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Oct
07
For a very long time I wanted to photoshop a Land Rover Defender but for some reason or another I never did. Today I thought about it again and went to work on it immediately. Starting with a plain 110 Utility Wagon I lifted it substantially, added bigger wheels with BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires, relocated the overfenders for more clearance and cut the rear quarter panel for a better departure angle. Winch and snorkel are a must on any 4×4 in my opinion, but I went a different route with the roof rack. Instead of utilizing the old fashioned style, I tried to create an integrated and more aerodynamic version complete with spare tire and jerrycans. To finish it off, I added a blue camouflage design. Now… I’d love to hop in, take it off-road and get it dirty.
Click here to see the original picture.
Sep
13
“Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems.” Scott Adams
Nobody would have even the faintest doubt that the FIAT engineers created a lot of problems when they came up with the FIAT 130 and 130 Coupé, because these vehicles shared virtually no parts with other FIAT models from that period. Even the Aurelio Lampredi designed V6 engine is not identical with the machine used in the Dino. But nonetheless – the 130 Coupé is a beautiful automobile – and definitely more elegant than the somewhat baroque sedan model. The guys at the Pininfarina design studios must have had the same thought and created a four-door model based on the design of the coupé. Quite a stunning vehicle with almost perfect proportions – but as I never liked the tall and narrow wheels of the Seventies I updated the looks with more modern wheels and tires. Larger diameter, lower profile and a substantial drop in ride height all of a sudden make the vehicle look more contemporary timeless.
See the original image here for comparison.
Sep
09
Who didn’t love “spot the differences” pictures as a kid?
A friend of mine recently bought a Pontiac Bonneville SSE and one of the line-drawings in the manual left us guessing which car it actually depicted. It definitely wasn’t a Bonneville, that’s for sure. But, as always, our collective car brains eventually figured out what it was: an A-body Chevrolet Celebrity. While searching our brains google I found this old ad for the aforementioned vehicle and send it to my friends. We had a good laugh, mostly because of the mentioning of advanced technology. 🙂
Anyway… being the photoshop artist I am, there was no way I could leave the picture alone. Keeping with my motto that every vehicle has at least some sort of potential to look less boring I went to work. Ten minutes later it was finished: lowered, wheels enlarged and changed from convex to concave surface, sideskirts modified and a front airdam added. Looks less forgetable now, doesn’t it?
Time and again it is basically just a matter of subtle changes like lowering the car and adding a nice(er) set of wheels to make it look better…
Original picture for reference:
Jul
30
“A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of.” Ogden Nash
It really makes me wonder what the photographer of the original picture had in mind, when he placed a rather large dog in the rear seat of the Volvo 262C? Is it possible that he wanted to illustrate that dogs are good companions and like to travel in Volvos? Good idea, but judging by the dogs’ rather sad face he might have actually prefered to ride in a 265 station wagon.
The original picture was on my hard drive for more than a decade. The first try on modifying this vehicle is just as old – and was horrible. So I saved it and forgot about it. A chance encounter with a 262C on the Autobahn last week reminded me of the old file and I openened it in Photoshop again… only to delete it minutes later. After a quick search for the same picture with better size and resolution, I started to modify it again. This time around I changed a vital part that I didn’t think about ten years ago: the rear fender. The Volvo 200-series cars have a rear fender cutout that prohibits lowering the car without looking odd, because the upper part of the wheel disappears behind the sheetmetal. Once that was fixed I selected a set of wheels with period correct design, lowered the car, modified the front spoiler and added the black stripes.
It took ten years to finally finish this one, but now I’m happy with the result. If you have any suggestions what could be done differently or better, please let me know in the comments. Thank you in advance.
