Your own hood ornament in your garden

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Hood/bonnet ornaments, radiator caps, radiator statues, motor mascots, car mascots all names for that one feature that your classic car (make) differentiates all the others. They come in all shapes, sizes and are made of different materials. Perhaps the best known are surely the Spirit of Ecstasy and the Dancing Elephant. But is the Flying Lady or the Elephant created by Rembrandt Bugatti, Ettore’s brother also your personal favourite? Or does another maybe less well-known sculpture have your preference?

Normally the ornaments are scaled to go on a radiator, which in itself makes sense. But why should we not (also!) give these (too?) small, historically important works of art a prominent place in our living/working environment? Just like in the picture!

Modern craftsmanship

Essit Automotive will be showing some pretty modern craftsmanship this year at Salon Rétromobile. They explained to us the process of making such a wonderful chrome sculpture by using the best technological equipment currently on the market.

To start with, they took an “original” Dancing Elephant that appears on the radiator cap of the Bugatti Type 41 Royale, which they scanned themselves. This means the final product is a 100% copy of the “original”. Then they enlarged the digital ornament by 500%. With an SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) printer – a 3D printer which can print to 500mm high - they printed the Dancing Elephant. This takes 2 days of non-stop printing. When the printed model was finished it needed to be sanded to get it perfectly smooth, this takes one whole day. Then comes the most difficult part, the chroming. First a layer of ground paint is applied, what again needs to be sanded. Then the chrome is attached with a flame. After this, 4 layers of blank lacquer are applied to protect the ornament and make it weatherproof. This makes it possible to place the statue also outside. Finally, the ornament is filled to consolidate and is, with a special nut, placed at a pedestal. Without the base, the 50 cm high and 20 cm wide Dancing Elephant weighs 4 kg (8.82 pounds). A real eye-catcher for every classic car lover!

Both the Bugatti and Rolls Royce ornament can be seen at the PreWarCar.com & PostWarClassic.com stand in Hall 1 - D 084. They are made to order. If you have a specific hood ornament on your classic car of which you would like to have a 100% exact copy in your living room, office or garden, please contact Essit Automotive. Almost everything is possible!

Pictures by Lotte van Helvoort.

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