Tommy
RMS Regular
- Messages
- 1,582
- Drives
- Volvo
Meet the eBay motor enthusiast who
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/meet-ebay-motor-enthusiast-who-5028532
turned a £100 Ford Granada into a £1million SUPERCAR
Nick Truman spent just £15,000 on turning a nightmare vehicle into the car of his dreams, and now hopes to show it off on Top Gear
VIEW GALLERY
A car enthusiast has spent five years turning a £100 Ford Granada into an exact replica of a £1million supercar - using scrap parts bought on eBay.
Nick Truman, 53, bought an old Jaguar engine for £89 with the intention of transforming it into an elaborate coffee table
But when he realised it was too big he instead spent £15,000 to make it a replica of the 200mph Pagani Zonda supercar.
The IT specialist sourced wheels, tyres, gearboxes, windscreens and all the other cheap parts on eBay.
He then recreated the Zonda by looking at a die-cast model along with photos from the internet for design cues.
SWNS
Passion project: Nick Truman with his home made Pagani Zonda
Over the next few years, Nick spent thousands of man hours creating his own take on what is regarded as one of the great modern motors.
During the project he sliced off the top of his index finger in the turbo with the digit then shooting out of the exhaust pipe.
He also had it shipped to Bahrain - where he worked for a while - and had it registered to be driven legally.
But the Jaguar engine died in Bahrain when customs left the engine running for hours in blistering heat to drain the petrol as he left the country.
Rex
Humble beginnings: The Ford Granada, which he purchased for £89
So he bought a second-hand Audi V8 engine, which blew up, before buying another V8 which is currently in the car.
With twin-turbos, Nick believes the car now boasts in excess of 500bhp - although he's yet to put his car to the test.
The married father-of-three, from Iver, Bucks., said: "All I wanted to do was make a coffee table, but I ended up building a car.
"It was a fun project to do with my children although my wife wasn't overly impressed.
"In the first year the project became obsessive. I would do audio calls with the angle grinder in one and the phone in the other.
SWNS
On the road: A Pagani Zonda similar to the one which Nick Truman built in his garage
"A lot of blood and sweat went into it, literally. On one day I lost the tip of my index finger in the turbo and it came out of the exhaust.
"My wife likes the colour and I think she is proud of what has been achieved.
"People who drive past and always slam their brakes on and look at it. If you have never seen a Zonda before, you might not know it wasn't one at first look.
"The body isn't perfect but it makes people smile and my children love it."
Nick estimates he has spent around £15,000 on the car.
SWNS
Finished project: Nick Truman's home made Pagani Zonda
This includes fibreglass for the body costing £50 and the current engine, which cost £240.
He added: "I would never do it again and in hindsight I probably wouldn't have started."
While it is not road legal in the UK, the car sits on Nick's driveway next to his classic Ferrari 308 GT4 Dino.
He eventually hopes to take it to a drag strip or the Top Gear
airfield to see how quick it is.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/meet-ebay-motor-enthusiast-who-5028532
turned a £100 Ford Granada into a £1million SUPERCAR
Nick Truman spent just £15,000 on turning a nightmare vehicle into the car of his dreams, and now hopes to show it off on Top Gear
VIEW GALLERY
A car enthusiast has spent five years turning a £100 Ford Granada into an exact replica of a £1million supercar - using scrap parts bought on eBay.
Nick Truman, 53, bought an old Jaguar engine for £89 with the intention of transforming it into an elaborate coffee table
But when he realised it was too big he instead spent £15,000 to make it a replica of the 200mph Pagani Zonda supercar.
The IT specialist sourced wheels, tyres, gearboxes, windscreens and all the other cheap parts on eBay.
He then recreated the Zonda by looking at a die-cast model along with photos from the internet for design cues.
SWNS
Passion project: Nick Truman with his home made Pagani Zonda
Over the next few years, Nick spent thousands of man hours creating his own take on what is regarded as one of the great modern motors.
During the project he sliced off the top of his index finger in the turbo with the digit then shooting out of the exhaust pipe.
He also had it shipped to Bahrain - where he worked for a while - and had it registered to be driven legally.
But the Jaguar engine died in Bahrain when customs left the engine running for hours in blistering heat to drain the petrol as he left the country.
Rex
Humble beginnings: The Ford Granada, which he purchased for £89
So he bought a second-hand Audi V8 engine, which blew up, before buying another V8 which is currently in the car.
With twin-turbos, Nick believes the car now boasts in excess of 500bhp - although he's yet to put his car to the test.
The married father-of-three, from Iver, Bucks., said: "All I wanted to do was make a coffee table, but I ended up building a car.
"It was a fun project to do with my children although my wife wasn't overly impressed.
"In the first year the project became obsessive. I would do audio calls with the angle grinder in one and the phone in the other.
SWNS
On the road: A Pagani Zonda similar to the one which Nick Truman built in his garage
"A lot of blood and sweat went into it, literally. On one day I lost the tip of my index finger in the turbo and it came out of the exhaust.
"My wife likes the colour and I think she is proud of what has been achieved.
"People who drive past and always slam their brakes on and look at it. If you have never seen a Zonda before, you might not know it wasn't one at first look.
"The body isn't perfect but it makes people smile and my children love it."
Nick estimates he has spent around £15,000 on the car.
SWNS
Finished project: Nick Truman's home made Pagani Zonda
This includes fibreglass for the body costing £50 and the current engine, which cost £240.
He added: "I would never do it again and in hindsight I probably wouldn't have started."
While it is not road legal in the UK, the car sits on Nick's driveway next to his classic Ferrari 308 GT4 Dino.
He eventually hopes to take it to a drag strip or the Top Gear
airfield to see how quick it is.
