Light Painting Three One-of-a-Kind Vehicles

Joannie and I had the truly unique opportunity to light paint three one-of-a-kind vehicles on our recent light painting trip into northern Wisconsin. And, when we say one-of-a-kind, we really mean it! Each of these vehicles started as something else when they left the (many) factories where they were originally built.

Hittin’ The Road

This project is the last of five projects created in less than a week back in June. All of them were in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. Mother Nature gave us a little trouble here and there, but we were able to create six unique light painting photography projects!

On the first night, Joannie and I light-painted Sandra’s fantastic 2018 ZL1 1LE Camaro in Jay Cooke State Park in Carlton, Minnesota.

Please click on this link to see that amazing Camaro project!

On the following night, our subjects were Kim’s 1915 Ford Model T and Judy’s 2008 Ford Shelby Mustang. The location was Superior, Wisconsin!

The link to view that pretty Model T and Shelby Mustang light painting can be found here.

Then, on the third night, we headed north to Meadowlands, Minnesota, to create a fantastic light-painted photograph of nine awesome Muscle Cars for Chris and Karen!

Please click on this link to view that stunning nine-Muscle Car light painting.

We created this beauty on the fourth night in Ladysmith, Wisconsin.

Our final light painting project of the trip was created on the shoreline of Lake Superior in Washburn, Wisconsin. Please click on the link below to check that one out!

Light painting a rare 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner on Lake Superior.

A RestoMod Design Legend

The mastermind and creative genius behind these three one-of-a-kind vehicles is an amazingly creative and talented guy named Myron. I met Myron at Motorhead Madness in Duluth, Minnesota, this past March. While at the show, he commissioned us to create a two-car light painting for him.

We found out about the third vehicle, the Rat Rod, when we arrived for the light painting. Upon our arrival, Myron asked me if it was ok to have a 3rd vehicle in the shot. He explained to me that he didn’t mention it at Motorhead Madness because, at that time, it was just pieces of cars and trucks on his shop floor!

In fact, in its current state, the Rat Rod doesn’t have an interior or a motor yet. Myron and his pit crew pulled it into place using his riding lawn mower! Too funny!

I only took a few photos of these vehicles with my iPhone. I wish I had taken more. However, Myron was so kind to send me an entire package of information on each of his three one-of-a-kind vehicle creations. The photos that Myron supplied for this story are photocopies of pics that he has.

Let’s take on these three one-of-a-kind vehicles one at a time. So, from left to right, we have…

Light Painting a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air “El Camino” Pickup Truck

This one-of-a-kind truck is about as far from a ’55 Chevy Bel Air as you can get! But that’s where this stunning Ruby Red pickup truck’s roots come from! To me, it’s not a truck, it’s more like an El Camino on steroids!

So, rather than reinvent the wheel, I’m going to list the modifications that went into Myron’s stunning custom build. It’s a LONG list!

• The built-in pickup box is handmade using Butternut wood and stainless steel trim.
• The truck’s bed (also made of Butternut wood and stainless steel) opens electronically to reveal a storage area underneath!
• The hand-built tailgate also opens electronically and stores the spare tire, jacks, and a toolbox.
• 

  A couple of Myron’s photos show the truck bed opening (electronically). The craftsmanship is amazing!

• The hood was hand-built to match up with a modified ’47 Cadillac grill and a handmade cowl vent to carry on the Cadillac theme.
• The rocker panels were replaced with 5″ tubing to accommodate the handmade headers and 4″ stainless exhaust.
• The entire floor pan, from cowl to rear bumper, including all floor braces and body mounts, is all handmade, with 2 more mounts than the original.
• An extra pair of taillights was added.
• The doors are all electric! There are no exterior or interior handles!
• Power windows and power vent windows, too!
• The console, from the dash to the rear, is entirely handmade from Butternut wood and features a rolltop drawer opening that covers all of the electric controls. There’s also an in-dash full-screen radio with a backup camera, Bluetooth navigation, etc.

Even More Modifications!

• Handmade custom dash gauges and speedometer.
• Tilt and telescoping steering column.
• In-dash electric windshield wipers and air conditioning.
• Power bucket seats with custom upholstery.
• A custom headliner with Butternut wood and stainless trim.
• 

  The beautiful stainless steel and Butternut wood truck bed on Myron’s 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air “El Camino”.

• The frame modifications include two extra body mounts, a 3.70 12-bolt rear axle with disk brakes.
• The front end was modified with tube A frames, disk brakes (hydoboost power brakes), and rack and pinion steering.
• The powerplant is a 427 cubic inch V8 with a Corvette tri-power 3×2 barrel carburetor and cable drive distributor for the custom-built dash mount Corvette tachometer.
• 

  Restoration photos of the Cadillac grill and the completed engine.

