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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll have heard of ‘Pimp My Ride’, a binge-worthy show by MTV that sees a team of talented petrolheads completely transform clapped-out bangers into all-singing, all-dancing dream machines.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! 

We’re big fans of the series here at fwip, so we almost fwipped ourselves into a frenzy when the good people at Wrench Studios got in touch to enquire about our iconic Portobello ice cream machine, and asked whether they could use it to pimp-up an old ice cream truck in an upcoming episode.

Plug-and-play, energy-saving and easy-to-clean, the Portobello was a no-brainer for Wrench Studios when it came to kitting-out the van with a cool new look, not to mention dispensing award-winning flavours of Italian Gelato, Vegan Sorbet and Frozen Yogurt at the touch of a button (in seven seconds, to be precise). 

But let’s reverse a bit: it all started when 30-year-old Naomi – owner of said vintage ice cream truck serving the Kentmere Community Centre in Leeds – decided to take her wheels on the road to deliver free essentials like ice cream (bear with us), activity packs and games to vulnerable children during Covid-19. The aim? “To put joy on everyone’s faces,” she says.

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Brain freeze

Despite the best of intentions, there was no denying that Naomi’s truck was letting her down, from rusty metal to busted windows, faulty electrics to flat tyres – not to mention a broken whippy machine and a freezer covered in mould. The horror!

Luckily, the crack team at Wrench Studios was on hand to help, not one to see children go without their ice cream. The gents immediately set to work, stripping the van, removing the rust, welding the metal, repairing the holes, and coating inside and out, and that was before the fun bit could even begin! 

Too cool for school 

Inside, our Portobello ice cream machine is the star of the show, turning the truck into a miniature ice cream parlour on wheels; while there’s a freezer to store six Great Taste Award-winning flavours neatly and hygienically; a sofa and table for enjoying sweet treats while kicking-back and chilling-out; and a TV and soundbar to get the party started. 

The exterior is just as exciting, interpreting Naomi’s brief – “a bright and vibrant vehicle that people can see from a distance” – as a spray-painted wrap inspired by the very product it serves: ice cream. There’s a delicious wafer design at the bottom, three mouthwatering ‘flavours’ of ice cream in the middle, and a good dollop of ‘sauce’ to style the top, together with alloys paint-splattered to look like a jaw-breaker candy (remember those?!).

But the cherry on top? A 60-inch cinema screen on the back of the truck that Naomi plans to use for screening movies in the park come summer to sweet-toothed customers. If ever a brief was hit, this would be it, as this dream machine doesn’t need a sound blaring from a speaker to get attention from the neighbourhood! 

Community cones 

All of which means the children that the truck serves can now be welcomed in from the cold to enjoy not just their treats, but a great sense of community, too. And at fwip, we were only too happy to see one of our Portobello ice cream machines put to such good use, adding a sprinkling of magic to the show. 

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Check out the episode.

Ready to turn your business into a miniature ice cream parlour? Whether you’re a food truck, restaurant, cafe or leisure park, we’ve got a solution for you. Discover more about fwip Portobello, or just get in touch.