A Dominican carpenter who built a Volkswagen Beetle out of wood is attempting to drive the funky vehicle thousands of from Lima to New York to fulfil a promise he made to his daughter for her 15th birthday.

Bienvenido Ortega, who has lived in Peru since 2010, completely transformed the 1970s beetle by covering it entirely in wood with bodywork made from scratch, after promising the unique car to his daughter five years ago.

Although he’s a few years behind schedule, Ortega aims to drive to New York where his daughter, now 20, is living.

“Inside of me there’s the power of having to hug my kids in New York and celebrate the 15th birthday of my daughter, even though she is already 20,” Ortega said. “In fact, if I arrive to New York when she’s already married and I have a grandchild, I will take her out and celebrate her 15th birthday party like a princess with her wooden car, just like I promised.”

This is the second such wooden vehicle Ortega has attempted to take on this trip. The first only got him as far as the northern Colombian city of Monteria in October 2017. This time seems more promising though: so far he’s managed to reach the Ecuadorian city of Quito.

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