The 'Emily Erdbeer'

At Auto-Mem, we often say that we don’t just frame cars; we frame memories. Sometimes, however, the car that holds the memory is so unique that no model manufacturer ever mass-produced it.

That was the challenge we faced with our latest commission: "Emily Erdbeer."

"Emily Erdbeer" (German for Emily Strawberry) is a beloved Mini Convertible owned by a passionate enthusiast. But this isn't just any Mini. Before the official modern day manufacturer convertibles arrived, these cars were often coach-built, making them incredibly rare. For the owner, this red beauty is one of a kind.

The Challenge: Finding the Unfindable
Because "Emily" is a coach-built classic, finding a matching scale model was nearly impossible. After an exhaustive global search, we located exactly one second-hand model that fitted the body style.

However, it wasn't perfect. As seen in the "before" photos, the model arrived in a dark metallic red with a beige interior, a stark contrast to the real car's vibrant strawberry red paint and sleek black leather seats.

Most shops might have stopped there. We decided to strip it down and start over.

The Transformation
To do justice to "Emily Erdbeer," we performed a complete restoration and color change on the 1:64 scale model.

The Teardown: We fully disassembled the car, separating the chassis, body, interior, and even the tiniest trim pieces to ensure a clean slate.

Interior Swap: The original beige seats wouldn't do. We repainted the interior components to a satin black to perfectly match the real car's cabin.

The Perfect Red: The body was stripped and resprayed in a custom-mixed "Strawberry" red to match the owner's vehicle.

Reassembly: Finally, the car was meticulously put back together, looking like it had rolled out of the toy factory exactly as the owner ordered it.

The Personal Touches
A custom build deserves a custom setting. We worked with the owner to select favorite photos of the real car. We enhanced the image, converting the background to black and white while keeping the car in full color. This "color pop" effect ensures the bright red Mini remains the undisputed star of the show.

To finish the piece, we wanted something truly unique for the title. Using 3D printing technology, we created a bespoke raised text plaque reading "EMILY ERDBEER". To honor the car's German registration, we specifically used the authentic German license plate font for the lettering.

The Result
The final result is more than just a model in a frame; it is a mirror image of a beloved possession. From a second-hand, incorrect model to a museum-quality tribute, the "Emily Erdbeer" project showcases the lengths Auto-Mem will go to to capture your automotive history.

Have a "hard to find" car you want to immortalize? Contact us today to discuss your custom commission.