Custom car designer Andy Saunders gives the phrase "a work of art" an entirely new meaning when it comes to automobiles. The Englishman is so gifted that he is being called the Banksy of custom cars. For those not familiar, Banksy is a world-renowned artist famous for his graffiti. Banksy incorporates social commentary and political activism into his pieces and is well-known in the art world. Saunders is quite the artist in his own right and has built a name for himself because of his spectacular designs.
Saunders strives to consistently craft 1/1 vehicles that are exclusive to his builds. His imagination (and his budget) know no limits. The particular car featured in the video below was a 17-year project. Saunders stated that he spent 7,000 hours on the vehicle's construction alone.
Andy Saunders: Born to Build
The majority of Saunders' builds use antique or classic frames. Not only does Andy resurrect the gone and long forgotten vehicles, but he also changes their identity entirely. The body of the vehicle above was influenced by Andy's perception of a droplet of water. This artist can take any obscure or abstract concept and transform it into a working, moving piece of art. Like Banksy, Saunders sees the world through a different lens than most people and creates his builds so others can get a glimpse of the inner workings of his complex mind.
Time is an illusion when it comes to working on his passion and craft. Saunders, filled with innovative ideas, pours everything into his work, meticulously refining every detail to perfection. Andy calls the process more addictive than the amazing results of his hard labor.
An automotive enthusiast since his teens, Saunders first became publicly recognized when he took one of his creations for a spin in 1984. He made heads turn with his 1970's sci-fi design. Andy eventually went on to achieve amazing feats, including earning a spot in the Guinness World Record Book for his "world's flattest car."
Build after build, the genius creative gained more recognition until the media could not help but dub him "the Banksy of automobiles," because of the artistic integration present in his cars. Rusty old frames are his canvas, and his imagination is his paintbrush. Andy Saunders proves that with passion and hard work any beater can become a beauty.