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Mercedes-Benz C107 450 SLC Top Chop Nice Matin | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2019)

Mercedes-Benz C107 450 SLC with custom top chop

Flag GermanyMercedes-Benz C107 450 SLC with custom top chop

When I found the original picture of this Mercedes-Benz C107 450 SLC parked in front of the Nice Matin building, I fell in love with it immediately. The color hues and saturation just scream late 70’s / early 80’s!

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Bentley S1 Continental Saloon by Mulliner | Outlaw photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2019)

Bentley S1 Continental by Mulliner

Flag United KindomBentley S1 Continental by Mulliner

Class and distinguished elegance. This is what most people associate with the Mulliner-bodied Bentley S1 Continental.

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Lancia Flaminia Speciale 3C Outlaw | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2019)

Lancia Flaminia Speciale 3C Outlaw

Lancia Flaminia Speciale 3C Outlaw

At first glance, you might be tempted to think that there hasn’t been done a lot of work to this Lancia Flaminia 3C. Compare it to the original picture and try to spot the subtle changes on my version of this stunningly beautiful classic Italian car.

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International Lonestar Tanker Trailer Special | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

International Lonestar with tanker trailer

After a long time since creating thetop-chopped Harley-Davidson Special Edition Lonestar, I wanted to create another one. The 2008 International Lonestar looks like a show truck from the factory and it didn’t need much customizing to create the slick rig you see in the picture. Lowered, larger diameter wheels with low profile tires and a a little clean-up here and there.

International Lonestar Tanker Trailer Special | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

NSU Ro 80 Fließheck | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

NSU Ro 80 Custom

Most articles ever written about the NSU Ro 80 focused on the technical side, mainly the futuristic rotary engine designed by Felix Wankel. The design pinned by Claus Luthe was also praised for being ahead of the game, too – back in the time when the car was new. When I was a young boy, frequently riding shotgun in our neighbors’ lime green metallic Ro 80 in the 1980’s, it was just an old and somewhat anachronistic car. Always maintained by the (ex-) NSU dealership, the car was in great shape and absolutely spotless, but in my eyes it lacked something I could never really pinpoint back then. Now, three decades later, I know what it was: presence – or rather the lack thereof. The upright greenhouse with the slim pillars and chrome trim, the narrow track and the huge ground clearance made the still modern looking shape of the body feel aged.

In this photoshop chop, I adressed the above points and as a result the car has a lot more presence. Most obviously the ride height has been altered and the track widened. Apart from that I fixed the greenhouse by performing a top chop and modifying the rake of all pillars. To tie in the design of the pre-facelift taillights with the widened track, they have been modified as well instead of opting for the ugly facelift parts.

NSU Ro 80 Fließheck | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

SAAB 96 Custom Top Chop | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

SAAB 96 Custom with Top Chop

This SAAB 96 has been modified, but appears to be rather subtle. Lowered, bumpers deleted, bigger diameter wheels with white wall tires, a top chop and custom front spoiler make it look a lot sportier. Can you imagine a second engine in the boot, as in my recently finished SAAB 96 Tvillingmotor?

SAAB 96 Custom Top Chop | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

Volkswagen Beetle Käfer | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

Volkswagen Käfer (Beetle) Custom Cutaway

A lunchbreak challenge on the weekend? Call it what you want – this photoshop has been finished in less than 45 minutes. I took an image of a cutaway Volkswagen Käfer (aka VW Beetle), lowered the car, modified the wheels, deleted the bumpers and customized it with a top chop. Done. The dog doesn’t care driver and passengers seem to like it. 😉

Volkswagen Beetle Käfer | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

Gutbrod Superior 600 Fettes Brod | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

Gutbrod Superior 600 | Fettes Brod

While researching pictures for an upcoming FIAT 500 photoshop chop, I stumbled upon a picture of a Gutbrod Superior 600. As usual, an idea sparked and immediately I had the finished project already in my head. So I went to work and what you see here is not quite what I had imagined, but the result of a hilarious late night brainstorming session with a good friend. The Gutbrod body was altered slightly by chopping the top, louvering the hood, converting the doors to being hinged as suicide doors and relocating the wheel wells. The front axle has been moved further towards the front to get rid of the long front overhang and improve the overall proportions. Lowering was mandatory and after some trial and error with other wheels, I decided to go for Wolfrace slot mags, but kept the original hubcaps for that period correct feel. A joke referring to the German band Fettes Brot led to the sticker you see on the fender: Fettes Brod, which now also is the nickname of this hot rod project.

Gutbrod Superior 600 Fettes Brod | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

Click here to see the original picture.