Jul
26
“Every great inspiration is but an experiment – though every experiment we know, is not a great inspiration.” Charles Ives
Inspiration comes from many sources. When it comes to cars, a friend of mine often unwittingly provides inspiration for photoshop chops. He had been looking at a car with the possible intent of buying it and sent a set of pictures to our Facebook group. None of us recognized the vehicle even after he told us what it was, but everybody came up with the same joke in return: Plymouth Reliant? Oh wait… wasn’t there a funny tricycle called Reliant Robin that kept rolling over in one of the TopGear episodes a few years ago? We had a good laugh and forgot about the malaise era car immediately afterwards. See it, turn around and the next second the memory is blank again. Not really what you would call an enthusiast car, right? Yes… but hey, I can’t help it: the pictures of the pale yellow car and the Reliant Robin jokes sparked an idea…
Here is the inspirational TopGear video mentioned above:
Jul
21
The Jaguar E-Type is one of the automotive icons of the 20th century, along with the Citroën DS. Most people, including most of my friends from Passau Classics, think that these iconic cars should not be messed with and any modification deviating from 100% originality is deemed evil. If you are a regular reader you already know that I created a DS Shooting Break and hence you will not be surprised about the latest creation. Unlike the DS, which is completely my idea and design, the Jaguar E-Type Mk3 V12 you see below is inspired by the current trend of bolting fender flares to cars.
As per my opinion that parts should not only be cosmetic but also serve a purpose, I choose the Jaguar as a base for this conversion. The original body of the E-Type is not designed to accomodate wide wheels due to the shape of the fenders. An update to state-of-the art coilovers along with a healthy drop in ride height and a set of larger and wider wheels necessitates the above mentioned bolt-on fenders. Oh… and of course cutting off substantial parts of the original bodywork in the process. The purists out there might not like it a tiny bit or even hate it, but like-minded enthusiasts might love it even more. 😉
May
28
Aston Martin Lagonda Panel Van Conversion
Aston Martin / Panel Van Conversion / Photoshop Chops / Shooting Brake / Shooting Break Posted by Sebastian Motsch
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4 comments
Five years ago I created a photoshop chop image of an Aston Martin Lagonda Limousine Dragster. Ever since then I wondered what an accompagnying shop truck could look like. Today, while watching the 24h race of the Nürburgring, I finally did it. From the front to the B-pillar it is 100% original, but everything further back has been modified. In order to prevent the vehicle to look tail-heavy, I decided to add a window just aft of the B-pillar. This makes the vehicle look more elegant and concentrates more optical weight in the center of the car. And to make an already long car look even longer, I lowered it. Larger diameter wheels with less sidewall give it a more modern look and the pinstripe is the icing on the cake. Now – who wouldn’t love to haul parts for the shop with this rig?
May
27
The designers of the Subaru SVX (aka Alcyone) went all out to create something very futuristic in the 1990’s. My favorite color combination on this UFO car is white and black, because it gives the vehicle an elegant look. But stock cars are not really my thing – I love to modify them to better suit my taste. Especially with delicate designs I try to keep the modifications rather subtle, because I don’t want to mess up the original lines and ruin it in the process. That’s why I only lowered it over a set of Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am wheels that resemble the classic BBS E50. The front and rear skirts have been modified to give them more volume and to line them up with the sideskirts. Please let me know in the comments if you would drive it like that or what you would do differently. Thanks in advance. 🙂
May
27
Just a quick sketch, because somebody asked me how I would modify the front of the Maserati Shamal I created some weeks ago. Turned out to have a mean and evil looking face, even though the modifications are only minimal.
Apr
30
Out of pure curiousity I wanted to know what a Mercedes-Benz C107 450 SLC would look like as a shooting break. However, midway throught the project I decided to create a panel van of the MAMPE Lufthansa Cocktail liveried racecar instead of the civilian shooting break. 😉
Apr
25
Found this picture of a nice Maserati Shamal today and decided to have some fun and create a quick photoshop chop, Stance|Works style. Not much done here: lowered, USDM sidemarkers, tinted window frame and the same front lip and concave multi-piece OEM+ wheels I used on the Maserati Biturbo Spyder. Like it or not – it does put a smile on my face. 🙂
Edit: somebody asked me how the front of this Maserati Shamal would look like. Turns out to be a rather mean and evil looking Maserati Shamal.
