A young man from Ghana has succeeded in building himself a fully working car from scratch.
Kelvin Odartei Cruikshank, 21, always dreamed of being a racing car driver and pilot. He started his DIY car-building project in 2017 without any formal training or proper resources, instead gathering scrap that he would then sell to raise funds.
Not having access to a garage, money, or tools did not stop Mr. Cruikshank from achieving his dream of owning a sports car. He used his wits and talent to build his very own car model with dolphin-like features.
Stating that he doesn’t currently have a degree in mechanical engineering, Mr. Cruikshank told The Epoch Times he has “an intuition” about mechanics, learning to build his prototype through his own research. The result is a bright blue model—the Kelsus P1—complete with a working speedometer, RPM gauge, sporty gull-wing doors, and even a personalized badge, not to mention the “dorsal fin” and a “blowhole.”
Along the way, the bold young entrepreneur, who lives in the capital city of Accra, caught the attention of other people, and a local upholsterer, electrician, and auto-paint technician stepped in to help. It’s been five years since he began, and Mr. Cruikshank is thrilled with his creation.
“I always had an interest in building machines,” he said. “I started by building toy model cars and was in a few local competitions. I always get excited whenever I see a sports car, hence why I set out to build my own prototype.”
Bit by bit, by taking various part-time jobs Mr. Cruikshank made enough money to purchase second-hand car parts. He scoured different locations for the best deals, all the while gathering scrap to sell. Limited access to funding, welding machines, car parts, and an adequate work space made it hard to make significant progress, however.
“I had to move around to every corner or small space I could find to build my car,” he said.
It was a slow and challenging process but in time his machine began to take shape, and soon he started witnessing the transformation of his dream into “a tangible reality.”
Basing the model on the characteristics and features of a dolphin, the car has a streamlined shape with a “dorsal fin” on the top. A “blowhole” on the front of the bonnet allows cold air to cool the engine. The engine itself is a motorcycle engine, which he worked hard to save up for. The Kelsus also features LED interior lights, integrated Bluetooth for playing music, and a push-to-start engine option.
“This is just a prototype,” the ambitious Ghanaian said, explaining how he’s managed to assemble a team with the goal of moving towards international manufacturing standards.
Needless to say, Mr. Cruikshank’s family and friends are immensely proud of him.
Not only has he participated in a public exhibition, but his project has attracted global attention, and Mr. Cruikshank has received scholarship offers. Alongside taking his car to the next level and working on developing other products with a renewable focus, he plans to pursue an engineering degree.
“My friends and family were all happy and proud to see that my hard work and dedication produced this prototype. The recognition and appreciation I’ve received from credible media outlets, plus support from people around the world, has really surprised them,” he said.
His efforts did attract a certain amount of skepticism, but Mr. Cruikshank says he didn’t pay attention to it.
“Skepticism is common in all facets of life and me being from a developing country, I had my critics. Instead of listening to their opinions and ideas, I focused my mind in positive directions,” he said.
The biggest lesson he learned from the process was the importance of not only discipline but teamwork:
“It takes a team to build anything successfully,“ he said. ”Along the way, I received assistance and help from key people who saw the vision and supported me in one way or another. Whenever you pursue your passions, obstacles will always arise. Be patient and persistent and things will work out in due time. I got through with faith, willpower, determination, and hard work.”
