Calvin De Souza is Kenya’s most recognizable custom car builder, renowned for fabricating classic, rusted, discarded vehicle bodies with modern engines, suspension, and drivetrains. If you have not heard about the “Hot Rod”, you need to add an extra cylinder to your car enthusiasm because who does not know about the Hot Rod? De Souza has restored many classics, but the Hot Rod is quite outstanding, from the design to its aggressive look, and it clocks 280KM/H with a massive horsepower output of 600. You will be forgiven for thinking it was bought; no, the Hot Rod is hand-built, hence the tagline “Built Not Bought”.
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EXTERIOR: Minimalistic & Aggressive
For the first time in my career of publishing articles about cars, I don’t want to review. I’d prefer you see the images, feel it, and appreciate the build. Describing it downgrades the craftsmanship employed in building the Hot Rod.
However, for the community that loves reading, I owe you one. The first thing that captures your eye is the long bonnet that still abides with the roots of its ancestors. The bodywork has been handcrafted, exuding dramatic proportions, and the fenders have been eliminated for proper drifting.
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The Hot Rod unlike other cars that hide their engines inside a bonnet, the engine is exposed along with the custom intake, cooling lines, and the exhaust. As you step on the gas, you literally see every action going down.
The smooth curves and muscular shoulders lend it a timeless look, and the ground clearance is very low, low enough for a good center of gravity. Speed does not like gravity. You gotta keep it short and sweet.
INTERIOR: Bare-Bones Race Cockpit
The interior of the Hot Rod is quite functional, having stripped away almost everything to reduce weight. You only have two bucket seats, a steering wheel, three pedals, and a 5-speed manual shifter. If you want automatic, go to the factory.
The gauges add a classic energy, and a reinforced rollbar is directly tied into the chassis when you decide to test the limits of the Hot Rod. You should test it on a simulator because 280km/h is too much exhilarating performance.
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PERFORMANCE: Raw Power
The Hot Rod is powered by a 3000cc 6-cylinder single turbo 2JZ GTE engine churning out a whopping 600 horsepower. A twin-cam engine has two camshafts per bank of the cylinder head, one each for the intake valves and exhaust valves.
If you have not understood, in other words is that the Hot Rod has too much power for me to continue writing.
FINAL VERDICT
I think this is the part we are told: “don’t try this at home”. If you are not an experienced driver and I don’t mean a long-distance driver- the Hot Rod makes you look like an amateur. Be that as it may, De Souza is single-handedly revolutionizing the car build industry in Kenya. Such talents must be acknowledged and appreciated. De Souza, if you come across this article, I need a ride on the Hot Rod Man.
Looking to import your dream car? We specialize in seamless, reliable car importation. Reach out to us today at info@safarimports.co.ke or connect instantly via call/WhatsApp at 0717 200 956.
