Repurpose Old Car Parts for Household Decor

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If you’re a big car lover, which is a safe assumption, then you probably don’t limit your passion to just the garage. Many auto enthusiasts invest in some models of their favorite rides, nice artwork and other car-related items to adorn their office, bedroom or elsewhere.

While that’s great and all, there’s no reason to limit your automotive-themed decor to those sorts of items. Some of the best options are car parts that have been repurposed to be used as household items. Not only do they put your passion on display, they can make for some great conversation pieces, and they’re often just too unique to pass up.

DIY Car Decorations for Your Home

Of course, you can choose to make any of these items yourself, or there are plenty of online stores that sell them.

Camshaft Lamps

One of the most common uses for camshafts around the house is to make them part of a lamp base. The unfortunate truth is that you might have a dead cylinder head that’s not really doing anything, and some camshafts that might not be suitable for road or track duty anymore.

To be honest, camshafts that have been controlling the flow of air, fuel and exhaust fumes aren’t exactly attractive, because they get dirty. All you need to do is polish the metal so it really sparkles, allowing the lobes to catch the light just so for that perfect effect.

The kind of ambiance this creates is purely magical, plus it screams that you absolutely love cars. People who know nothing about engines will be mystified about why your lamps look so unique, while you’ll be able to quickly identify which of your guests are fellow gear-heads.

Steering Wheel Chandelier

Every man cave should have a chandelier made out of steering wheel. While deer antlers were cool a long time ago, these days it’s too overdone. By repurposing a common item found in every car on the planet, you’re striking out into uncharted territory, wowing guests in the process.

There’s really no rule book for how to create these things. They’re difficult to find through stores, so the effort is worthy of your energy and ingenuity. Pick a steering wheel that looks good, because you’ll be staring at it a lot. The lights themselves can dangle from the wheel, sit on top of it, or whatever you like – it’s your light.

License Plate Shades

After making a lamp shade out of a camshaft or creating a chandelier using a steering wheel, compliment either design by fabricating shades out of some old license plates. You’ll need a way to bend the license plates into cone shapes, without making any sharp edges. Then you have to attach the two ends by soldering them together, or applying a steel epoxy, since both solutions will resist the heat generated by a light bulb. After that, you’ll need to buy lamp shade wires from a craft store and adhere it to the license plate using the same method.

You can choose to use plates from the same state or province for a uniform look, or go with different geographies for a more eclectic vibe.

Transmission Sink Base

Pedestal sinks are a great way to save on space in a tight bathroom, plus a lot of people like their classic look. You can do one better by supporting the sink basin with an old transmission. After cleaning one up, stand the transmission on end and remove any components to accommodate the plumbing. The result is an automotive vibe for your bathroom that’s undeniable.

Car Hood Grill

Impress your friends the next time they come over for a backyard cookout at your place to making or investing in a car hood grille. It’s made using the front end of an old car, preferably one that features backend damage so you’re not taking out a perfectly good vehicle in the process.

Underneath the hood is no engine, but instead a large grill for cooking up all kinds of meats, pineapple, whatever. You can choose either natural gas or charcoal as a fuel source. It makes for a fun way to spice up any grilling session.

The best part of this invention is that it looks great when you’re not using it. Instead of a regular grill with a cover over it, you get to look at the front end of a beautiful car.

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Race Seat Desk Chair

Why settle for a boring desk chair when you can spice up your home office with this creation? You can get a pre-made option that uses seats from a number of different vehicles. Or you can use a seat your already have, simply bolting it onto the base from an old office chair you want to ditch.

Just remember that not all race seats are made for endurance driving, and so they can be not incredibly comfortable to sit on for long periods of time. If you work from home or need a chair you can use for long expanses, you might want to invest in a seat that features decent padding. Go for the larger side bolsters for excellent support and to encourage good posture.

Engine Wine Rack

If you’re a fan of cars and wine, this idea is absolutely perfect. Some people have repurposed an old engine block to hold bottles of wine.

You have to start with an old engine block that has bores big enough to accommodate a bottle of wine. The cylinder bore can’t be too big, otherwise the bottles could slide out. It’s best to test out the sizing before you start the project, just in case.

With the right engine selected, you need to clean and polish it, because nobody wants to drink wine that’s been stored in a greasy, messy-looking block. You can have the block standing on end or sitting on the side, fabricating a stand out of extra metal parts if necessary to keep it upright and stable. Have fun and be creative with the project, then have fun displaying your wine bottles and car enthusiasm at the same time.