Board tracker

I stumbled across this project via the Hot Rod site The Jalopy Journal. It's one man's re-creation of a classic board racing motorcycle using - I kid you not - a cunningly modified lawn mower engine. Board racing stadiums (make that stadia) sprang up across North America just prior to World War 1. They wwere made out of wood with banked corners and the racers would often drill the cylinder barrels in the vain hope that this would prevent seizure at high revs. What this did achieve, however, was lots of oil on an already slippery track and tumbles and crashes were inevitable. One guy had a splinter removed from his leg that was - if my memory serves me right - over 3 feet long.

The original board track racers were heroes. Well paid dare-devils, they would blow their spectacular winnings in the local bars and cat houses for their life expectancy was probably the lowest of any sportsmen of the time- in fact, don't make that low, make that out of sight.

Engine Punk : because the overall look is achieved out of sheer cheek and ingenuity.

Read more about the project here at Boardtrack replica.

Steam Punk

Now here's an interesting exhibition - Steampunk Art @ Oxford at the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford University. It runs from 13th October to the 31st February 2010 and features Steam Punk and nothing else. I really like what these artists are producing. From the link (click on the coloured letters) you can find out much more about each artist's work.

Only a few of these things have wheels and hardly any have engines. I suppose that's the defining factor between Engine Punk and Steam Punk - Engine Punk can be Steam Punk but Steam Punk can't be Engine Punk (unless it has an engine and wheels). Steam Punk embraces electrical and gas power, too. It's the Victorian look that these artists explore and alternate histories fascinate us all.

I'd like to go this show, even though Oxford's the other side of Exeter from me.

Not Engine Punk but still bloody good.

Bike zorst at the 2009 Calstock Bike Show

I don't know much about this bike beyond that I like it. Other show goers at this bash said the owner had a blue Mohican but that didn't really mark him out from the crowds at the show. It's obviously an engine from the oil cooled Suzuki GSXR family but it's got a rear rotor disc and very wide front fork yokes that suggest that a fatter front wheel will be appearing soon.

The tail end looks so clean. It's just a back wheel and a startling wheel arch - not so much a hugger as a mugger. Very arch (where arch is an adjective - clever, sly, mischievous, roguish.)



But what really makes this bike stand out for me is the exhaust. Bystanders assured me that it wasn't as loud as it looks although it could never be said to be quiet. Anyway, loud pipes save lives.

This is a custom zorst made by someone who knows how to make a proper job snake pit of pipes in a new place.

Enegine Punk - because it looks illegal when it's really just challenging preconceptions.

Juice my Lemon

Not having a telly, I never saw this show but car artist Steve Saunders produced this Allegro speedster for the show in 3 days. Called the All Ego, it was originally a 2 door Allegro saloon and an 1100cc version at that i.e. the slowest of the slow. Steve doesn't make any preliminary drawings - he just sets to with a grinder and produces whatever shape he has in his mind's eye.

The All Ego is by no means his first creation. Steve's been doing this sort of thing for years. In October 2008 he had a clear out of his art car collection and the All Ego sold for 5,500 GBP.

I first stumbled across his work at a Custom Car Show at the Cornish Colliseum at Carlyon Bay in the early eighties. He'd turned a Citroen CX into a Manta Ray -0 that's the fish not the Opel. I'll try to find some images of this car dreckly (good Cornish word).

Steve described "Juice my lemon" as a cross between the American program “Pimp My Ride” and “The Benny Hill Show”. His vision was of a speedster, which involved strengthening the car to allow for the removal of the roof, re-modelling of the front and rear, adding a pair of faired-in headrests and a chopping the windscreen. Deep side air scoops, “angel eye” head lamps and slim, curved Fiat rear lamps complete the look.

Steve has been dubbed an "automotive alchemist" for turning base things into gold and is featured on the Car Design News website.

Max Girardo, Managing Director of RM Auctions European Division, described Saunders' work as as rolling works of modern art, which is close to the rolling sculpture interpretation of Engine Punk. "It is drivable art in the truest sense", he added.

