About Vincent Loos and His VW Art Car Foxy Shahzadi
Vincent Loos is a 39-year-old Frenchman who finished a three year stint at a hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan. He was with "Doctors without borders" and the owner of a 25 year old Volkswagen Beetle wreck, found at the bottom of an Islamabad street waiting for a final trip to the scrapyard. He hired an intensive care specialist who restored the car to full health, and then hired Alhabib Ejaz, an artist to paint in the local style known as "truck art".
His Dream was to travel to Paris by road with a beautifully painted VW art car covered in a psychedelic array of flowers, waterfalls and the faces of famous Pakistanis. He wanted this 6,000 mile trip to be a way to show the world the "softer side" of Pakistan.
So he embarked on his art on wheels tour, a trip that took about two weeks fully equipped with a roof rack and plenty of spare parts to make the grueling trip across that part of the world. For more info you can check out his blog
Traveling by Foxy, as Beetles are affectionately known in Pakistan, Loos payed homage to a local motoring cult. Dozens of well-maintained Beetles ply the streets. (His, a cool grey, a Betsy, a proud 1967 model.)
The Beetle came to Pakistan in the 1950s with army officers and bureaucrats returning from postings abroad. The appeal has endured – Mubashir Hasan, a finance minister from the 1970s, still drives his around Lahore. Romano Karim of Islamabad's VW club estimates about 500 "Foxies" travel Pakistan's roads. "Cute, quirky, cheap spare parts – it's the ideal car," he says.
About Alhabib Ejaz
Alhabib Ejaz was the local truck artist who was hired to transform Foxy Shahzadi into one of the most beautiful VW art cars in town for its long journey to Paris. Alhabib Ejaz is an artist who has devoted his entire life to painting those amazing Pakistani art trucks with crazy paint jobs and doilies hanging from the windows and as you can see he did ana amazing job on Foxy. What I like the most about Alhabib is the fact that he rocks the social media scene with flikr, a youtube video and two facebook accounts to promote his amazing art. This whole thing happened back in 2009 but it deserves a big mention here on Art Car Central. Please check the Alhabib Ejaz's video below.
Foxy Shahzadi VW Art Car and the Rocking Alhabib Ejaz who Painted it
Foxy Shahzadi VW Art Car Eyes
Foxy Shahzadi VW Art Car Rear
Foxy Shahzadi VW Art Car Rear
Foxy Shahzadi VW Art Car Front
Foxy Shahzadi VW Art Car Hood
Foxy Shahzadi VW Art Car Rear Door
Foxy Shahzadi VW Art Car Hood
Foxy Shahzadi VW Art Car Hood
Foxy Shahzadi VW Art Car Hubcaps
Alhabib Ejaz artist who painted Foxy Shahzadi VW Art Car
Meerkat Six Star Wars 1981 Jetta Art Car - Rear Side
I just got this sad story sent to me by Thomas you had his Star Wars artcar called Meerkat Six, a 1982 Diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta stolen last May of 2010. He took inspiration from Star Wars Episode III Jedi Starfighter, the X-Wing Fighter, and the Rebel Blockade Runner but later realized that he had chosen the Snowspeeder's color scheme. The astromech droid was made from an old lampshade that had been in the "droid parts" box for twenty-odd years and named J3-T7. He also used two different fonts for the lettering, "Engli-Besh" by Erikstormtrooper, and "Imperial Code" by Dan Zadorozny at Iconian Fonts.The chances of it ever be seen again are very small but a replacement art car is in the works.
Meerkat Six Star Wars 1981 Jetta Art Car - Front Side
Meerkat Six Star Wars 1981 Jetta Art Car - Hood
Meerkat Six Star Wars 1981 Jetta Art Car - JR-T7
Meerkat Six Star Wars 1981 Jetta Art Car - JR-T7 at Night
Meerkat Six Star Wars 1981 Jetta Art Car - Front Fender
Meerkat Six Star Wars 1981 Jetta Art Car - Rear Fender
Get ready for this years camping trip with a super 65 VW Camper Tent Art Car on sale at Firebox.com. Its an Officially licensed, four-person tent, full-size replica of the iconic 1965 VW Camper Van that will be sure to turn heads when you set it up. It comes in Red, Yellow and Blue but who says you have to settle, so go ahead and turn into an Art Car Tent.
