Hundreds of blueprints of old Land Rover, Triumph and Mini vehicles have been saved from the shredder and turned into contemporary artwork.
French artist Alan Reullier has used the drawings, originally kept in the British Motor Museum archives before being stored, to create pop art pieces celebrating the West Midlands region’s motoring legacy.
The drawings were left languishing in storage for 20 years and most were ultimately going to be dumped before Reuiller managed to save as many as he could, his agent Edwina Lightfoot said.
A free exhibition of the reworked pieces opens at the Courtyard Gallery, Solihull, on 5 November.
The rare blueprints, which also include Leyland and MG models, were collected from the museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire, about two decades ago by British Motor Heritage.
They were kept in a basic storage facility and over time began to rot and degrade, with many ready to be thrown away and shredded until the unit was reopened and the company set about preserving them, Ms Lightfoot said.
Reullier, an industrial artist who has worked with aerospace firms, became aware that they may be lost and was allowed to retrieve what he could to use in his art and collaborate with the company.
“He’s combining his artwork with the history of the Midlands motor industry and now people can own that,” she added.
The former graffiti artist and French aircraft mechanic has added bold patterns and colours around the prints with his signature black-and-white motifs, according to the gallery.
“I’ve worked with the history and spent countless hours researching stories,” Reullier said.
“It’s an honour to collaborate with British Motor Heritage and contribute my artistic vision to their legacy.
“I’m inspired by the chance to push the boundaries of automotive design and create something unique that resonates with all audiences.”