Engine Punk - because it turns the most unlikely thing into an object of desire (and is probably the most expensive Allegro ever). And because Max Girardo nearly said so.

Photos from Serious Wheels

Separated at birth.

My mate Simon let me know about this car posted on the Pistonheads site – its squeezes a Honda engine, CR-V drive-train and MX-5 suspension into a Mini form. There have been loads of Mini adaption’s and conversions but this one really appeals from the visual as well as the functional perspective – it also reminds me of the old Minis from Scalextric in the 1970's. I don’t know why that’s a good thing, but it is!
It comes from a company called Mini Tec, the kit costs $2695 and can potentially give you 400bhp via all four wheels. There is an odd video in the snow on the Pistonhead site but much more interesting ones on the Mini-Tec site.
Scalextric Mini image from Dans Garage !

Engine punk because: Its outrageous and rather than miniaturise yourself to fit into an old Scalextric Mini you can get one of these.

Souped up Citroen with a difference

I really like this - it's a Citroen LNA, which most Anglo-Saxons would know as the Peugeot 104ZS. The Talbot Samba and Citroen Visa are also close relations. The LNA had a developed version of the 2CV flat twin that should have gone into the old Tin Snail but for some reason never did. So if you want to soup one, howdya do it?

According to the advert on the Subito.it site, you insert a 1300cc flat four from a Citroen GSA.

Compared to some absolute abortions produced from the Max Power brigade, I like the tasteful body mods, too. It's just wild enough and still looks like a Citroen LNA but sits on the road nicely.

And I especially like the wide three stud wheels. Are these specially made?

It's for sale, too, at 2000 Euros. Good thing I don't live in Italy.

Engine Punk - because an Italian has shown Citroen what sort of car they could have built thirty years ago.

Sidewalk Surfer

If you visit the Olli Erkilla site, make sure you have a good look around as there are some real gems. I love things that are simple and functional and this fits the bill as well as being elegant - Called Solex -The sidewalk surfer, it was done for the Dreamachine Motorcycles of Slovenia.

Engine punk because: Its got a small engine but also has some soul and style about it (its much more than a "domestic appliance"), it takes an unusual approach to transport and if you saw it going down the street you would certainly look twice - or even three or four times.

First "Bob" nomination.

If we were going to make an annual award for commitment to creating the Engine Punk aesthetic (the Blackmans or “Bobs” for short) a strong contender for the first award would be Olli Erkkila.

At Engine Punk Litmus we have a bit of a thing for Citroens and Rat Rods can be quite cool too – so when the two get combined by someone with talent the result is what could be described as the “mutts nuts” of 2CVs. The first saw the image on the Belgian Allride blog but it originally seems to come from the artist himself - Olli Erkkila. Visit his site to see more fine work - this one is in his digital art section.

Trab-ants in your pants.

The previously much laughed at and now, apparently, much loved Trabant is the focus of much HotRodding attention - if you believe everything you read on the internet. Not all the results are good but this one is particularly pleasing on the eye. You can see the whole transformation via http://www.hotrodphotos.com/ - and find Wayne's Trabant.

As an alternative approach to modifying the Trabant (image via the BBC) the Horsepower Whisperer would have to revert back to simply being the Horse Whisperer ! "Walk on"..

Engine punk because: An unlikly and ugly base vehicle transformed into something of balance and beauty. So maybe too pretty to be Engine "punk" - maybe it should be Engine "new romantic". The MX5 is described as something "your sister would drive". This is possibly something Morrissy's sister would drive.

Austin America

To us in the UK (the yuk), America can seem like a glamorous alternative existence with different spelling and bigger cars. In some export markets such as North America, the humble Austin or Morris 1300 was known as the Austin America. Usually over shadowed by the Mini Cooper, which had the same engine but less car, the Pininfarina styled 1300 never made it as a competition car.

But here's one that has been "souped up". I like the wild flares and the way there's so much space around the engine. I also like the way a race car (we would say racing car here in Blighty) has been made out of an unlikely candidate.

It could only have happened in Austin, America. Or maybe Austin, Texas. Except that this car happened in Canada (another alternative existence we admire)



Engine punk : because in a parallel universe Austin 1300s would be race cars.