The Phone Car Crushed by Collapsed Roof - Front Side
The world famous Phone Car created by Howard Davis was brutally damaged recently when the roof of the Avon Industrial Park collapsed due to snow build up. The Phone car will not be making any long distance calls anytime soon, but with a little TLC and some bondo it can be up running soon. Our best wished for a speedy recovery goes out to you.
The Phone Car Crushed by Collapsed Roof - Front
The Phone Car Crushed by Collapsed Roof - Rear Side
Have you ever sat around with your friend and though, "hey, we should make our car an electric car"?
Danny Alva and Donato Helbling woke up one day and decided to turn their VW into an electric car. This DIY project can be found Miami EV Project for all to see and keep up on their journey.
They took a Volkswagen Golf III, gave it an amazing paint job by LEBO Studios, called the Buzz and swapped out the engine and fuel tank for an electric motor and batteries. After about 70 days of hard work, the final product was on display at the Green Art Fair Miami 2008. Even though the two were a bit exhausted by the challenge, they were ready to tackle more conversions soon.
Their mission is to research and develop electric vehicles and to provide public education and promotion of this alternative way of transportation. Helbling's big question is this: "If we can do it, why can't everybody? Do we really need to wait for car companies to sell us a new electric car?" To answer that, keep an eye out for Alva and Helbling to possibly work on a reality show or documentary series called "Green Your Ride."
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).
Hot Turbo VW Radio Flyer Art Car Built by Toby Hall
Toby Hall is one of those people who will forever remain a kid at heart, just by looking at his latest creation. He recently built a full size Radio Flyer on a VW bug chassis, with a 1641cc flat-four and a Renault 5 turbo that will turn heads and burn rubber. Toby got the idea by watching Tool Time on TV during an episode when Tim the Toolman brought home a motorized Radio Flyer as a Christmas gift. He knew instantly that he had to build one and then went out and got busy. Toby spent a lot of time building his new toy with a tubed frame, bomber style seats, exposed engine and a great paint job. One the coolest features is the tow that can be pulled both by car and by hand when the handle is tilted down. Toby's Radio Flyer was just featured in this months volksworld magazine out of the UK and its my prediction that his art car will go viral. So glad we could have another hot Radio Flyer along with the one Bob Castaneda built in the US back in 1996.
This Cop and Robber VW Art Car Sculpture was created and sent in by artist Linda Bakke from Norway. Two vw bugs welded together and painted, one as a cop and the other a robber, so I guess the cop got his perp.
This garden art car is headed to The U.S. Supreme Court that will consider an appeal next month from the owner of Planet K stores over his long-running battle with the city of San Marcos about his right to display it. In 2007 Michael Kleinman paid two artists to transform this salvage special in front of his store into a painted cactus planter art car. City officials got themselves hot and bothered, claiming the Oldsmobile 88 was in violation of a city ordinance declaring such displays public nuisances. The car was removed and Kleinman is appealing a 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in February that found the car-planter to be “ultimately a junked vehicle.” Good luck with that!! via
Its funny I was going to do a garden art car post a while back and forgotten about it until my dad sent me this article two days ago. As you can see these are just a few of the garden cars I found from around the world. Most are intentional, some natural and the last one is purely accidental. If you like these you might also like the Grass Art Cars also on Art Car Central.
If you are a normal parent you probably have kids songs running through your head at all times. I just happen to get Sponge Bob Stuck in my head today and the only cure was just to find all the Sponge Bob "Art" Cars and post them. Its not that the SpongeBob art cars are insane but you go insane even contemplating doing this to your car. It's like the song never go away...ever. These people clearly have kids and its obvious that they are insane and need intervention big time.
it can be up running soon. Our best wished for a speedy recovery goes out to you.
art cars are insane but you go insane even contemplating doing this to your car. It's like the song never go away...ever. These people clearly have kids and its obvious that they are insane and need intervention big time.
