A New Era: Chapter 1 - The Stickerbomber

Oh Rolo, oh Rolo,
Where art thou Rolo,
The Stickerbombed Polo.

"IN A SCRAPPY WITH TWO ESSEX BOYS MATE."



I, Christian Tracey was in hiding again because I knew I had created something of a monster over the winter. That monster was one of a simple VW Polo with a rattling Automatic gearbox and various other irritating niggles that would drive me to he point of insanity on any given weekday.

But that monster was my monster, and above all it was a VW monster and that makes it slightly credible.



A question that's often never asked in this modern society is that what do people do with their cheap, shitty cars. They run them into the ground or fall in love with their sub standard handling, power and leaking engine and brand the endless amount of rust a fashion statement or 'tired'.

Entering the market for a cheap, shitty car was tough. Coming from a finished Beetle restoration I wasn't really keen on the idea of a cheap, shitty car but it made sense to get through the cheap, shitty winter with a warm workhorse.

The question asked at home was what statement can we make with this cheap, shitty car such as Rolo the Polo.

Then 'The Stickerbomber' was born. Essentials such as Borbet alloys were purchased to guarantee at least 90mph and for 80hp at the wheels... To be fair, the Borbet alloys were remarkable and after a little light restoration, the project was ready to be 'bombed.

Over the course of 5 months we covered the sides, bonnet and boot in what was estimated as 1000+ stickers. A mean feat for a man, with a little help of course, who struggled in his youth to complete just about anything and see it through.



However, March finally rolled around and after chewing up thousands miles, thousands of vibrations through the gearbox and steering wheel respectively, a thousand stickers and a new exhaust, it was time to hand over the reigns of The Stickerbomber to someone else who no doubt will be taking the credit in good faith!

But it doesn't matter, for £150 you can't even buy a mobile phone or even a designer coat in the UK.

To have a cheap, shitty car and transform it into a cheap, shitty car that delivered a million smiles from both myself and innocent bystanders of today's society with its ballsy and quirky styling, incorporating what I love and what facade I want to display to the world, the outcome was just divine.

For every motorist, every female who stood in disgust, every female who saw the bright side of it all (contact me...) and every young'un who when you come to drive your first car, a 6n Polo will be a classic car and I am genuinely sorry I ruined one, am thoroughly glad you all enjoyed the story of 'The Stickerbomber'.

Because to me, that was my idea of displaying this all out madness and that should always be something that us humans for the time we are on Earth need to find and tap into. It's a must and like a cult of personality would, I want you all to take a leaf out of my book and go mad.

I definitely will be showing you some throwbacks in the coming months of varying levels of progress when I soft through the archives :

To make £20 profit for a £170 cash sale. I was pretty happy and excited to reveal what came next.

But that's for another time...

First Day of Spring: Jake's Off to Respray

The first day of spring yesterday marked an important day in the calendar for me. A busy winter spent planning and discussing how 2015 should pan out.

Early on a very chilly Saturday morning, we were all up and ready to go. What were we doing? 

We were getting ourselves into gear and starting another project.

Remember Jake Bugg? The rare '67 Beetle has finally been sent off to go for his respray which has been nearly a whole year of finalising ideas, working out a cost and finding the perfect moment to send what is merely a semi welded bare shell away to be a fully welded bare shell with a lovely paint job on.

I admit, however we played it and at whatever time we decided to send him would ultimately cause a dilemma as it will mean a fresh paint job may be left outside over the winter, much like Lennon. Sadly, the overpopulated UK don't enjoy many warm days a year so we have a trade off. 

It's no sunny climate in the high 80's here.

I managed to depict the moment he was winched up onto the trailer, ready to be towed away to Jake's new undisclosed temporary residence for what is to be an approximate three months, where he will arrive home with a new lick of paint. Join me at some point in the next week where I will get around to talking about his colour scheme and various ideas we have in store.

As always, our interior plan is a hot topic and never to be disclosed.

During the next week, I will be updating you all on Watercooled affairs with what can only be described as...

...developments.