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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteÉmile Leray’s Citroën 2CV was badly damaged after hitting a large rock near Tan-Tan, Morocco. With the nearest village reportedly too far to reach on foot, he turned parts of the car into a makeshift motorbike. Interesting Engineering’s 2022 account says the conversion took 12 days and 11 nights; it is a secondary report, not an independently corroborated account or a build guide.
What happened to Émile Leray’s Citroën 2CV?
Interesting Engineering reported that Leray, a 43-year-old French former electrician, was travelling near Tan-Tan when his 2CV struck a large rock. The impact damaged the front axle and chassis, leaving the car unusable. The article says the closest village was too far away to reach on foot, so Leray salvaged the vehicle rather than simply abandoning it.
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The headline calls Leray an “engineer,” but the article describes him as a former electrician. The account does not provide a direct interview with him, an official record, or independent corroboration of the incident details.
How did he convert the car into a motorbike?
According to the article, Leray dismantled and reconfigured components from the damaged 2CV. Its description focuses on what the parts did, but does not give dimensions, diagrams, specifications, or enough detail to reproduce or evaluate the conversion.
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- Shelter: He removed the car body and used it for shelter during the work.
- Wheels: He reused three of the car’s wheels for the improvised vehicle.
- Frame and axles: He shortened the frame and fixed the axles.
- Seat: The rear bumper became a seat.
- Engine: He moved the engine forward.
- Suspension and controls: The article says he arranged suspension on the rear wheel and placed ignition controls at the handlebar.
Interesting Engineering says the work lasted 12 days and 11 nights. The account presents this as a one-off response to being stranded, not as a commercial motorcycle conversion or a design tested for safety or roadworthiness.
What happened when he reached the road?
The article says Leray drove the improvised vehicle back toward France. On the way to Tan-Tan, police reportedly stopped him and fined him 4,550 dirhams, which Interesting Engineering equates to 450 euros. The report links the fine to the vehicle’s failure to conform to the original Citroën 2CV specifications. It does not cite a fine notice or explain the exchange-rate date behind the euro equivalent.
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Does Leray still have the converted vehicle?
Interesting Engineering attributes to The Drive the claim that Leray still owns the motorcycle. Because the underlying Drive report and a direct statement from Leray were not located in the account reviewed here, that ownership detail should be treated as an attributed claim rather than confirmed fact.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the story can—and cannot—tell you
The reported ingenuity is clear: Leray salvaged a damaged car’s parts to create a way out of an isolated area. But the published description is not an engineering record. It does not establish how the vehicle performed, whether it was safe by modern standards, or precisely how its components were fabricated and connected. The incident’s details, duration, and fine amount remain claims in a 2022 secondary account.
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Source: Loukia Papadopoulos, Interesting Engineering, January 28, 2022.
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