This Modified Maruti 800 Roadster Is A Disaster Waiting to Happen

People love customising cars, but there are a few modifications that are best left undone. The biggest chunk of these includes any mod that alters the monocoque of a car. Turning your car into a convertible may sound nice, and maybe, your car would look better, too, but it certainly isn’t safe. For example, here, we have a modified Maruti 800 which has been turned into a roadster.

Maruti 800 into sports car | MAGNETO11

Maruti 800 is one of the most iconic cars in India. It was the harbinger of a new era in the Indian automobile industry. That said, the car was a product of its time, back when vehicular safety wasn’t a huge concern. Furthermore, the 800 was a budget car, built to fit a price point. It didn’t have a hard-as-diamonds chassis, so tempering with it might be disastrous. We’ll explain in plain and simple language why such modifications are unsafe.

The most significant change to the car shown here is the deletion of the roof, along with B- and C-pillars. In a monocoque vehicle, the body of the car comprises the chassis. By removing the roof and pillars, you’ll essentially be removing integral components of the chassis. Carmakers usually reinforce the floor and the doors of a convertible/roadster car to compensate for the lack of a roof in such cases. Improper reinforcement can lead to buckling, which might cause the car to simply break in half under heavy load.

Modified Maruti 800 roadster

We also see the addition of rollover protection bars on the boot lid. This is a thoughtful mod, essential for all roadster cars, as the lack of a roof leaves the occupants exposed to risk of sustaining injuries in case the car flips over. These bars are only structurally sound if they are rigidly fixed to the chassis without the possibility of bending under force. The ones added here, however, are fitted on the boot-lid and bent at an angle, which makes them vulnerable to bending under force.

The car, however, does manage to impress with its design. The front of the car carries one of the most radical looks we’ve ever seen, with three projector lights on each side and a giant front grille with mesh design. While we commend the enthusiasm and imagination of the person who built the car, we do not recommend such modifications.

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