Apr
23
The Mitsubishi Sapporo Coupé is one of those vehicles with great lines and design details. All in all a nice car, but it somehow lacks something. However, this can be fixed easily: a healthy dose of lowering, larger diameter “OEM+” wheels and a few details here and there. The two-tone paint is more pronounced now, the taillights are all red and the front grille darker. The front airdam is the icing on the cake.
This photoshop chop only took half an hour, give or take. I just love to enhance original design so the changes are hardly visible to those not familiar with the original car. 😉
Apr
20
A good friend of mine recently bought a SAAB 9000 which didn’t look bad at first sight, but upon closer inspection, showed many signs of advanced wear and tear. Nothing serious, but the little things that need to be fixed add up quickly. So I fired up my creativity and came up with a solution that is neither simple nor quick to achieve – but would be stunning and a head-turner. Let me present: the SAAB 9000 Høt Rød Cøncept. Proudly sponsored by the long-defunct ABA Swedish Airlines. 😉
Dec
21
Many years ago I saved a picture of an Alfa Romeo Alfasud Giardinetta on my computer. I fiddled around with it now and then but never liked the outcome. But when I created the BMW 2002 Turbo panel wagon a couple of weeks ago I remembered the Giardinetta. After opening the picture and covering the windows it was only a matter of a few hours until the Furgone conversion was finished. I hope you enjoy and like my take on the Alfasud with lowered suspension, multi-piece wheels, low profile tires and blacked out chrome parts.
Dec
17
While recently discussing shooting breaks and the design of the Volvo 480 Turbo with a friend of mine, we agreed that the proportions of the vehicle are rather odd. In my opinion, the proportions are off because the front overhang is way too long. Or is the rear overhang just too short? Whatever the case may be – the latter is a lot easier to fix. I wanted to stick to my motto that it must be possible to create something not only in photoshop but in reality as well. This is what we came up with: the Volvo 480 Turbo Wagon. I purposely kept it looking stock, apart from a set of BBS LM wheels, lowering and a front airdam. Looking at the picture I wonder why Volvo didn’t think of that and built it? They are the wagon company after all, aren’t they?
Now only one question remains: who dares to build this beautiful and elegant two-door wagon?
Dec
05
Avid followers of my blogs VirtualModels and Drive-by Snapshots may already be aware that I have a sweet spot for classic French cars. Spending many a school holiday en vacences in France certainly is one of the possible reasons, yes. This and my preference of straight lines and low waistlines are perfectly combined in the Peugeot “05” generation. The greenhouse of the Peugeot 505 is more elegant than that of a Ford Granada Mk2 and at the same time almost as delicate as a Jaguar XJ‘s. This however becomes obvious only after the 505 is lowered, which also changes the overall appearence and makes the car look longer than it actually is. As with many cars from that era, there is no need to alter the body to get a great look. Just a few minor adjustments here and there… et voilá! C’est ça. Très bien.
PS: I do know that the classic Wolfrace wheels are a better fit on the early chrome bumper models, but I choose them anyway to offset the blacked-out trim pieces. Doesn’t hurt the stance either, does it? 😉
Dec
03
Looking at it from far away or just seeing a tiny little preview picture many people might think “BMW E30” initially. Though very similar in overall size, shape and packaging – this is neither designed nor made in Bavaria, but on the other side of the Alps where the weather usually is a lot nicer during winter. For the first time ever I applied my photoshop skills to a Maserati. Why? Because it looks like a cross-country 4WD edition with the original ride height which messes up the proportions of the car entirely. Check out the original picture here. So what has been done to achieve this look? Not much, actually – keeping to my design ethos of keeping it realistic so it could be done with a real car and possibly even get TÜV-approval in Germany. Substantial lowering (possibly air-ride?), re-shaped front and rear bumpers to match the lines of the original sideskirt, USDM sidemarkers, black stripes to break up the area between the wheel arches. I also converted the original wheels into more concave multi-piece items.
Now – who spotted the chopped windshield frame / A-pillars? 😉
Nov
23
In case you’re not a friend of the Saharabeige BMW 2002 Turbo Panel Wagon, here is a different version for you: medium grey with M-colored turbo stripes. Instead of placing them on the usual location on the front fender, I opted to put it on the door. This creates a nice mirror-like effect with the A-pillar, which is almost shaped like an arrowhead pointing in the direction of travel. Next up will be an El Camino style pick-up. Stay tuned!