• New 700R4 auto overdrive transmission and a new drive shaft.
• All new P235 B.F. Goodrich whitewall tire on new Corvette aluminum knock-off wheels.
• All new glass and custom smoothy bumpers.
• Electrical system by Coach Controls.
• 1955 Chevrolets never had inner fenders, so Myron built a set to keep the elements from gathering behind the front and rear lights and causing rust and corrosion.

Coach Controls and More!

The Coach Controls electrical system is built in behind the passenger seat. The battery is underneath the bed floor on the right side. There are 12-volt battery ports under the truck on the right side near the rear wheel. They can be used to jump-start or charge the battery.

As mentioned earlier, the tailgate houses the spare tire, the jack, and a small toolbox, and it opens electronically! With the tailgate open, the gas filler is on the left side of the opening behind a gas-filler door.

The radio has a CD player, GPS, Wi-fi, Bluetooth, a USB port, and more!

There are panels behind both seats that can be removed by pulling forward on the hand-hole to unlatch and slide the panel outward. Behind the right side is he electrical system. Behind the left side are the brake fluid reservoir, a lug wrench, and a hammer to remove the knock-off wheels.

The Butternut Wood Custom Console

By sliding the console’s Butternut wood rolltop door forward, it reveals a lot of Myron’s “hidden” creativity! It houses the following:

• The shift lever
• The emergency brake
• The power tailgate opener
• Power bed floor opener and locks
• A USB port
• Power vent window switches
• Power side window switches
• The door openers
• Electric seat controls
• Windshield wiper controls
• The heat and AC controls
• 

  The cool custom interior, featuring a Butternut wood roll top opening which conceals lots of control switches.

When the console is closed, all of the above goodies are hidden from view. The two ashtrays are only used for 12-volt power to plug in devices.

Look, Mom! No Handles!

As mentioned earlier, there are no handles on the inside or the outside to open the doors of this beauty! However, there are multiple ways to get the job done. Myron likes to have options!

• There are key fobs for each door.
• There’s a rocker switch in the console for each door.
• A switch under the hood near the hood hinge.
• A foot-controlled switch is behind each door underneath the side exhaust.
• A hand lever is in front of each rear wheel opening.

Each of these door-opening systems operates without power to any other part of the vehicle.

Light Painting a 1939 LaSalle Rat Rod

As mentioned earlier, this car was a surprise addition to this one-of-a-kind light painting project. This creation-in-the-works is already looking cool, and it doesn’t even have a motor or an interior installed yet! I can only imagine what it’s going to look like when Myron gets done with it!

Since this baby’s build is just getting started, you would think there’s not too much to be said about it. And, you’d be wrong!

This ’39 LaSalle Rat Rod starts with a hand-built chassis with a 1978 Corvette rear IRA tubular frame and a 1977 Trans Am front suspension. Myron added a 1937 Pontiac Coupe body with the rear cut below the rear window. Then, he moved the rear section five inches forward and raised it three inches at the rear wheel opening.

The front has 1939 LaSalle fenders, grills, and headlights. Myron extended the hood six inches and modified it to fit the Pontiac body lines.

The Engine

This very custom Rat Rod will be powered by a custom-built 346 cubic inch 1939 Cadillac Flat Head V8 with a custom cam and hand-built headers with interior mufflers because the exhaust exits out the top of the engine. It will also include a hand-built HEI distributor and a tri-power intake manifold.

Power to the rear axle will come via a 1939 Cadillac Full Synco three-speed transmission. Myron plans on adding turn signals and a 1941 Plymouth Deluxe trunk latch with a third brake light. A 1939 LaSalle rear bumper split and a modified rear license plate. It’s registered as a 1939 LaSalle Hobist vehicle.

Light Painting a 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton Pickup

Myron’s 1978 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup began as just that. However, this stunning Raspberry colored pickup is not exactly that anymore! No, not even close! Like the other two vehicles, this is truly a one-of-a-kind truck!

The “booklet” that Myron sent me about this custom-built contains tons of information about this creation of his. I’m going to share a lot of it with you now.

The Frame

• The differential is moved from below the rear springs to over them, which allowed the frame to be lowered 7.5 inches. The frame was then modified for clearance over the axles.
• 12″ was removed between the spring hanger and the rear of the cab so the cab could be moved back 12”.
• To keep the wheel base the same as the original, 13″ was added to the angle in the frame in front of the cab. This allowed the front suspension to remain at the stock height, and permitted the rear to be 7.5″ lower.
• Due to body design, there wasn’t enough room for stock steering gear, so Corvette rack and pinion steering was installed.
• The front frame was lowered 7.5″ to match the rear.
• The drive shaft was shortened 10″ to allow for relocation of the engine.
• 

  Myron documented his restoration very nicely! Here are some of the “before” photos of the tailgate, truck bed, and fenders.