International Harvester D-300 Tow Truck Hot Rod | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

International Harvester D-300 Tow Truck | Tugboat Annie

Ever since I saw the first streamliner from the era between the wars, I was in love with the great shapes and details. Coachbilders created stunning works of art back then and the owners took pride in owning these rigs. This International Harvester D-300 has been converted into a tow truck with a custom-built streamline aluminum body by a shop in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. Apparently the shop was called Ebenhoh Custom Truck Body, according to The Old Motor. Apart from lowering the truck and adding larger diameter wheels with lower profile tires, I didn’t change anything on Tugboat Annie. But if you let your imagination run wild, you might think about a hot rod motor under the cab.

R&R Vacuumcraft made a 1/25 scale resin kit, which unfortunately is out of production. If I can find one somewhere, I will build a scale model of the lowered truck.

International Harvester D-300 Tow Truck Hot Rod | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

Click here to see the original picture.

Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser Surfer Special | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser | Surfer Special 1967

A quick sketch on a napkin during lunch break last week inspired me to transform a full-size Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser into a station wagon surfers would have loved back in the late Sixties. Thanks to deleting the rear doors, the trunk space now reaches all the way forward to the B-pillar, which gives you plenty of room for the gear and a large sleeping area. The side glass has been replaced with metal, allowing for insulation and storage compartments on the inside walls. To ensure the period-correct look and feel I added fake wood to the sides, which is sourrounded by chrome trim. This also helps to stretch the lines of the vehicle. Imagine to lie in there with your favorite beach babe after a long day of surfing, pulling the curtains shut and gazing at the stars through the vista roof.

Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser Surfer Special | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

Check out the original image for comparison.

Panhard Dyna 54 Custom Lead Sled | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

Panhard Dyna Z Custom

Inspired by lead sleds and other vintage customs, I decided to apply a tried and tested recipe to a vehicle nobody ever customized: the 1954 Panhard Dyna Z. A top chop is a classic modification to alter the roofline and overall appearance of a car. It also reduces drag and therefore makes the car faster. Aerodynamic enhancements are especially important if adding more horsepower isn’t really an option. Mind you, this is a rather small vehicle and fitting an engine larger than the original 851cc engine would be a massive challenge. Not too many of the ~ 140.000 built are left and I doubt that many enthusiasts would enjoy seeing one of the few leftover Z cars “butchered” just for aesthetic purposes. However, nobody can object to modifying a couple of pixels. If you don’t like it, you might enjoy looking at the original picture instead.

Panhard Dyna 54 Custom Lead Sled | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

 

SAAB 96 Classic Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

SAAB 96 | Classic Custom

Happy New Year! The first photoshop chop in 2018 is an old project from years ago that I finally got around to finish now. I found the original picture of the SAAB 96 and immediately thought this vehicle #needsmorelow. Lowering it and enlarging the wheels made it look better, but the little something that makes it special was still missing. In order to keep it period-correct, I used the natural lines and added some graphics. These days you would probably utilize vinyl stickers, but back then it would have been painted. All in all a fun little project to prove that every vehicle has potential to look better.

SAAB 96 Classic Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2018)

BMW 2002 4-Door Touring Concept | Photoshop Chop by Sebastian Motsch (2016)

BMW 2002 Touring 4-door

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. 😉

virtualmodels-bmw-2002-4-door-touring

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.

Volvo VN 770 Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2014)

Volvo VN 770 Custom

After modifying a Volvo VN series about two years ago and receiving many positive comments, I felt the urge to do it again. This time around it’s an older version of the much loved Volvo VN. Once again it turned out to be a great idea to keep it simple. Lowered over a set of larger chrome rims and adding a few aero enhancements do the trick quite easily. Hope you will like it!

Volvo VN 770 Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2014)

 

Lancia Thema Turbo custom widebody | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2014)

Lancia Thema Turbo custom widebody

The Lancia Thema is a nice example for timeless design from the 80’s/90’s. However, even in 8.32 guise it seems to be a little too slim. Grafting on a set of Lancia Delta Integrale inspired fenders on a four door sedan might not be that easy in reality – but well worth it! It gains so much presence when widened and lowered over a set of concave wheels. As often with VirtualModels modified pictures, you find some USDM sidemarker love in the picture. 😉

Lancia Thema Turbo custom widebody | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2014)

Dodge C500 Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2014)

Dodge C500 Custom

A photoshop quickie, quite literally. A friend sent me a picture of the Dodge C500 and challenged me to modify it within a given time-frame of ten minutes. There is not much one can do in ten minutes, but hey – it was just for the heck of it anyways. 😉

Dodge C500 Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2014)

Ford Escort LX Wagon | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2014)

Ford Escort LX Wagon

Who said compact family wagons are boring? Every boy sitting in the backseat of such a vehicle must have thought at one point that it would be really cool if Daddy modified the family hauler to add to the appearance. The Ford Escort LX Wagon pictured here was simply lowered, larger wheels have been fitted along with an airdam up front and a modified hood. Little things do make a difference.

