Hasta La Ideas

How a breed of obsessive mechanics and craftsmen are turning out vintage-inspired modern automobiles

The resurgence of handcrafted objects has spread from fashion to electronics to spirits—you can listen to vinyl LPs while wearing reissued Levi’s 1947 501s and sipping small-batch local bourbon in almost any city in America—but bespoke craft has largely eluded the auto industry. Sure, you can’t throw a rock in a mall parking lot without hitting a retro-inspired muscle car, and some manufacturers have made bolt-on aftermarket “customization” as easy as assembling an IKEA bookshelf, but theoretically, something can only be so unique when it’s being mass-produced for global distribution. On the other hand, vintage models give rise to safety concerns and lack the power of modern technology.

Thankfully, there is an emerging middle ground between the unique excitement of a vintage machine and the reliability of a modern one. More commonly seen in motorcycles that automobiles, a few small companies have emerged in the last few years to fill the gap. These 21st-century coachbuilders offer a product that is custom-built for each owner, a one-of-a-kind piece of drivable art for those who appreciate obsessive craftsmanship.

You’ve probably heard of the DeLorean Motor Company, maker of the legendary DMC-12. The original DMC folded in 1982, but a new DeLorean Motor Company was started in Texas in 1995 to support the 6,000 or so owners of the original cars. The new DeLorean has reached beyond just a parts clearinghouse—for around $60,000 they will build you a brand new deadstock DMC-12. You can keep it stock of course, but DeLorean will happily install satellite radio, iPod interfaces, GPS and Bluetooth for an additional cost. They also offer upgrades to the performance of the engine and suspension, which we’d recommend—the original DMC-12 managed a 0-60 time of about 10.5 seconds, just a bit slower than the 1991 Toyota Corolla. For those of you eager to drive the true car of the future, starting in 2013, customers will be able to order an all-electric version of the DMC-12. A perfect match for your Nike Mags.

If your tastes are more performance-based, and you already own a Porsche 911 in need of some modification, Singer Vehicle Design (SVD) has a proposition for you. Using Cosworth engines and new composite bodies from Aria, Singer re-imagines a customer’s existing 911 into a machine that looks iconic and actually outperforms its modern brethren. SVD collaborates directly with artisans, craftsmen and small manufacturers in Southern California to custom-build each car to the owner’s specifications and intended use.

The classic air-cooled engines can run from a sprightly 300hp touring model all the way up to a 4.0L, 400HP track monster. The interiors are refinished in new leather upholstery and beautifully minimal dashes that match the mechanical excellence under the hood. Bespoke quality comes at a cost, of course—SVD’s recreations will run from $190,000 to more than $300,000, and you still need to supply the original 964-body 911. And while Porsche purists might raise an eyebrow at a modern 911 that looks like it was built in 1971, you’ll be looking at them in your (hand-crafted) rear-view mirror.

By far the most intense of this new breed of bespoke auto craftsmen, ICON began as a Toyota LandCruiser restoration company that quickly shifted into an obsession with building more perfect versions of classic 4 x 4s like the Jeep CJ and Toyota FJ. In fact, ICON’s FJ44 is high on Cool Hunting’s list of vehicles we’d want during the Apocalypse.

The most exciting truck to come from ICON is their newest, the ICON Bronco, a faithful, if burly, reinterpretation of the cult-favorite 1966-77 Ford Broncos. ICON owner Jonathan Ward worked directly with Ford’s rockstar designer Camilo Pardo and Nike and Frog Design to re-imagine one of Ford’s most classic sport utility vehicles.

Utilizing an all-new reproduction Bronco bodyshell from Ford supplier Dynacorn, the ICON Bronco has the handsome good looks of the original, without being cloyingly retro. Under the hood, the Bronco is powered by Ford’s new 5.0L V8 that is currently in the 2012 Mustang GT, doubling the original’s 205HP. Other modern upgrades include a Parrot in-dash stereo running Android, military-grade LED lighting throughout, and a heavy-duty winch hidden in the front bumper. Everywhere you look you find obsessively rebuilt parts, like door lock knobs machined from solid aluminum instead of cheap plastic. About the only complaint we have is the loss of the original gauge design, but we’re nostalgic that way. For an exhaustive look at the making of the ICON Bronco, head over to Car Domain.

These newly reengineered vintage vehicles from DeLorean, Singer Vehicle Design and ICON are an obsessive, loving homage to the halcyon days of automobile production, and offer today’s independent driver exciting alternatives to the status quo of another all-wheel-drive supercar or mass-produced rockhopper. While none of these options come cheap, the amount of skill and labor that goes into making each one can justify the cost as buying more than just another car. Now that Ford is licensing full-body reproductions of their 1960s and ’70s Mustangs, we can only hope that this trend will continue to thrive.

Award-winning USB adapter reduces size of bulky British power plug design by 70%

Designed in 1947, the British plug firmly holds its place as one of the world’s largest three-pin power interfaces, escaping the grips of design innovation with the equally clunky editions continuously rolled out. Now, however, product designer and illustrator Min-Kyu Choi of Made in Mind has created The Mu—a folding USB adapter with a minimal, refined design that reduces overall object size by more than 70%.

