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.