23 May 2016
The piece, dubbed ‘The Queen of Parts’, was a portrait of Queen Elizabeth made completely out of spare vehicle parts. Vehicle parts are what we deal with every single day. We are involved in both sides of the process –from the wrecking of cars to the conversion of parts into something more useful. That something rarely ends up as a Queen’s birthday gift, so colour us here at JTW Autoparts impressed.
The portrait was a labour of love by artist David Parfitt and his team, painstakingly incorporating components from a typical mechanic’s garage to create a 3-metre, 115-kilogram portrait. The team used items such as spark plugs, petrol caps, hoses, gaskets, bumpers and headlights to form the celebrant’s face, hair, jewellery and clothing. Of course, these components are not without a bit of royal history.
The team made the crown out of brake and indicator lights from an Austin K2, a military truck the British Army used during the Second World War. Queen Elizabeth repaired and drove a number of Austin K2s during her deployment as an army mechanic.
‘Many people don't know that our queen is actually Britain's most famous mechanic’, says Dhiren Master, marketing director of the artwork’s company. ‘During World War Two, she did her part in serving the country by joining the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Services where she served as a mechanic and a driver’, he adds.
‘The Queen of Parts’ is truly an impressive piece of art and a special gift for Britain’s queen. Our company may use vehicle components for less novel applications, but we are not averse to appreciating fine works, especially when we spend most of our time recycling the not-so-fine automobiles of Australia.
There is always something better to make out of a broken car. Contact JTW Autoparts to learn more.
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