That's pretty cool. My mother rented one to drive through France with one trip. What a piece of junk. However, it doesn't surprise me. The guy could probably flip it over by himself.
But, I guess that's what you got from the French trying to make a Beetle.
I am French, so I may be a bit be at translating than google and babelfish, and what happened is that Emile thought he would do it in 3 days and it took him finally 12 days.
@ Powermatic,
The chassis was broken not the wheel. He kept only the central part of the chassis.
Now about, getting back the car in a place where it was possible to repair.
- He was in the middle of the desert,
- In a war zone,
- Where he was expressively forbiddent to enter.
The reason for him, no to abandon the car was because the car was loaded with stuff, and it would have been quickly pillaged once he got away from it.
@ those who wonder how he could have lifted with no tool the motor.
A 2CV moto makes around 375 cm3 (a third of a liter) This is very very far from a smallest of all small blocks.
@ all americans
Raiding in underpowered 70s cars in the desert is kind of a French tradition, the Renault 4L trophy is happening every year since 1998. Lin : [www.4ltrophy.com]
So what did this guy is a bit of the extreme side, but is not completely impossible.
[french.cars.free.fr] Is way more in depth. If you don't have an understanding of French read very carefully in your translation software cause its full of idioms. The guy claims he built it in 3 days. He says that the village closest to him was a couple of days away, but he didn't want to leave the car so he could collect insurance. He happened to have a bunch of metal pipe and tools with him. Uh. Ok. I can't tell if this guy is legit or trying to sell t-shirts. Top gear should be like 60 mins. and investigate.
sorry-not buying it. Bullshit meter in the red zone. Makes no sense on so many levels it's hard to know where to begin.
Granted, the translation is spotty, but :
*he gave up on the car because a wheel was bent, so decided to turn the car into a motorcycle? W.T.F.? It wouldn't be easier to somehow limp home in the friggin' car?
*no power tools of any kind, had to lift engines, drill holes with hand tools, cut parts with a hacksaw, design and engineer, and etc., and do it all in the middle of the desert in 12 days?
*and after all that, he rides the thing for one day before being picked up by the military?
I might be wrong, but this whole story has that Sweet Stench of Self-Marketing last seen with the 210 mph Veyron ticket.
08/24/09
But, I guess that's what you got from the French trying to make a Beetle.
08/24/09
Ben, Murilee, Wert? When can I vote on this?
(edit button was long time coming, kudos to the hamsters)
08/23/09
08/23/09
08/22/09
I am French, so I may be a bit be at translating than google and babelfish, and what happened is that Emile thought he would do it in 3 days and it took him finally 12 days.
@ Powermatic,
The chassis was broken not the wheel. He kept only the central part of the chassis.
Now about, getting back the car in a place where it was possible to repair.
- He was in the middle of the desert,
- In a war zone,
- Where he was expressively forbiddent to enter.
The reason for him, no to abandon the car was because the car was loaded with stuff, and it would have been quickly pillaged once he got away from it.
@ those who wonder how he could have lifted with no tool the motor.
A 2CV moto makes around 375 cm3 (a third of a liter) This is very very far from a smallest of all small blocks.
@ all americans
Raiding in underpowered 70s cars in the desert is kind of a French tradition, the Renault 4L trophy is happening every year since 1998. Lin : [www.4ltrophy.com]
So what did this guy is a bit of the extreme side, but is not completely impossible.
08/22/09
08/22/09
French? Sure...but rather clever with a wrench...and probably a wench.
08/22/09
08/22/09
Granted, the translation is spotty, but :
*he gave up on the car because a wheel was bent, so decided to turn the car into a motorcycle? W.T.F.? It wouldn't be easier to somehow limp home in the friggin' car?
*no power tools of any kind, had to lift engines, drill holes with hand tools, cut parts with a hacksaw, design and engineer, and etc., and do it all in the middle of the desert in 12 days?
*and after all that, he rides the thing for one day before being picked up by the military?
I might be wrong, but this whole story has that Sweet Stench of Self-Marketing last seen with the 210 mph Veyron ticket.
08/22/09
@powermatic: That is a baseless accusation... I mean, who would really ever engage in any kind of self-promotion of that nature?
08/22/09
08/22/09
[www.cliftonds.com]
08/22/09
08/22/09
08/23/09
Wait. It IS a setting on my blender. I better be careful with this thing.
08/23/09
08/22/09
08/22/09
08/22/09
The best part, for me, is the presence of mind to retain the license plate. Gotta be legal with your impromptu motoring devices folks.
08/22/09
08/22/09
[babelfish.yahoo.com]