Massive fire-breathing internal combustion engines will soon become a thing of the past as the world continues to transition towards sustainable mobility at a blistering pace. If you too are sulking at the imminent demise of IC engines like me, maybe this piece of art will cheer you up. Created by automotive artist John Cobb, what you see here is a huge V10 fire pit. Repurposing retired automotive components into home furnishings isn’t a new idea and we have seen some brilliant items over the years, including the stunning Lamborghini Murcielago office desk. However, this V10 coffee table is something that I’ll love to add to my man cave!
In a conversation with Motor1, Cobb explained that this is his most ambitious project to date. The idea was not to build yet another coffee table from an engine block but make something exceptional. The V10 is almost two decades old, but the automotive artist decided to get rid of its natural patina and refurbish the engine to look brand new. The pistons along with the connecting rods have been welded to the body to make them function as arms and legs of the table. There’s also a metal frame surrounding the engine to support a glass top.
Each cylinder of the V10 engine has been fitted with its own burner and igniter to make it breathe fire like it did when it powered the Dodge Viper. To make it even more interesting, Cobb fitted it with an ignition system that fires up the pit by just turning on the key. The burners are fed with propane gas that can be modulated using a gas pedal that closely resembles the actual one found in the Viper. “Honestly the biggest challenge out of so many would probably be the electrical and wiring,” Cobb wrote told Robb Report. “It seems simple to make 10 individual igniters start at once from one automotive key turn. I gave up many times but finally figured it out and it was worth it.”
Cobb says it took him five months to create the unique V10 patio table. The one that can be seen in the pictures has already been sold, but he’ll build you another for $11,500, which sounds like a very good deal considering the level of craftsmanship and the uniqueness of the piece of automotive art. In case you’re interested, head over to Codd’s website where you’ll also find many other unique creations.
[Via: Motor 1]
