Emile Leray, now 43, was driving his Citroen 2CV across the Afrian desert when he was stopped at a military outpost by the Royal Gendermerie - the Moroccan military, reports Oddity Central.
He was told the area was restricted and he couldn't go through. Ignoring the request, he instead drove off at top speed into the rocky terrain of the restricted area, making sure the military officials weren't following him, according to the site.
But before long, his he crashed the car into a rock, rendering it unable to drive.
The nearest village was 20 miles away and Leray didn't want to risk making the trek on foot. He had several days' worth of water and a hacksaw on him. He set to work taking apart the wrecked car and building a DIY motorbike from the car parts.
It took 12 days. When he finished he had a half liter of water left. He rode to the nearest village, according to various reports.
He used the body of the car as shelter during sandstorms. He shortened the car's chassis and reattached the axles and two of the wheels, and installed the engine and gearbox in the middle.
The Frenchman's extreme adventure happened in 1993, but wasn't heavily publicized at the time,
according to the Mail.
"I put myself in what one calls survival mode. I ate less; I monitored my supplies of water and food to make them last as long as possible," he told the paper.
Dubbed the "extreme mechanic" for the awesome feat, the 43-year-old now lives in Northwest France.
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