life due to cancer on Halloween night, 2008.

The family wanted to do something meaningful with the pick-up that had originally belonged toJeffrey's grandfather. It was full of sentimental value, but otherwise, what do you do with a rusty,worn-thru pickup with over 300,000 miles it? Make it into an Art Car, of course! 

Carolyn Marcantel, a family friend of the Morris family and webmaster for HEB ISD, took the idea to auto collision teacher, Eric Stevens, and from there the dots have not stopped connecting as students, teachers, volunteers, and the business community have rallied around to make this special memorial project a reality. Because there is no budget for "art cars" in district funds, the project has been entirely dependent on donations in the form of metal, paint, vinyl and other supplies. It is also the goal of the newly established HEB ISD Art Car Committee to raise the necessary funds to ensure each student involved in the project be able to make the trip to Houston to participate in the parade. 

The entire four-month process is currently being documented on an HEB ISD district blog, complete with weekly updates and a plethora of photos to follow along as the project takes form. Video footage is also being logged for a documentary that will be produced after the parade. The ultimate theme of the boat will pay tribute to the lifestyle of Jeffrey "Hippie" Morris, to include fishing, guitars, peace signs and lots of psychedelic color.

Japanese Decotora Truck - Art Trucks in Disguise

I did an entry about this long time ago but didn't know much about these art rucks from Japan called Dekotora Trucks . These trucks are highly customized and are found in Japan often made to look like they’re straight out of the movie Transformers. These trucks are made for fun to be used as art trucks at special events.

Japanese Decotora Trucks



great post via off beat planet

Incredible Japanese Decotora Trucks Video

Here is a great video about these Japanese Decotora Trucks I posted some time ago. The pictures are great but you really need to seem them live and this video does them justice. They explain the history of how all this got started and they interview some of the truckers and artists who help create these amazing works of art.

Art Truck Bed By Patrick Amiot- A Great Place to Crash

photo on David Bacigalupi's Sketchbook Photo Journal

I found this art truck bed yesterday photo taken by David Bacigalupi and I had to post it on art car central. The funny thing is that hours later on my walk around Sebastopol California I decided to go visit my friend Patrick Amiot who creates the most amazing and whimsical sculptures made from junk. His work is all around town and many are located on Sebastopol's famous Florence street. He is also the creator of the Shark Art Car and has many more art cars on his web site. So I am chatting away with Patrick and Brigitte in the back studio when he offers to give a tour of the house. The first stop was the bedroom and what did I see??? This amazing Art Truck Bed right there just like in the picture. It was totally weird how only hours ago I had made a mental note to put it up on my blog. After I saw it I knew it had to put it up, and so here it is. I love how it has the gas tanks for bed posts and the old GMC grill. 

Arvold Art Car - Budget mod back seat with a view

Arvold Art Car Side View

Arvold Art Car Outdoor Back Seat

via
This beauty is the creation of artist Isaac Arvold who painted this parked car in Uptown Minneapolis. In an urban environment this paint job is natures way of saying don't look at the body work to closely. I like the outdoor back sitting arrangement great for summer days but problematic in the winter time. If our buddy owns this you better call "shot gun" and hitch a ride inside rather than deal with the wind chill factor in the back seat. This car would be perfect for Southern California year around, maybe its time for that road trip.

Pig Food Art Truck - The MaximusMinimus

Maximus Minimus or The Pig Food Art Truck is the brainchild of Kurt Beecher Dammeier up in seattle who also is the person behind Beecher’s Cheese and other Seattle food endeavors. Kurt hired local designer Collin Reedy to make it all happen and ended up up with a superb Pig Art Truck that deserves a place here on art car central. They serve pulled pork sandwiches but also have veg sandwich with fennel, onions, and bulgur for vegetarians and vegans who might be "pork challenged". I love the fact that it looks so industrial and heavy duty as if it was in one of those end of the world apocalyptic movies. I can see it now, the last remaining source of food in a land filled with mutants all trying to get in for a bite to eat. The truck is racing through barriers of steel and flaming cars. I see the flame thrower coming out of the nostrils and deadly gas out of the back end. And don't forget the two.50 caliber mounted inside the ears. With this bullet proof beauty there is new hope for the remnants of the "Fast Food Chain Wars" that destroyed our planet in 2025. Wow what a rant.

