Tattoos, man. Everybody’s got at least one these days. Me? Zero tatts. I’ve never felt strongly enough about anything to have it permanently written or drawn on myself, fully confident that I’ll always feel the same about whatever thing I paid someone to needle into my skin.
I could get behind a tattoo that reads “I Regret This Tattoo,” because it would A. always be true and (hopefully) B. would be funny, but since I’ve gone undecorated this far into life, I’m probably going to stay blank for the foreseeable future.
But what if I (or you) had to get a tattoo – specifically, a car-themed tattoo (or anything related to engines and motors and things with wheels, you get it)? Hilarious as it would be, I would probably not opt for a Camry across my chest, as shown in the top graphic (and no, I did not pose for that photo, but you’re kind for asking).
However, I could see myself getting a tattoo of a Honda XR100, just a sentimental reminder of a wonderful, simpler time before adult responsibilities and social media and screens and all that. Man, the future looked a lot different to me then, and not just because I was wearing a huge pair of glasses. In the same nostalgia mode, I’d happily get inked with a 1980 Honda Accord hatchback or Dodge Omni. Or a Plymouth Horizon, same thing.
Wait, who am I kidding? Forget that sappy nonsense, I want to be cool, man. I’m gonna get a tattoo of a TURBO! (CSI Miami scream):
QOTD:
Where is “turbo alternator tattoo guy” today? And is he still sporting this ink? pic.twitter.com/Q1OfMFYKzk
— Michael Klotz (@Mike_M_Klotz) March 7, 2024
Your turn: You Have To Get A Car-Themed Tattoo. What Would It Be?
Top graphic images: depositphotos.com; raseldesigner93/Vecteezy.com
Which staff member’s body is featured in the top shot?
I’d recognise Adrian anywhere.
Done. I have the hood emblem from my 93 Thunderbird that I built with my brother on my forearm. 1:1 goes from my wrist bone to my elbow.
Ooh can we see a picture? Looks badass.
In honor of the “MAINTENANCE REQUIRED” light that was on continuously for 18 years in my old Dodge pickup, I would have those words tattooed on the back of my neck.
I have a non-specific gear/sprocket on my left calf. It symbolizes multiple things to me. My undergraduate training in mechanical engineering, my love for bicycles, my love for cars, and my love for motorcycles.
There are so many great suggestions here that I loved. I have a Golden Eagle Jeep, so that could be a different take on the hood-bird tattoo.
67 Shelby Mustang with Gun Smith Cats under it.
In my younger, much more foolish days I very briefly dabbled with the idea of getting a Pontiac arrowhead on my biceps with the words “Mr. Excitement” in that 80s Pontiac typeface. Fortunately this brief though passed quickly and to this day I am unmarked.
A 1980’s Dodge Ram’s head hood ornament on my shoulder even though I own a Ranger. My first truck was a Dodge and every truck owner has to pick a truck tattoo, so that would be mine.
It’s not strictly automotive, but Adam Savage’s accurate scale ruler tattoo on his arm is a really cool idea. Perhaps with markings indicating which size metric socket to use if you hold a bolt head up to it.
In similar vein, having a magnet embedded into one of my fingertips, and another embedded into my arm would be great for picking up dropped screws and keeping tracking of small, removed ones.
The old VW Fahrvergnugen logo, but holding a beer instead of a steering wheel and it says Farfrompuken.
Check Engine Light icon. The one (still occasionally seen even) that looks like a ’60s era big block with the air cleaner on top.
B/c like any good tattoo, it’ll require explanation to the kids real soon.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ66W5Lfw8RUMmNR9pzU8G1jvNEjEamcgipCA&s
I’ve got 2 on my right forearm
A « cartoons » magazine styled Porsche and a first gen Camaro on the other side.
1977 Pontiac Firebird emblem.
Screaming Chicken is a common theme.
Across your chest or GTFO.
this but in tramp stamp form!
Something simple. Frank Bullitt’s Mustang shoving Elon Musk into a flaming gas station. Subtle irony.
