Have you noticed that particular vehicles just 'pop' when you see them on the road? Whether they're a strange shape or a bold colour, certain vehicles just draw attention and stick in the mind.
From the classic American "Weinermobile", to the Mini/Red Bull cars and even the life-size Hotwheels remakes that get toted around to car shows and PR events, car marketing is (honestly) one of the most fun niches in automotive culture.
So why have we written a blog post on this?
Well, it's simple. A couple of months ago an 'associate' of ours decided it was time to start their own business. Without our knowledge, they were in the process of importing a mid-90s Daihatsu van from Japan (with the goal of selling luxury handbags) and wanted our Kashy mechanics to help do it up ready to launch.
While it's not our area of specialty, it's hard to say no to the opportunity to work on something so different - hence the "Twice Upon A Time" van was (re-)born.
But what did it take to take this little dreary blue van from dowdy dame to popping pink princess?
First and foremost was a change in looks (a facelift if you will). The day after the car was finally released from customs, our Kashy mechanics were booked in to replace the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) front bumper with a Morris Mini look aftermarket kit.
With new lights and a new face, we stumbled across our first problem; The car had been shipped with a dead alternator.
Here's where it pays to do research. While this car wasn't even listed by any of the regular suppliers, it just so happens to be based on a Daihatsu Mira meaning that many of the components are shared.
A new alternator (and a bunch of fan belts that needed to be specially sourced) and the Chanel camper was off to get the most important part of the makeover.
The wrap.
The most obvious change in the whole project is the colour change. And what better way to draw attention than driving around in a bright pink box!
Obviously, our Kashy mechanics can't take credit for this part of the transformation. However, from a clean sheet to a completed wrap the team at House of Wraps absolutely knocked it out of the park.
From colour choice to the logo, this is one of the best wraps we've seen.
The final couple of touches are all on the owner though. It's also where the personality of the Hermes hauler comes through. Interior arches, a pink steering wheel, new stereo and the world's first chandelier on wheels have made the interior one of the bougiest luxury goods stores to ever hit the road.
Some neon pink underglow (that's lights that shine under the car) was the last piece to make this the hottest handbag hangout around town.
So what's the moral of the story?
It's simple. Through a little bit of ingenuity, the team at Twice Upon A Time have turned their dowdy daily delivery driver into a genius calling card and all it took was a bit of time, effort and thought.
As most car enthusiasts know, a car is a car. And even worse, getting someone who isn't interested in cars to pay attention is a daunting task but, it's also what makes car marketing so effective. All it took was making a little Japanese van 'pink'.
If you have any questions about this blog post, would like a second opinion from a mechanic or would like to find an honest mechanic in Brisbane, check out Kashy here.