I decided I wanted to get Haddie a Cozy Coupe, but wanted it to be one of a kind. I also wanted to be as frugal as possible. I got the idea to upcycle one from Pinterest. Duh. Here's how I did it.....
The first thing you have to do is track down a used Cozy Coupe. A yard sale or Craigslist is a great place to start. It doesn't matter matter that it is dirty or sun-bleached. As long as all the pieces are there and it functions properly, get it! I only paid $5 for the one I picked up. Most people will be glad to get rid of the huge toy that is no longer used, so you can probably find them for a great deal also.
*In my searching, I noticed there seemed to be about three different models of the Cozy Coupe that have been made over the years. The first seems to have metal poles to connect the canopy in the front of the Coupe, a newer version has only plastic, and the most recent version is also plastic. I happened to find the second of the three. I can't speak for the first, but I like having plastic instead of the metal bars (personal preference), and I have heard that the newest version is a pain to assemble. Just thought I would share that info for those looking to take on an upcycle.
After I got it home, I disassembled and surface cleaned each piece. As mentioned, the model that I had was a breeze to take a part. Two screws out in the back and then the pieces snap apart. You would be surprised at some of the gunk that can be found inside the joints. Some of the pieces you will need to be cautious of when removing: gas cap, steering wheel cover, key ignition, etc. Because the plastic is old and weathered it may snap when you are trying to remove. I also had to file the key ignition piece down a little. The previous owner had chewed on it quite a bit.
After everything was clean, I began to plan out my theme and color layout. Haddie's nickname is Haddie Bug or Buggie. So it was only fitting that her Cozy Coupe become a ladybug. After I had a game plan, I went to buy the supplies. I had heard of the plastic spray paint by Krylon, but Lowe's only sold paint made by Valspar. Luckily, they also make a spray paint designed for plastics. I chose red and black in the gloss finish. Once I started, I had to purchase another can of black, but this time I went to Walmart and got the Krylon brand. They seemed to work fine together. I also used to some newspaper, tape, and an old sheet to complete this project.
I started by painting all the pieces that were to be red, and did a base coat on the outside area that was to be black. Black is hard to cover so be careful you don't spray any on a part that will be a lighter color. I used an old sheet to spray on so that the driveway was safe.
Then I taped off the dash and seat using newspaper and painter's tape, and finished painting the body black. The painter's tape did not stick so well in some places. So, I did have to go back and touch up on the red.
After all the pieces were painted and dry, I carefully re-assembled it. I did mess up a few places trying to snap the pieces back together, but I touched them up with a paint pen once it was all back together. I also did a pretty thick coat of clear gloss spray to help protect the Coupe from future roughness by the owner.
After the clear coat was dry, I used a paint pen to color in the logo and used the Cricut to cut out some white vinyl letters for the license plate.
I used the Cricut to cut out two inch black vinyl circles for the spots.
And then used two inch circles to create eyes. I drew a free hand smile using paint pen to complete the face.
I love completing projects! This one was fun and relatively easy. Now, I just have to wait until October for her birthday!
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