3. Patriotic PT Cruiser

The owner of this 2001 PT cruiser, John van de Groenekan, said the paint job took over three and a half months by Hope Custom Paint in Fremont, CA to complete. On the hood is a painting of two FDNY firefighters raising the flag at Ground Zero in New York. Over the two firefighters is a giant Maltese Cross, a symbol of protection used by firefighters around the world. Painted on the back hatch is the Manhattan skyline as it appeared during the Tribute in Lights, March 12 to April 13, 2002.

Under the hatch is a flip-down 14" LCD screen, which is connected to a Playstation 2. You can also see firefighting regalia in the cargo section. The car (before the paintjob and modifications) and the screen were purchased from Ebay.

THG took a few minutes to discuss the car's masterwork with its owner:

THG: Have any New York City firefighters seen your car?

JG: I've had firefighters see it, but not any from New York. The mother of a firefighter killed during the 9-11 terrorist attacks has seen this car. The car buffs that see the car, go wild over the paint job and the LCD screen. But the firefighters come away really quiet.

THG: How difficult was the wiring?

JG: At first I was scared to rip apart the car, since this is the first car I've modified. After a while, it's not a big deal. You get used to it. The wiring wasn't too difficult. You can buy a $200 part from Radio Shack that will even out the hum and line noise coming from the engine.

THG: How much did you spend on the modifications?

JG: Between the screen, paintjobs and other modifications, I've probably spent about $45,000 on this car. I haven't kept track, and you'll find out the same thing if you ask any of the other guys (competitors) here. Most car modders don't keep track of what they spend.

Van de Groenekan says that he will eventually take his vehicle to New York. In addition, he plans on upgrading his car. "I'm going to change many of the things that you can't see, such as the engine, which is basically stock," he said. "Like most other modified cars, this one is never really finished."