Pictures from www.race-cars.coms

V8 Citroen

Some say it's sacrilege, others appreciate the sheer cheek (or maybe chic) of this rear wheel drive low rider Citroen. I like it, even though I admire classic Citroens, because I appreciate the sense of humour behind this device. And I bet it's quicker than the original.

The attention to detail on the dash and in the engine bay makes this a fantastic piece of rolling sculpture.

Engine Punk because - it shocks and appalls at first and then (as one of my industrial design lecturers would say) you find yourself liking it.

Imagews sourced from CarDomain

Le Zombster 32

I found Nitro magazine on my trip to Le Mans and bought a copy even though my French is not too good. That's irrelevant when the pictures tell stories like this - I think this is great, a new take on hot rodding by a French guy, Marcel Sylvand.

Even if your French is worse than mine, buy the mag for the pictures.

For more info click on Nitro where this image was sourced.

Corona with fizz

From Mitch Allread of California. A 4.0 litre V8 Lexus motor sits in what was a ’68 Toyota Corona. With a background in supplying kit for NASCAR teams, it does have a Brick Yard- track car aesthetic.

Automotive designers / stylists have distinct skills and a particular aesthetic ability compared to product designers. If you ask a product designer to style a car you end up with a large product with wheels rather than a moving sculpture that can have soul. I get the feeling that this is the kind of result you would get if you asked a product designer to design a Hot Rod – but in this case the result is exciting – after all, in the end everyone knows product designers are better looking and more intelligent than automotive stylists !

Engine Punk because: its an unusual approach to Hot Rods from an unexpected choice of base car.

Images sourced from www.hotrod.com

Morgan at Le Mans

Well, I went to Le Mans this year and there was this Morgan celebrating 100 years of the marque at the British Sports Car Welcome at St Saturnin. It's actually a French built 1934 Darmot but according to the accompanying blurb it had a 1233cc Harley Davidson fitted.


I love the little aerofoil below the sump!

Best of all, though, was the boat tail bodywork.

The diagonal stripes of wood are taken through to the dashboard.


Note the French registration - 72 denotes the department of Sarthe which contains the Le Mans circuit.

"Punk" cars.

To demonstrate the breadth of the term "Engine Punk" here are two examples of "Punk" cars. One is from a group of people from Southern France (I think - let us know if we are wrong) and the other from an Automotive design student from The Royal College of Art in 2004 - can you guess which is which !

The Ford Punk was by Linda Andersson of the Jaguar Advanced design team. It was based on research that people found contemporary car design to be bland - as a friend of mine always says about the obvious "no s**t Sherlock". (images from http://www.diseno-art.com/).

The other car has traffic cones on its roof !

The 205 Punk car

Engine Punk because .... its got a mohican.

The Ford Punk concept

Engine Punk because .... its got Punk in the title and is based on a six shooter.

Official apology

Ok .. "I'm sorry". The last post wasn't up 10 minutes when a call came in to say we had gone soft and "if thats engine punk I'm a girl guide". I was just jelous 'cos certain people are going to Le Mans and I'm not. To make up for it here's a motor with Le Mans in the name that hopefully can be called "engine punk" - not only a Pontiac Le Mans .. but one with an engine that was probably not on the original spec ! (the Le Mans seems to be a common base for some great custom and hot rod work - if you do some simple searches for it).

Engine Punk because .... the engines too big to fit, not built for doing the shopping and your old Aunt Mabel wouldn't drive it (unless she's maybe the local Hells Angels chapter secretary).

Le Mans in the name....

To highlight the Le Mans 24hours this coming weekend I thought we should look at a few potential engine punk examples with "Le Mans" in the name - I'm sure there are many more, but these will do for a start.

Daytona Le Mans Edition

1976 Moto Guzzi le Mans

A 1930 DuPont Model G Le Mans Speedster

Coming soon, cars with "Oulton Park" in the title (maybe not..).

Engine Punk becase .... not really is it? but the DuPont has an interesting story behind it concerning the son of the founder of the DuPont company - a rebel without a cause from the 1930's.

