Have you ever had a friend or known a person that i to be able to take things apart in their head. Then reassemble them with ease, or at the very least, They love taking things apart to see how they work?
I am fortunate enough to have a few of those. My father is a great example. My high school friend Andrew, who’s love of ripping old engines apart lead him to a career in automotive racing.
Here in Saigon I have my close friend Doru, Together we have built, in no particular order. Toy robots, Photography equipment, repaired an old slide projector, and a host of other small projects over the years.
On his own though, Doru has done much more. A little care obsessed he decided one day about 5 years ago, he was going to build his own EV…
Yes, you read that right. An entire EV car built from the ground up. Yes there was some assistance from professionals. Making custom windows, reupholstering the seats, and a professional paint job. But the majority of the car he built alone. Starting in 2019, continuing through the pandemic, and to this day, there are always little things to fix or play with. The biggest question we often joke about is “will it ever be finished?”
I have had the great pleasure and honour to be able to photograph the car several times. As well as share the workshop space where I make my own side projects.
One fine day late last year, Doru rented out a local gocart track and we took it for its very first proper drive. The photos below are all from that day. I can honestly say, it was a joy to watch both the car move around the track as well as see the smile on my friends face as it moved properly under its own power for the first time.
Not to say that there weren’t some hiccups. A rear wheel motor blew out on the first lap that made it a little difficult to see what the full speed of the car would be. So that was a little disappointing. It was all about the chance to see 5 years of work actually do what it was intended to do. DRIVE!!
On top of that it was a stunning day to make photos of the car. A deep orange sunset lit up the track in the late afternoon. Making it the perfect backdrop to showcase what my friend had created.
If you want to see the progress from 2019 until today you can check out his TikTok or his Facebook page for regular updates. Which I recommend you do. It is a fascinating project that deserves some attention.
In the meantime have a look at some of my favourite shots from the day out at the track !