Ford Escort LX Wagon | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2014)

 

Chrysler Voyager Mk1 Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2013)

Chrysler Voyager Mk1 Custom

The inspiration to photoshop a Chrysler Voyager Mk1 came from reading Brock Yates‘ book The Critical Path. The old one-box design minivans have a lot of potential for customizing, in my opinion. I tried to keep it in an 80’s style, but the stance is definitely a more contemporary approach…

Chrysler Voyager Mk1 Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2013)

Mercury Park Lane Hardtop Sedan Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2013)

Mercury Park Lane Sedan Custom

A true classic with a classic custom car touch. Not much done here, because it doesn’t need much to make that particular car look stunning. The body has been lowered, cleaned and received a pinstriping, which spans the whole flank. And yes – the Mercury Park Lane Sedan is a rather large vehicle.

Mercury Park Lane Hardtop Sedan Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2013)

GMC Vandura Rally STX RainbowCruiser | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2013)

GMC Vandura Rally STX RainbowCruiser

The colorful custom vans of the 1970’s and 80’s have always been an inspirational source for me. Especially the Chevrolet G20 / GMC Vandura vans are amongst my favorite body styles. In this case I used a Vandura Rally STX as a base, deleted the windows and added colorful graphics to the side panels. The van has also been lowered and a set of period-correct custom wheels have been added. The boat on the trailer has been color-matched and the GMC logo color-coded. A rather simple conversion, but it has all the vibe it needs, doesn’t it?

GMC Vandura Rally STX RainbowCruiser | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2013)

Volkswagen Santana Mk1 | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2013)

Volkswagen Santana Mk1

Sometimes a random memory sparks something. In this case I remembered, for some reason or another, that my French teacher once used to drive a very un-cool dark blue Volkswagen Santana Mk1. I searched the web for a suitable picture to use as a base – and got carried away… again.

This project evolved to be a custom Santana which a surfer might drive. The body is essentially stock, but a roof-rack with a surfboard has been added. The car was then lowered over a set of vintage Corvette wheels with tires sporting red stripes. A couple of surf-related stickers, a few details here and there and it was finished. Point proven, even a VW Santana has potential to look (somewhat) cool. 😉

Volkswagen Santana Mk1 | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2013)

Tucker Torpedo Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2012)

1948 Tucker Torpedo Custom

Ever since seeing a Tucker Torpedo in the Murdo (South Dakota) Pioneer Auto Museum in 2001, I’ve been fascinated with the vehicle. Many years later, somebody gave me a DVD with the video about the brilliant man named Preston Tucker. He thought about many features, like rollover protection and directional lights, decades before anybody else – and realized them. Most of them far too advanced for the time, though. Mind you, we’re talking about 1948!

The sleek design inspired me to create a modernized version of the Tucker Torpedo, while retaining the key elements of the design. Yes, HotWheels models did play an influential role here…

Tucker Torpedo Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2012)

1957 Chevrolet Nomad Delivery Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2012)

1957 Chevrolet Nomad Delivery Custom

The 1957 Chevrolet has always been a favorite amongst fans of the 50’s fins and chrome era. Especially the rare Nomad wagon is heavily sought after these days. Not many people would dare to weld the windows shut on such an iconic vehicle. But hey… we’re not talking about reality. Real world rules don’t apply to the world of photo manipulation, where deleting a couple of layers from your photoshop file restores the car to its original shape and value. Just imagine what it would be like to actually do it and drive it to a car show. Now… would you do it?

1957 Chevrolet Nomad Delivery Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2012)

Volvo VN Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2012)

Volvo VN Custom

The Volvo VN series heavy duty trucks are slick machines, but I never really liked the front bumper. Somehow it just doesn’t go well with the overall appearance of the truck. In order to change that, I modified a picture of a sparkling blue VN with a polished trailer found in the internet. The usual lowering was a must on the semi truck and I also lowered the trailer to go with it. Larger wheels look the part and the more voluminous bumper enhances the appearance. The side skirts are smoothed and entering the truck without scratching the paint sure is a challenge now 😉
A set of graphics and black chrome trim add the final touch.

Volvo VN Custom | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2012)

 

Freightliner Business Class M2 Dumper | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2012)

Freightliner Business Class M2 Dump Truck

Sometimes, when browsing for pictures of interesting cars, something else pops up that inspires me. This time around it was a picture of an ordinary Freightliner Business Class M2 dump truck. Yes, even such basic machinery has lots of potential for more. Many parts have been altered, but I tried to keep the look subtle enough to be convincing. Would it still be drivable on a construction site? Maybe not… but it would look good trying, for sure. 😉

Freightliner Business Class M2 Dumper | photoshop chop by Sebastian Motsch (2012)