Joaquim Garcia’s first car

In the 1950s the pioneer Joaquim Garcia, a musician, carpenter, and mechanic from Jaboticabal, São Paulo, built several cars.

With no formal technical education, he single-handedly designed and built internal combustion engines and several vehicles, all fully operational, without any financial backing or material support from companies or government institutions.

His first car was built in 1953 — a small two-seat convertible powered by a motorcycle engine, with the bodywork and most mechanical components manufactured in his own workshop or sourced from the domestic market.