Check out the BMW 2002 4-door touring this conversion is based on.
Nov
21
Creating the BMW 2002 Touring was so much fun that I decided to run with the idea and turn it into a panel wagon. I kept the shortened front doors to maximize cargo space in the spacious rear compartment. Having done that I noticed that the half of the vehicle looked rather bland. 2002 Turbo fender flares and BBS E50 center-lock wheels help tremendously to remedy this situation. Gotta haul those BMW Motorsport parts in style!
PS: Wait for the next iteration if you don’t like the period-correct Saharabeige (oo6) of this version. 😉
Nov
16
Waking up to the news that Paul Rosche (aka Nocken Paule) passed away yesterday inspired me to finish a long-overdue project: the BMW 2002 4-door Touring.
Why would somebody want to do that? Well, a friend of mine thought about converting a 1:24 scale model of a BMW 02-series to a station wagen. He challenged me to design such a car with Photoshop, so he could use the picture as a reference for the build. Challenge accepted… but as always, it took (a lot) longer than expected. We agreed to leave the wheelbase as is, which made it very difficult to get the proportions right. Yes, the front doors are shortened and the rear doors are a little too short and only suitable for children – but the 02-series was never known to have much space for grown-ups. I wanted to keep the pop-out windows in the rear, even though it might only available at extra cost by ticking the right box on the order sheet. 😉
Rest in peace, Mr. Rosche. May one of your brilliantly designed engines live in the engine bay of this vehicle – should anyone ever build it in 1:1 scale.
Please let me know if you like the design and if you’re interested to see the other versions I cooked-up, based on the same original picture. Thank you in advance for your feedback.
Sep
03
After a couple of modified Volvo 18-wheelers it was time to photoshop an American icon – the mighty Kenworth W900. A classic with perfect lines and proportions that doesn’t need much to look awesome. Bigger wheels with low profile tires, a healthy drop and a couple of details here and there, done. This was just a quickie, but there is more to come soon. 😉
Sep
02
This might not suit the 100% factory stock aficionados. No apologies here, however – as this could and probably should be done with a real vehicle. There are still plenty of these wonderful Bruno Sacco designed vehicles around, many of them in a rather sorry shape with plenty of rust. Saving one from the scrapyard and modifying it shouldn’t be considered a huge sin? The recipe is neither complicated nor excessively expensive: A custom suspension set-up suitable for drift duty with massive steering angles, a set of Corvette C3 wheels with modified hubcaps, a home-made bodykit and a couple of stickers. And for good measure, add a fender mounted rear-view mirror, because the first owner couldn’t afford to order the passenger side mirror. Now weld up a nice bumper bar to protect the bodywork when hanging out the tail and you’re good to go… either with the factory V8 or an engine swap of your choice. Have fun! 🙂
Jul
26
Back in the 1970’s vanning was hot and a lot of people converted ordinary run of the mill vans into plush and colorful expressions of their (often weird) ideas.
Round bubble windows proved to be a popular addition and I wanted to include this period design feature by utilizing the rising sun flag theme. However, this vehicle is based on a more luxurious trim level and therefore I had to remove a couple of windows first.
Keeping the old spirit and adding current customizing flavors is what I had in mind with this one. The overall theme and choice of wheel design are a nod to the seventies, but the details take it right to current trends. The Nissan Caravan was therefore properly stanced to ensure nice fitment of the wheels. All the chrome trim has been blacked out for a more modern look, but all the badges are still proudly displayed. And just in case you’re wondering whether or not I would take this van for a surfing holiday: hell yeah!
Mar
28
A friend of mine recently came up with the idea of converting an Opel Kadett E Combo into a GSI. This is a proven, straight-forward project and has been done many times. Being asked if I could envision this with Adobe Photoshop, I remembered that I had already done this many years ago – and sure enough, the file was still on my hard-drive…
