ORIGINAL ARTICLE: 6 Best Homemade Cars in India
India has an abundance of talented car enthusiasts and some have even taken to building homemade cars.
The country’s car market has developed vastly, with lavish cars becoming more common on the streets.
But for some people, their enthusiasm for cars has seen them build their own.
It is a passion project for them and many have spent a lot of time, and money, creating unique cars.
While some have built cars from scratch, others have taken existing vehicles and used them as the foundation for their own creation.
With that said, here are six of India’s best homemade cars.
Solar-powered Car
Kashmir-based maths teacher Bilal Ahmed built a solar-powered car, having wanted to create a “luxurious” and sustainable vehicle that is not just for the wealthy.
He said: “Cars like Mercedes, Ferrari, BMW are just a dream for a common person.
“Only a few people are able to afford it while it remains a dream for others to drive such cars and roam in [them].
“I thought of something to give a luxurious feel to the people.”
He worked on it for 11 years, spending more than Rs. 15 Lakh (£15,600) on the fully-automatic car.
The solar-powered car is covered in solar panels, from the bonnet to the rear windshield and despite Jammu and Kashmir’s “gloomy” weather, Bilal found a way to ensure that his project remained effective.
He said: “I used solar panels which can give higher efficiency even in low sunlight days.”
Bilal used monocrystalline solar panels due to their ability to generate lots of power even with a little solar energy.
The panels are also efficient and occupy a low surface area.
The solar-powered car has a striking design, featuring gullwing doors.
Bilal explained that the solar panels can remotely change direction as the sun moves.
Mini Jeep
Kerala-based Rakesh Babu is known for building mini vehicles and the jeep is one of his best-known homemade cars.
He used metal pipes to construct the chassis while metal sheets were used for the body panels.
According to Rakesh, the shock absorbers were taken from a Bajaj Pulsar 180, the rims are from an autorickshaw and the headlights are aftermarket car headlights.
It even has a reverse gear which can be engaged either by turning on the switch or pushing the gear lever to the front and then accelerating.
The Jeep features stickers to give it a look of US Army Jeeps but this homemade car features a bright blue colour.
It is fully functioning but Rakesh says that the Jeep is intended for children as a toy.
The Jeep’s batteries take around seven hours to fully charge and the charging point is located on the dashboard.
Mini VW Beetle
Another mini car recreation by Rakesh Babu is the Volkswagen Beetle.
He sourced parts from different vehicles. The LED lights are aftermarket while the headlights and tyres are from an autorickshaw.
The engine is taken from a Suzuki Samurai.
The mini Beetle has a two-stroke engine located at the back of the vehicle.
It is believed that the vehicle took approximately three months, costing Rs. 40,000 (£420).
Speaking about the vehicle, Rakesh said:
“I haven’t seen a Volkswagen Beetle in real. I’m not financially stable enough to buy a car, so I thought of making one.
“Most of its parts are scrap from my father’s workshop. Then I spent less than Rs. 40,000 on this.”
A Maruti into a Lamborghini
A mechanic named Nurul Haque modified an old Maruti Swift to make it look like a Lamborghini.
Nurul always like the idea of driving sports cars and during the lockdown in 2020, he was forced to stay at home with no work. That is when he decided to create his own Lamborghini replica.
He purchased a second-hand Maruti Swift. Nurul then built a new car body using the help of YouTube videos.
Nurul said: “First, I bought a second-hand Maruti Swift and removed its body.
“I started building parts of a Lamborghini model by watching YouTube videos.”
The homemade car, complete with scissor doors that are synonymous with Lamborghini., ended up taking eight months to complete, costing Rs. 620,000 (£6,000).
Since completing the car, Nurul has become a local celebrity, with people taking pictures with the car.
Nurul said: “It was my dream to make and drive such a luxury car.
“I love Lamborghini cars and finally, I have modified an old Maruti Swift car into my dream car.”
Mini Maruti Gypsy
The Maruti Gypsy was launched in India in 1985 and it was popular among the country’s army and police force.
Although production ended in 2018, a man named Zakir Khan honoured the car’s legacy by making a mini version.
The car stands out with its neon green paint job and decals.
As it is a mini version, the vehicle is just three-feet tall and comes with a pick-up bed.
Even though it is small in stature, it is fully functioning.
The mini Gypsy is powered by an 848cc, 4-cylinder petrol engine from a Sipani Dolphin hatchback. It also has a four-speed manual gearbox.
The Gypsy’s top speed is claimed to be 87 mph.
Wooden Car
One unique homemade car is a wooden one, made by a father and son duo.
Carpenter Mohinder Singh, who has over 40 years of experience, and his son Amandeep created a fully working wooden car in 2015 after Amandeep came up with the idea while in college.
The pair spent two months on the project, working 12 hours a day.
The wooden frame is made from hundreds of wooden planks and is polished with varnish, making it rainproof.
It is powered by an 800cc engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 75 mph.
Amandeep says:
“When I stop the car a lot of people gather around me.”
“They often ask, ‘who built it?’ Everyone asks me for my number and wants me to make a similar car for them – it feels great.”
These six homemade cars are innovative and showcase the creativity of some of India’s car lovers.
They have taken a lot of time and spent a lot of money to bring their creations to life.
While some have modified existing vehicles, others have built completely unique cars from the ground up.
In many cases, these homemade cars have turned their creators into local celebrities.
As technology continues to develop, expect more imaginative homemade cars.
The post 6 Best Homemade Cars in India appeared first on DESIblitz.