2008 Vehicle Graphics Contest — Unique Vehicles

First Place/Best of Show

Since 1997, Wilkerson and Munoz have fabricated an eye-catching van for each new Freebirds World Burritos location (see ST, May 2006, page 68). Each VW microbus decorated for the College Station, TX-based chain features Libby – a lighthearted, cast-fiberglass send-up of Lady Liberty – atop a custom-painted motorcycle, yet incorporates a custom color scheme. Wilkerson designed the program with CorelDRAW x3 software, and painted the program with 1Shot® lettering enamels mixed with hardener before applying automotive-grade clearcoat.

Second Place

This undoubtedly wasn’t the first usage of a penguin to promote cooling products (in this, various types of misting fans), but this was certainly one of the most inventive. For this 800-sq.-ft. graphic, Accu-Tex first wrapped the truck’s cab. Then, the shop installed a layer of Alcan Dibond® composite material over custom, steel frames and covered it with 3M’s Controltac film, which Accu-Tex printed on a Mutoh ValueJet 1604 and protected with 8519 cast, luster-finish overlaminate.

Third Place

According to Reyland, Creative 3D’s patented process enables the first 3-D vehicle wraps. He said, “The process combines standard wrap techniques, vacuumforming, our application method and a little bit of physics. The appliqué works physically and mechanically with the wrap itself.”

Creative 3D produced the appliqué with AutoCAD software and created the vacuumforming tooling using SolidWorks 3-D software. Fabricators used vector-cut vinyl to fashion the 3-D lettering and decorated the car with PPG automotive paint and clearcoat. They outfitted seven cars with four appliqués apiece, and the fleet drove more than 200,000 miles promoting the Mentos brand.

Honorable Mention