Original Blog Entry: Engineer makes classic cars from beer cans

truesee — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:18:38 GMT

Engineer makes classic cars from beer cans

An engineer dedicated to recycling has produced a series of detailed classic car models from empty beer cans.

Daily Telegraph

Published: 9:34AM BST 11 Sep 2009

Engineer Sandy Sanderson's classic car model made from Guinness beer cans Photo: CATERS

Sandy Sanderson, 55, creates the models from mangled containers of well-known brands.

The cars come complete with tiny gearsticks, peddles, dashboard dials and even glove boxes.

So far his mini car plant has produced nearly ten of the vehicles including buggies, vans, roadsters and sports cars.

Mr Sanderson decided to pursue the project after he was badly injured in a motorbike accident.

While he was recovering the father-of-two said that he was looking at the bottom of a beer can when the novel idea occured to him.

Mr Sanderson, who is from Sunderland but now lives in New Zealand, said: While I was off work, after the accident, I had the time to try making a racing car from drinks cans.

I have always looked at the bottoms of cans and thought 'That would make a really neat half wheel'.

The plans for each car take around three or four weeks to complete and then around 80 hours to build each one depending on how detailed they are.

I actually don't drink much because I spill most of it.

I drink Coca-Cola, and I like rum, but I have to persuade other people to drink the beer for me, fortunately I get plenty of offers for help there.

For what may appear to be just one can moving across a bonnet and down around a mudguard there could actually be five or six cans used to create that effect.

Some of the cars have required over 30 cans for their construction.

Sandy works as an engineering laser cutter in Hamilton, New Zealand, where he lives with his wife Jo.

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