These Are The Car-Related Tattoos You Want To Get

He's gettin' a tattoo, yeah, he's gettin' ink done. This weekend I asked the Jalopnik commentariat which automotive-themed tattoos they would get. I figured there would be some pretty creative ideas from you folks, and you didn't disappoint. There are probably four or five of these that I would get myself. Some of you dorks are vehemently opposed to tattooing, and others of you dorks decided the best move is to provide free advertising for your favorite car brand. No matter how much I love my Porsches, I'm never getting the company crest inked on my body. Unless they pay up, of course. 

I still think the best answer is at the crossover point between the worlds of art, automobiles, and tattoos. What's your favorite automotive-themed art piece? Get that as a tattoo, why not? There's a really cool Henri Matisse piece called The Windshield that he painted from his point of view inside an old Renault. It's on display at my local Cleveland Museum of Art, and I love to just go there to stare at it. Maybe that would make for a good tattoo as well? Can you think of another piece of museum-grade art from a well-known artist that has a car in it? Oh, maybe one of the pieces Andy Warhol was commissioned by Mercedes-Benz to paint near the end of his life? That would be fun. 

Bradley Brownell

Our readers have made their arguments and I've parsed the best answers here for your perusal. There are still probably thousands of great ideas out there, so if you don't see one that you would get inked on your body from this list, feel free to drop your recommendations in the comments below. We'll make a healthy and fun chat out of it. 

Wankel

Suggested by DLBedford

You'd be surprised how common this one is. Given Wankel's political leanings, however, I might refrain, myself. 

I'm a car guy, but I ride a motorcycle most days, so I've thought about getting a tattoo down my left leg that goes from top to bottom 5 4 3 2 N 1 (motorcycle shift pattern).

Suggested by Stillnotatony

This is a pretty great idea. Sadly my favorite motorcycle doesn't have any gears. 

Maybe a 10mm socket so that I'd always be able to find it...

Suggested by BuddyS

Hopefully whatever body part you get it on sticks around longer than my 10mm sockets. 

Id get a schematic drawing of Ducati Desmo valves

Suggested by denverdawg123

Excellent. Next time I need to adjust my valves, I'll just call you up and you can come over for me to reference. 

Like Adam Savage, I'd probably want one to be useful. And I really like the ruler he tattooed on his forearm. So perhaps something similar to that ... it would be car useful, but not specific to any car.

Suggested by dolsh

This is probably more useful than all of my fellow millennials who got a little mustache tattooed on the inside of their pointer finger. 

Something from Ed "Big Daddy" Roth... 

Suggested by Jimboy II, The Sequel

You little ratfink!

The closest thing I'd consider is the letters YYZ, which is one track over from Red Barchetta...

Suggested by Carrercrytharis

The Toronto airport code is transportation related, at least. 

1978 Ford F-250 Dentside in Jade Metallic. It was the truck my dad had when I was a little kid and to this day, I think it's the coolest truck of all time.

Suggested by Kaleb Carter

This is a really cool idea, but you might find it difficult to get a metallic to look right on a matte canvas. 

The Dunlop CR65 or CR82 race tire tread pattern around an arm or leg, or maybe diagonally across my body. Fortunately I cannot get a tattoo for medical reasons.

As an aside, this reminds me not long after Art Modell moved the Cleveland Browns franchise to Baltimore, I saw a dude with a huge Cleveland Browns tattoo on his upper arm. That had to hurt in more ways than one. He looked pretty ornery and his arm was bigger than my thigh, so I wasn't going to try to joke about it.

Suggested by Michael Rosenfeld

This is probably my favorite of the suggestions. I love the zig zag pattern of the CR82 myself, but you do what's right for you. 

And yes, thankfully the Browns came back to the CLE, but now they're moving to Brook Park and that's definitely not Cleveland, either.

I'll just get a tattoo of an alternator and below it it'll say turbocharger.

Suggested by EvoG35VIII

Excellent vintage Jalopnik reference, my friend. Now, do you sell V8 Motorcycle? 

For the fun and smile it give me, I would without a doubt the Abarth logo.

Suggested by Luc Desaulniers (minardi)

Of the company logos you could get, this is probably the coolest one. It sure beats all of the Harley-Davidson tattoos I've seen over the years. 

I have the Cavalino Rampante (Ferrari Prancing Horse) on my right arm and the Shelby Cobra emblem on my left.

Suggested by DP3

No matter which team won in the World Sportscar Championship Over 2-liter class between 1960 and 1966, you've got it covered.

Hispano-Suiza or Delahaye.

Suggested by Pernicious BM

My vote is for Hispano-Suiza. The post-WWI stork logo hood ornament is killer, and its place is history is super cool. Did you know it was the squadron emblem painted on the side of French ace Georges Guynemer's Hispano-Suiza-powered plane?

The flat Bentley B with wings either side, not the upright B.

Suggested by Michael

Yeah, why not? That's a better way of giving yourself wings than drinking a Red Bull. 

If I ever ended up with enough money to buy a Koenigsegg, I would seriously consider getting the ghost logo as a tattoo.

Suggested by Chase

The tattoo is cheaper. Maybe start there! 

I've been meaning to get a MINI tattoo for a while. I'm on my 2nd in 15 years. They own you as much as you own them.

Suggested by William Anderson

From what I know about Mini owners, this totally checks out. 

Not a tat guy but if I did get a car themed tat it would be the leaping Jaguar hood ornament.

Suggested by IB007

That's a pretty good logo, too. I'm not much of a Jag guy, but it's a good style. 

Not a tattoo person, but I know someone who has a Chevy bowtie tattoo.

And a family member has a mustang tattoo, but it's the horse, and related to military service so not car-related.

Suggested by Anonymous Person

You live in the Midwest, don't you? 

Boogotti no regurts

Suggested by Slumpdogmillionaire

Wait, you guys are getting paid?

None. Next QOTD.

Suggested by Joe Stricker

Don't worry, there's a new one today. And another one tomorrow. 

None. I'm in marketing. Someone so willing to become a brand evangelist that they tattoo your brand logo on their body is something we both hope for and laugh about.

Suggested by Winter Cat

I also think it's strange to get a company logo tattooed on yourself. Especially if it's a place you work for. But I've seen it happen many times. 

None, as I don't do tattoos but if I did, and it had to be car themed, it would either be an Alfa Romeo logo or an exposed piston on the back of my calves (I am an avid cyclist).

Suggested by John ONeill

Your legs are the pistons, your feet are the connecting rods, and the pedals are the wrist pins. The cranks are, uh, the crank. Yeah, that checks out. Good one!

Many years I've thought about it. I can't come up with anything. There simply isn't anything I like enough to have it permanently placed on my body. I shudder to think of people who ink the name of a significant other and then break up. Horrible daily reminder.

Suggested by Bernie's Mother

I think that's why a lot of guys get "MOM" in a heart instead of "BRENDA" or whatever. I actually know someone who got a tattoo with invisible ink, so maybe you could do that.

As a person with tattoos; No brands, No names. You'll regret both.

Suggested by potbellyjoe

This is a pretty good rule of thumb. Also don't tattoo your thumb. 

I wouldn't do a tattoo of an auto brand — nothing like the BMW roundel nor the Porsche crest — but I would potentially get something auto related.

I have an unfortunate affinity for boxer engines (I've owned three 2s, two 4s, and a 6!) so maybe the opposing pistons, end-on?

Suggested by TheSchrat

I have a Boxer twin, a 4, and two 6s. I like this idea.