If Nick Hob (The Horsepower Whisperer himself) had a Porsche..

--it would be this one. A chopped and bare aluminium 356 body, 914-6 chassis and a mid-mounted 3-litre 911 engine. Built by Australian Jeff Dutton in 1992 and for sale in California.
Pictures from www.fantasyjunction.com

Engine Punk because .... its a one-off built for going fast and looking good, with an aesthetic that's not exotic sports or taken from the race track but something else that's kind of post-apocalypse urban, if you know what I mean. Designer-Mad Max.

French grass roots Enginepunks

Following on from the 2CV hotrod here's a Sahara replica spotted in France - nothing too rad just someone doing it for himself. Or possibly herself.

This is a Q car. It's not what it seems. Q cars are named after Q ships built in World War 1. They looked like helpless and vulnerable freighters but as soon as a submarine surfaced to fire upon them, down would come the rusty superstructure and there would be some big guns to blow the sub out of the water.

2CVs are great starting points for engine punk stuff. Taking the musical analogy further, they are classics - people keep doing cover versions! Each time it's subtlely different.

Personally, I reckon Enginepunkness can be highly finished and above production car values. Enginepunks do it because they can.

Or they can be old bangers....

I haven't a clue what lurks beneath the panels of this push-me pull-you 2CV or what type of competition it was built for - or even which way it's facing - but it oozes attitude IMHO.








Finally, a 2CV tank.

Engine Punk because .... 2 engines, two front ends and a tank - no justification needed I think.

Zero Engineering

By their very nature bikes have a functional aesthetic, but some say more than others about their intentions. Zero Engineering of Japan have produced some superb examples of bikes that have real attitude and a tension in their appearance – they look animated and flowing even when standing still.
www.zero-eng.com

Engine Punk because .... engine, wheels and attitude combined with a flowing functional, animated aesthetic. It has a poise that looks like its moving even when its standing still - it wants to go and begs to be ridden.

2cv Hot Rod

There were always fast Minis and Beetles but modified 2CVs were more of a fringe activity, maybe because they were bonkers enough in original form.
I do love the 2CV – my third car (along with the first & second) was a red one that cost £100 and gave me 50,000 miles of trouble free motoring (if you disregard the engine coming loose at the rear, which made for interesting braking).
You can find plenty of modified 2CVs on the web but I particularly think this one fits the Engine Punk ethos by pushing to the absolute limit what a 2CV could be in a style that’s similar to SteamPunk but is distinctly Engine Punk (no pipes or brass).
The images were found on the National Street Rod Association website – where you can find plenty of other great work along with details of a major event they have at the end of May.
Picture source: www.nsra.org.uk

Engine Punk because .... it pushes the boundaries of what a 2CV hot hod could be.

Boiled Swedes II

I’ve not seen these vehicles before, but when you look you can find a whole culture of custom & hotrod Volvos – including one of my favourites the Vox Amazon – built by Mattias Vöcks (winner of the hottest Volvo competition in 2006
Maybe I should start looking around the World to see what other local car culture surprises there are – is anyone in Korea taking a welding torch and a fat V8 to a Kia ?

Boiled Swedes

Maybe a little clean to have the title “punk” but I think it qualifies because of the contrast with the brand values of the company - the general perception of Volvo I have is for a company that produces estate cars for the middle classes to transport Labradors along the M4 at 90 mph.

Hot Rod Jakob was produced by Lief Tufvesson (ex-Volvo employee)and designed (& named) in the style of early Volvo from the late 1920s.
Our definition of Engine Punk asks for craft and Jakob does not disappoint with a carbon fiber chassis, except for the engine's steel subframe, and a body skinned in hand-beaten aluminium - all powered by a turbocharged five-cylinder engine that puts out 265 horsepower.

You can see more of Tufvesson's work via his company Caresto (http://www.caresto.se/).

Salamanda

I reckon this machine qualifies - it's a kind of French or Italian Austin 7 that may have existed in a parallel universe - spotted at Wiscombe Park hillclimb and designed by Oliver Way.