What car parts could I use?

[Frances The Mute]

I've been restoring my house over the last two years and have decided that whilst car related paraphernalia belongs in the garage, I'd like to have a subtle touch in the house.

To that end, I'm looking to inject a little 'engineering' into my newly fitted out dining room and hoping the PH collective could proffer some good ideas.

I'm not talking V8 coffee tables, but my first idea is a coaster set for my nice new oak table and some nicely machined componentry would suit some of the metal detailing found elsewhere in the room. The thing is, what could I use?

I'd prefer it if the parts were off cheeky/charateristic cars for obvious reasons. Using topmounts from a Toyota Corrolla isn't quite piquing my interest...

Over to you.

[Captain Muppet]

Coasters need to be flat and not very thermally conductive, like brake pads. So brake pads?

Or cut the top off some pistons, preferably ones with a flat top and exciting looking valve cutouts. and glue felt underneath them. If you cut them off at the third piston rig groove you get some nice features plus the grove will hide your sligtly wobbly hacksaw cut off line if you don't have a lathe.

[jamieclueless]

I've got a series 2 landrover gearstick as a fire poker, but its' a bit long and wobbly and never seems to go in where you want it to.

[eltax91]

Before my wife got involved, I used to have a cleaned up old rocker cover with legs on to use as a fruit bowl.

[ashleyqprw12]

Wheel as a coffee table? Have a sheet of glass cut to the size you wish.. always wanted this myself, can't decide if it'd go better with a tyre or not..?

[SturdyHSV]

jamieclueless said:

I've got a series 2 landrover gearstick as a fire poker, but its' a bit long and wobbly and never seems to go in where you want it to.

Chortle.

[4key]

Spark plugs to light the gas cooker.. or bung one in the top of a candle and use it as mood lighting

[Frances The Mute]

Captain Muppet said:

Coasters need to be flat and not very thermally conductive, like brake pads. So brake pads?

Or cut the top off some pistons, preferably ones with a flat top and exciting looking valve cutouts. and glue felt underneath them. If you cut them off at the third piston rig groove you get some nice features plus the grove will hide your sligtly wobbly hacksaw cut off line if you don't have a lathe.

Brake pads just don't look sexy enough.

Chopping pistons (whilst being a bit involved) is certainly on the right track. I'll need a V8 to cover each seating position on the table, too...

[big_boz]

ashleyqprw12 said:

Wheel as a coffee table? Have a sheet of glass cut to the size you wish.. always wanted this myself, can't decide if it'd go better with a tyre or not..?

I have got 4 snotty Alfa deledials in my cellar, was thinking of powder coating them and making some sort of coffee table(s).

I mocked some up with a chopped up broomstick for legs one with tyre and one without, quite liked it without. Get some nice Legs in something car related bonded to the inside, I was thinking upturned con rods with the piston face as the foot, be quite nice.

Not sure if the wife would like it though, might have to go in the man cave (read spare room where the Ps3 has been banished to), maybe complimented with a sofa made out of the back seat from a 156 using the same legs and feet........

I will never get round to it though!

[750turbo]

This help?

http://www.daveclarkdesigns.com/

[big_boz]

750turbo said:

This help?

http://www.daveclarkdesigns.com/

Lot of time for that Ferrari wheel bar stool, utterly tasteless , but i like it.

[Superchickenn]

My mates got a bonnet on the wall... painted with chalk board paint...

used for notes... shopping list.... looks ace

[Captain Muppet]

Frances The Mute said:

Captain Muppet said:

Coasters need to be flat and not very thermally conductive, like brake pads. So brake pads?

Or cut the top off some pistons, preferably ones with a flat top and exciting looking valve cutouts. and glue felt underneath them. If you cut them off at the third piston rig groove you get some nice features plus the grove will hide your sligtly wobbly hacksaw cut off line if you don't have a lathe.

Brake pads just don't look sexy enough.

Chopping pistons (whilst being a bit involved) is certainly on the right track. I'll need a V8 to cover each seating position on the table, too...

It was the shame at suggesting brake pads that made me sit without posting until I'd thought of something better.

Luckily I have a piston on my desk as a pen holder...

[Frances The Mute]

At least you redeemed yourself in the end

[shoehorn]

doogz said:

I was in a shopping centre recently, and there was a gadget-type shop, with a 6 foot tall statue of a t-rex made entirely from car parts. The head/skull was mostly brake pads welded together to make surfaces, the spine and toes/claws were mostly made from con rods, there were all sorts of gears, gear selectors, flywheels, valves and other bits and bobs. Was pretty impressive, must have taken rather a lot of time to build.

And weighed 18 ton

[Frances The Mute]

Nice work.

What did you use to cut that down?

[Frances The Mute]

I managed to pick up a set from an E30 325i today for the princely sum of 99p on ebay so will get stuck in once they turn up.