A Romanian man built the “Julia Wooden Convertible” car and spent $20,000 (£13,915) on the oak bodywork. The car is named after Peter’s wife, Julia.
The Julia is a mix of classic and modern vehicle design, with modern upgrades like tablet-controlled headlights and a music system. The car is equipped with modified Mercedes-Benz seats and an electronically controlled convertible powered by a 2.3-liter Ford Taunus V6 engine. “After building the wooden horse-drawn carriage, I said I wanted a bigger challenge,” says Peter.
“It’s hard to imagine a car made of wood, because it’s nearly impossible to find the right quality hardwood for a car,” says Peter. “It was a real challenge for me, but I feel extremely happy to have started building this car.”
Julia became a big project for Peter, and after a year of planning, he had to build a larger workshop because the workspace he previously used to build cars was not enough to complete the project.
Now, after completing his masterpiece, Peter drives his unique car around his village to the admiration of his neighbors. “Their reaction made me very happy,” he said.
“In Romania, many people work with their own hands, so they understand that it’s not easy to build something with their own hands. They appreciate it,” says Peter.
The car drove comfortably around the village at 50 to 60 miles per hour, but Peter was confident that Julia could reach higher speeds on the highway.
The successful construction of Julia spurred Peter to plan his next project, which is to build another wooden car with electronic engines and stylish styling.