Snake Art Cars - Kevins GI-Joe Cobra Rattler Art Car

GI-Joe Cobra Rattler Art Car - Rear View


GI-Joe Cobra Rattler Art Car - Side View


Inspiration for the GI-Joe Cobra Rattler Art Car


I finally got around to the most sought after car in the world, the snake art car because last week was like snake central. I go a second email from Kevin owner of the Hundai Cobra Art Car shown above explaining to me why he though his cobra car was a good candidate for art car central. Then I kept finding snake pens around the house and one in the car when my phone went missing. Then I went to the county faire and my kids wanted to see the snake exhibit. Snakes every where, so I finally gave in and decided to get this over with and post Kevin's cobra art car. I showed Kevin the real snake car and asked him if he though his car was up to par for consideration to ACC, here is what he said:

"I'm sure you will see that the whole car is in theme of a G.I.Joe/Cobra Vehicle and a lot of effort and design went into it. While I enjoyed the cobra car link you sent me I feel as though my car has a lot more artistic design complexity over a simple repeating snake scale pattern wrap on a car.

I'm also including a pic of the cobra rattler toy that my car's theme is based on, please view it to compare my car and the the theme I'm trying to achieve.

Thanks again, your blog is fun to look at!"

Kevin H.

Kevin thanks for your submission and I apologize for the long wait into ACC. I am sure it was well worth the wait. I also added other snake Art Cars so as not to excluded any o the other Snake Art Cars.

Snake Car - Covered in Vinal Wrap and "Real" snakes.

(snake car that Kevin mentioned in his email to me)

Snake Art Car - Truck actually "hand" painted.

Photo by Eli the Bearded

Snake Van - Printed Vinal Wrap

Photo by Akbar Simonse

LaundryCar by Smitty Regula- Mobile laundromat for a clean gateway

LaundryCar - Mobile laundromat for a clean gateway

Have you ever robbed a bank and needed to make a "clean" gateway, well the "laundromatic 2000" will allow you to do just that. This is the LaundryCar created by Smitty Regula over in Houston Texas. Its totally covered in washing detergent containers, clean laundry and a washing machine up on the roof. I do hope you don't need quarters for that, but what a great idea, a mobile laundromat. Drive over to someones house, do their laundry, put it up on the line, go around the block a few times to air dry and presto, clean clothes.

Tow Mater Now for Rent in Portland - Dad Gum

Tow Mater Now for Rent in Portland - Dad Gum

I swear I have seen Cars movie by Disney a billion times with my all time favorite Character Tow Mater the tow truck. For those of you without kids Tow Mater is the lovable character, sidekick and friend to the film's main protagonist, Lightning McQueen. If I have to explain it to you then you have been living under a rock for the past 6 years or don't have kids. Any ways David Emerson is the creator of this life size replicate of Tow Mater out in Portland Oregon and the best part is you can be the hero in your kids life and rent this art car for your kids birthday party, an experience they will never forget.

Tow Mater Now for Rent in Portland - Dad Gum

Tow Mater Now for Rent in Portland - Dad Gum

Worlds Largest Airbrushed Dump Truck From Russia

The Worlds Biggest Dump Truck Art Car is brought to by airbrush artist Konstantin Eremenko over in Novosibirsk, Russia from his blog called Total Positive .

Worlds Largest Airbrushed Dump Truck From Russia -Via Total Positive

We have some big art projects such as Garbage Art Trucks, Art Tanks, Semi Trucks and recently a Pink Freight Ship but never a big-o-dump truck that was airbrushed somewhere in Russia. So the story goes something like this:

Somewhere in Russia there is snow covered factory that's either abandoned or its the weekend. A bald dude with an airbrush is photographed air brushing the side of a Dump Truck. With then see a close up shot of the work in progress and then "Presto!!!", a giant art Dump Truck emerges out of a side door and ready for a dump run. Love it it!!! I think we will be seeing more of Konstantine airbrush work here on Art Car Central.

Russian Factory - Location Unknown

Airbrush Artist - Name Unknown

First Section of Airbrush Dump Truck Completed

Airbrush Dump Truck Emerging

Worlds Largest Airbrushed Dump Truck Ready For Business

Worlds Largest Airbrushed Dump Truck Ready For Business