LSDEV
the original art car
In 1966 Carnaby Street had the eyes of the world upon it, but quietly working away with delicate brushes and hand-mixed paints in a mews close by in Belgravia were Dudley Edwards and his friend Gary.
Working day and night over several weeks, they were about to change the look of the ’60s forever.
Fast forward just a month, and the car they had carefully designed becomes an instant icon.
The car was an AC Cobra MK3 Chassis COB6107, one of only 25 ever made. Its owner? The Right Honorable Tara Browne, a prominent member of the Swinging London counterculture set and heir to the Guinness fortune.
Tara Browne. a 60’s icon
Tara was at the center of the ’60s, having flown out Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, and Anita Pallenberg to this lavish 21st birthday party at the Luggala Estate located just a stone’s throw away from our HQ in the Wicklow Mountains.
He was responsible for introducing Dudley Edwards to The Beatles, who would later paint Paul's famous 'Magic Piano' and is now the inspiration behind the latest AVA Classic.
Tara Browne sadly died on the 18th of December while driving his blue Lotus Elan aged just 21. However, his legacy continued, and in 1967 he was the inspiration behind the avant-garde song from The Beatles, A Day In The Life.
dudley edwards. the artist.
Dudley painted the original vehicle in 1966 having recently moved to London and established BEV Design. Inspired by joy, Dudley went on to colour in the ‘60s with his paintbrush and bright flamboyant paints.
His impact on the decade was enormous having worked with the biggest bands including The Kinks and The Beatles. Inspired not just by artists of the past Dudley was influenced by the colourful doors that had been painted by residents of Bradford, the sign writing and design of the funfairs that would tour the country and the Art Deco designs of the Odean Cinemas that would provide entertainment to many generations.
We visited Dudley to learn more about his work, his inspiration and the era that his work defined.
Dudley creating the original artwork at BEV in the ‘60s.
The original Art Car seen here in London in 1966.
life unlimited
At AVA Classics, we think every car deserves it’s own story and that Dudley Edwards' work should be on our roads again. Powered by the clean energy of the future this fully electric Art Car has been hand painted using the techniques used on the original.
Our engineering team have built this high performance from the ground up to deliver an incredibly powerful car that can take you from 0-60mph in 3 seconds.
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ORIGINAL '60s TECHNIQUES
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hand blended paint
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THE ARTIST'S STUDIO
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decades of craftsmanship
contact our AVA Classics team
Complete this form with your details or email us directly at inside@studioava.com to register your interest.