The Engine

• 454 cubic inch bored .030
• Hollow-topped pistons were changed for domed to up the compression from 9.5″ to 1′.
• A performance hydraulic cam was installed in the completely rebuilt engine.
• The engine and transmission were relocated back 10″ and down 7.5″ to make room for the narrow front end. They’re cooled by two 16″ fans on a relocated HD radiator.

The Box

• The floor was shortened 12″ from the front. 9″ was taken off each side, and 18″ out of the center front panel.
• A 9″ section was removed from each end of the tailgate so the lettering would stay centered.
• The sides were shortened 12″. The outer panels at the center, and the inner panels at the front.
• Outer panel wheel openings were cut to match the shape of the ’39 Ford fenders. The Ford fenders are set in the opening, and left full width to match up with the wheels and tires.
• Additional splash pans were added to finish off the inner fenders.
• 

  More close-ups of the truck’s body and fender restoration.

The Small(er) Details

• The rolled rear pan was designed to hold the license plate, which covers the heavy-duty hitch.
• The original tail lights were replaced with ’59 Cadillac lights.
• The gas filler was moved to the inside of the box, and the gas tank was installed in the rear. This was because the box was narrowed and the cab moved back, allowing no room for the original tanks.
• The exhaust system uses the space from the original gas tanks.
• The rear bumpers were made out of two 1937 Chevrolet bumpers and rechromed.

The Cab

• The top was lowered 4″, and the back of the top was lengthened 2.5″, and placed at an angle to make up for the angle of the windshield post.
• The lower part of the cab was cut in half and narrowed 3″ to compensate for the angle of the side windows. That way, the top could stay at the standard width.
• The bottom of the windshield was shortened 5″, and 3″ was cut off the bottom corners and tapered up the side to match the redesigned cab
• The tops of the doors were lowered 4″ and reshaped to match the curved side glass.
• The back window was replaced with a 1933 Plymouth oval window with panels welded onto both sides, and then finished.
• 

The Front End

• The front fenders are extended about 16″ and brought together in the front to the width of the frame.
• 1938 Packard fenders were welded on. This would give the truck a fat fender look and flow back into the running boards.
• The hood was created from two hoods to make it approximately 14″ longer in length.
• The edges were moved in to match the narrowed front design.
• The grill was hand-bent and welded at the corners, ground and polished out of stainless steel tubes, and bolted in for a big truck look.
• 

  Some of Myron’s restoration photos of the ’78.

More of the Not So Small Details

• The vent windows were re-curved to match the opening.
• The bottoms of the doors are rounded versus the original square corners, and the cab corners are contoured into the running boards.
• The door handles were removed and set up with electric operating controls.
• 1993 Cadillac electric mirrors were installed.
• Due to the cab being narrowed, the padded dash needed to be shortened, and all of the heat and air conditioning ducts reworked.
• The headlight brackets and bumper cross-bar were hand-made.
• The bummer bars were shortened and sent in with the 1938 Packard front bumper for rechroming.
• Directional lights were made out of 1936 backup lights.
• The radiator and the hood lock supports were rebuilt to change the location of the radiator and to support the front fenders.
• The windshield wiper linkage was shortened.

So, as you can see, this was an “easy” build for Myron. 😉 Wow!, Just Wow!

Three One-of-a-Kind Vehicles – The Movie

As always, we’ve created a Build Video for this cool light painting. Please click on the link below on our YouTube channel.

It begins with the images that we used to create Myron’s amazing light-painted artwork (we took nearly 200 images that night). Then, you’ll see the entire image come to life, one small piece at a time.

Thank you, Myron, for the opportunity to create this stunning light painting for you! Your artistic vision and talent is truly amazing!

Whanna See More?

If you think this light painting project of three one-of-a-kind vehicles looks great, please check out our dedicated light painting website at MichaelAndersonLightPainting.com. There are many more amazing light-painted projects, including these categories:

• Amazing light paintings of construction equipment.
• Police cars and fire trucks.
• Light painted photographs of aircraft, restaurants, and other unique items.
• Many light-painted Corvettes!
• Lots of light painting projects of other cool cars, trucks, and motorcycles.
• An entire page of unique, one-of-a-kind light paintings that we’ve created at weddings!

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read our story about these three amazing, one-of-a-kind vehicles. We hope that you enjoyed it! – M&J

“Three One-of-a-Kind Vehicles” ©2025 Michael Anderson Photography

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