The “no speed limit” symbol for the Autobahn and maybe the Pontiac logo if I’m being nostalgic
I’m pushing 50 – maybe a small late 70’s Thunderbird hood ornament on the shoulder or so. Could support the original SHO script too as I owned one.
I’d have to do something like the turbo-alternator guy but get a Wankel and call it a V8 supercharger or something.
There are really big industrial versions of car superchargers scaled way up.
And are they Wankels?
They look like gmcs, but could be?
I’ve never seen them assembled.
This re builder does large to monstrous sizes.
Man getting old, I’m just at the age where tattoos and piercings started becoming commonplace among college age students in the ’90s.
Agree with Cam.man67 – Bandit era Screaming Chicken all the way.
6.9
On my right ass cheek.
If you go for one number on each cheek, you can save yourself from paying for an extra ‘.’
I’ll see myself out…
And “450SEL” on the left, or are you leaving it unbadged like people in the know?
I thought about that –
…but decided to leave the left unbadged like the US cars.
😉
Do your spheres still hold pressure?
Funny you should ask –
I did squats and deadlifts yesterday – They absolutely do.
And I revved up the old 6.8 (the factory rounded up for some reason?) afterwards – it still gets the job done more than adequately.
Does this mean there are two 6.9s owned by Autopian members/commenters? What year and color is yours?
Screaming Chicken across my back. If I’m going to get a tattoo, might as well celebrate my love for the Malaise Era.
Hell yeah!
Why not a Dodge Aries though? Go big or go home.
I’ve got the outline of the Top Gear test track on my lower forearm, which was a choice.
I’ve never loved anything enough to tattoo it on myself, but I’ll play along. First thought was a Jeep grille, but that’s just advertising a brand, albeit one I’ve bought into most of my life. Second thought is a manual shift pattern from the (early?) Fast N Furious movies with like 23 gears (all the way across my lower stomach?).
Yeah, that’s always been my problem, I just can’t ever think of something that I’m not positive I’ll still like in a few years
Yeah… it’s a commitment. I have no moral objection, just practical.
No problem! If you change your mind about your choice, just add a Pissing Calvin tattoo above it later on.
Yeah, but then someone in that band dies tragically, and it just ends up seeming disrespectful
Happy I didn’t get that wedding ring.
I told my daughter (19) – Tattoos are forever so THINK first. I feel I can almost tell someone’s age by the # of visible tattoos.
50 or older, 2 or none.
49 – 40 , 1 -6
40 – 30 , 6- 10
30 – 20 , too many to count
“Tramp stamps” were just becoming a thing in my 20’s.
Nothing like seeing a boring looking middle age mom with a tramp stamp lol
She was a freak 25 years ago!
When I went away to college out of state over 30 years ago, my dad’s words still ring clear. “Son, don’t fuck up your life.”
Two generations have passed since. Unless it’s on your face or hands, or particularly egregious, a tattoo isn’t a life-fucker-upper the way it may have been.
Visible tattoos were taboo in professional circles back then (engineer here). Pretty sure he was also including DUI, STD, pregnancy…. in his admonition.
I mean, I was, too…
In the seedier parts of the USA, there is a formula to rate a woman on a scale of 1 to 10.
Give her one point for each tooth, and subtract one point for each tattoo.
“Mah girl’s got twelve teeth and five tattoos. That makes her a SEVEN!”
Agreed.
I prefer my art on the walls – where I can look at it, rearrange it, and sell it if necessary.
(and it has been necessary)
Tattoos just fade and stretch out – and the owner will never see them the way they are meant to be seen.
Not to mention the prospect of an eventual generation of old people with wrinkly tattoos. That alone with keep the kids then away from them.
Yeah, there’s gonna be a whole generation of old, wrinkly, illegible graffiti walking around.
Already is where I live…..
The 1-2-3-4-5-R pattern is normally found on the end of the gearshift. It would take a true masochist to get that tattoo.
Ow.
It’d look like a bumper sticker and say “My other body is a Porsche.”
A Saturn logo. Right on my butt-hole.
Maybe Toyota sombrero!
Like a dark tan one?
I’m planning to get 5-4-3-2-N-1 (motorcycle shift pattern)vvertically down the outside of my left leg.
Oooh I like it