These Are The Coolest Pieces Of Automotive Decor In Your Homes

Earlier this week we asked you what the coolest piece of automotive-themed decor in your home, and at the risk of sounding like a nerd, a lot of your homes must be pretty cool. I’m especially jealous of the engine block tables, as I’ve always liked that idea. If you’re looking for some fun automotive-themed interior decor, or even if you’re just curious how many ways cars can be integrated into your home, go back and look through all the original answers. 

I said my coolest piece of automotive-themed decor is my small collection of license plates that I hung on my living room wall. I recently moved to a new place and was reminded how challenging it can be to decorate an empty space, but I knew I wanted my license plates to be on proud display. Most also hold sentimental feelings as they’re given to me by friends and family, but some I just bought at a thrift shop. That’s enough of my rambles; y’all clicked this to hear from the audience, so here are a few of my favorite answers. 

Mildly funny story. Legendary automotive journalist Brock Yates had a house a few min. from my wife’s hometown. When he passed, my wife and mother-in-law visited his estate sale. I had no idea the event took place, and when I got home, my wife casually tells me, “Yeah, Mom and I visited the estate sale of some racing guy. Yates, something…” My jaw dropped and I said “Brock Yates had an estate sale?” My wife goes, “Yeah, that’s the guy. There were parts from race cars and other stuff, but I really liked this piece.” She shows me a cedar box that Brock used as a clothes hamper.

So instead of a cool racing front clip from a stockcar, or a racing wheel as a coffee table for my garage, I proudly own Brock Yates’s laundry room clothes hamper.

Submitted by: Sector7GWagen

My kids gave a Lego kit for a ’89 Targa 911, which was a car I had for 17 years. I put it together with my college age daughter and it sits perfectly on a living room shelf. It even has a few operational features, like steering wheels and hood/trunk. The wife only allows it because the kids gave it to me.

Submitted by: Surfs_Rockets

Wheel table. One of my wheels was damaged right in the middle of the barrel. It was pointed out by my tire guy one day. Since the wheel was otherwise straight I found a stand online and a piece of glass and turned it into a small table in my basement. No idea how a barrel gets a huge dent right in the middle, but explains why the car had fairly new tires when I bought it.

Submitted by: Louie

I have a chunk of the #43 BMW LMR V12 that Bill Auberlen flipped at the Petit LeMans ca. 2001. Plucked it out of a trash barrel along the back straight, took it to the pits the next morning. Walked up to Bill, wished him a happy early birthday, and he signed it, “Learn to Fly Bill Auberlen”. It’s framed and covered in red clay. Next to it is a rear wing end plate from Ralf Schumaker’s BMW-Williams from the last race for them before announcing his switch to Toyota. No autograph, but a note from Williams attesting to its history.

Submitted by: David

Living in the upper Midwest where land is relatively cheap and two car garages are ubiquitous, I have embraced the idea of Garage as Mancave/Carcave, complete with large screen TV, multi-speaker sound system and garage fridge/freezer with drinks and snacks. The fridge in question is a 30yr old Kenmore that has been decked out with the license plates of where we’ve lived as a family, stickers of places visited, and breweries I’ve found along the way. Every time I look at it, I am brought back to roadtrips, fun times and sometimes foggy mornings. If it ever breaks down, I’ll be devastated.

Submitted by: Black Mac

I have a radiator cooling fan from a SAAB 96 with LEDs at the ends I use as the star on top of my X-mas tree.

Submitted by: Old_SLAAB_Guy

LS swapped coffee table

Submitted by: Keith Pesta

Cool is of course subjective – but as a old Z car nerd, years ago the Internet Z Car Club arranged a poster of the lifecycle of the Z, and managed to get Mr. K to sign them. Have had mine framed and hanging ever since I got it.

Submitted by: Jim Rarey

Not car related but I have a side table made from the engine of a BMW K75. I turned it vertical, installed threaded rods and some feet and added standoffs in the valve cover bolts for a piece of glass. It’s pretty nifty IMHO.

Submitted by: J H

I have a couple of engine parts that I cleaned up and used as wall art. An Alfa GTV6 valve cover that I stripped and refinished with red crackle paint, and a Ferrari F355 spark plug cover that was left in its worn and weathered condition with like half the original paint still there, just cleaned of dirt and grease.

Submitted by: Oblio