The streamlining is achieved with a rotating central pin that allows the adapter to fold flat for travel and storage. This clever, space-saving innovation earned The Mu the title of Product Design of the Year and Overall Design of the Year from the 2010 Brit Insurance Design Awards. Even the packaging on the sleek, white Mu is slender and attractive.

Much anticipated, The Mu launches today, 17 February, for £25.

Three innovative outdoor accessories that make the future now

While the purity of a lo-fi outdoor adventure can be a blissful experience, innovations in on-mountain tech offer enhancements that increase both fun and knowledge. Last week in Whistler I channeled my inner cyborg and tested three devices that are making the future now by informing, recording and entertaining throughout the day’s activity.

Not often can a single product really change the game, but the Recon Mod Live goggle comes close. The goggle is equipped with the world’s first GPS micro optics display specifically designed for a snow sport use. The incredibly small, unobtrusive device displays clear and easy-to-read graphics in real-time—tracking your speed, vertical stats, altitude, location, distance traveled and even temperature. Paired with an Android phone, the Mod Live even will display text messages and incoming call alerts in the heads-up view.

A bluetooth remote wristband allows the user to navigate the dashboard displayed on the LCD screen in the goggle. Paired with a Contour+ camera, the Recon Mod Live acts as a viewfinder for setting up the correct trajectory of your PoV shot. Plus, once the day is done all the day’s stats can be uploaded to the Recon HQ to see just how you did.

Capable of shooting—and live-streaming—full 1080p HD video, the Contour+ is outfitted with the largest lens of any comparable camera and has an f/2.8 aperture with 170 degrees of vision. To avoid that muffled sound synonymous with PoV cams, the Contour+ is equipped with an external microphone jack to capture accurate sound. While the camera isn’t new, it remains my go-to PoV shooter and now being able to see the viewfinder in Recon’s goggles it’s even more usable than ever.

Always an enthusiast for on-hill entertainment, Burton makes your tunes more accessible with the Mix Master Glove. The waterproof leather glove allows the user full control of an iPod or iPhone with gloves on thanks to a few exterior buttons on the back of the left hand. The remote communicates wirelessly with the dongle plugged in to an iDevice, so you’re free to adjust volume, pause, play and switch between tracks with the tap of your finger.

Knife, fork and scoop combine in one biodegradable utensil

Share food with a loved one with Heart Part, a cleverly designed eating utensil that opens up into two pieces combining fork, knife and scoop. Recently spotted at the NY International Gift Fair by our friend Alissia Melka-Teichroew of byAMT design studio, the Heart Part appeals to both food and design nerds with its smart use of form and space.

As possibly the perfect—or at least the cutest—alternative to wasteful plastic cutlery, the Heart Part is made entirely of biodegradable polystyrene, and the dishwasher-friendly parts use 66% less plastic than regular cutlery. Besides minimizing the environmental impact of the everyday toss-away—an estimated 40 billion pieces of plastic are dumped in the world’s landfills each year—creator Fatima Fazal makes a social gesture by donating nine percent of profits to charity.

Heart Part comes in five colors including fluorescent green and orange, rose, teal and black, and comes in packs of 10. To snag one for your next picnic or cheese party, head online to iHeart This or The Future Perfect where they sell for just $10 a set.

Innovation meets old-world style in Cole Haan’s unconventional take on the dress shoe

Jumping ahead of the current trends in men’s footwear, Cole Haan‘s LunarGrand wingtip is a classically designed full brogue dress shoe updated with an ergonomic outsole for unmatched comfort. Launching 10 February 2012, the LunarGrand has been “engineered to conquer the streets of New York City” by combining a classic design from one of the most recognizable names in formal footwear with innovative Lunarlon outsole from their parent company—Nike.

While we love the striking design of a contrasting outsole, in the LunarGrand’s case it also serves a distinct purpose. The ultra-lightweight Lunarlon increases flex, movement and wearability—making the LunarGrand a great looking, super comfortable dress shoe alternative. I walked the show floor of CES for three days straight to test the LunarGrands and became an instant fan—never before have my feet felt so good at that beast of a trade show.

This marriage of a classic design aesthetic and contemporary tech was created with the nomadic city dwelling man in mind. Cole Haan’s VP of Design Phil Russo explains “the goal of the design process was to create a wingtip to take on the streets of New York City—a shoe that utilized motion-enhancing innovations at the same time as retaining its authentic and timeless aesthetic.”

Because of their lightweight design and superior comfort we see the LunarGrand as the ideal travel shoe, as it looks just as good dressed up or down. And this is no coincidence, as Russo goes on to explain that the shoe concept came about from understanding “what people are doing in their shoes today, their expectations of style and demands of functionality,” pushing Russo and his design team to “create products that really do make a difference as people go about their everyday lives.”

For the time being the LunarGrand wingtip will be available exclusively at the Cole Haan SoHo store starting Friday, 10 February. All five colorways will be on hand retailing for $248.