American enthusiasts from the YouTube channel Prop Department have turned an old Ford Festiva hatchback into a car more than 3 meters wide. The unusual machine with two steering wheels not only managed to drive but also received permission to travel on public roads. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The start of the experiment
For the experiment, the creators purchased three compact Ford Festivas and used them as donors. The main car was disassembled down to the frame and cut in the center. Then the halves of the body were pulled apart and joined with steel structures.
Technical specifications
As a result, the width of the small car reached about 3.05 m. At the same time, the bloggers retained the standard front-wheel-drive powertrain and the main structural elements. Inside the cabin, they installed two steering wheels and an extended dashboard with 14 cup holders.
There was so much space inside that the authors jokingly compared the interior to a room. The car also received a generator, an auxiliary power unit and air conditioning.
The transmission challenge
One of the main engineering tasks was the transmission. After widening the body, one of the drive half-shafts had to be lengthened by about 1.52 m. To preserve the geometry of the part, it was welded in a special jig and then straightened using local cooling.
Testing
During testing, the car accelerated to 117 km/h, although driving it turned out to be much more difficult than an ordinary Festiva. During the high-speed run, a problem arose: the heavy hood opened. After that, the creators installed an additional latch.
Permits and police attention
For driving on city roads, the bloggers obtained a special permit for transporting oversized cargo and commercial insurance. But this did not save them from police attention.
During one of the trips, a sheriff stopped the car because of a license plate that did not meet requirements. After checking the documents, the driver received a warning.
In another case, a patrol officer noticed that the car was not staying within its lane. He was also surprised by the two steering wheels. The bloggers had to explain that one person set the direction of movement while the second pressed the pedals. In the end, they again got off with a warning.
The long trip
After completing the modifications, the authors set off on a full-fledged trip. Over two days, the car traveled more than 640 km, carrying boards and even live chickens.
The reverse operation
In the spring of 2026, the authors of Prop Department performed the reverse operation: they turned a 1988 Ford Festiva into a narrow car less than a meter wide by removing the central part of the body.
Earlier, Kursiv Auto told about the most interesting cars at the MotorFest 2026 festival in Almaty, including custom projects.