Plans For Building....

Cars, Vans, EVs, Electric Cars, Hybrids,
Three-Wheelers, Hovercraft,
Boats, Submersibles, and more

Welcome to the DIY area of our website where you'll find some of the world's most exciting projects that you can build from plans. These projects are designed to the highest quality standards. Many were distributed exclusively by Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, or Home Mechanix magazine. Nearly 500,000 of our plans are in the hands of satisfied enthusiasts around the world. Click on an image in the left margin for more information about a project.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page for ordering details.

Scientific

Gluhareff Pressure Jet Engine is a fully throttleable jet engine available in 20-lb, 40-lb, 80-lb, and 130-lb thrust sizes. Plans include technical and engineering details, step-by-step assembly instructions, and construction drawings. Many photos in the manual have never before been published. 

Cars, Three-Wheelers, EVs & Hybrid

XR3 Hybrid gets up to 125 mpg on diesel only and up to 225 mpg in the hybrid mode. Standard plans includes a complete set of 24"x36" drawings & a construction manual. The Deluxe Plans Package includes everything in the Standard Plans Package plus a DVD with a one-hour construction video and two CD-ROMs with 3D models, 2D CAD files and a manual that runs in a web browser. Plans-On-Disc - $99.50; Standard Plans Package - $170.00; Deluxe Plans Package - $200.00.

Tri-Magnum is a high-performance three-wheel sports car. It was introduced in Mechanix Illustrated magazine, and today, it's our most popular design. Plans include 13 large drawings and a photo-illustrated book. 

Centurion achieves 128-mpg fuel economy on its diesel engine. It appeared in Mechanix Illustrated magazine and in the movie Total Recall. Plans include 13 large drawings and a photo-illustrated book. 

Trimuter accepts either battery-electric or ICE power. It appeared in Mechanix Illustrated magazine and in the movie Total Recall. Plans include 12 large drawings and a photo-illustrated book.

Town Car is a series hybrid-electric vehicle. It appeared in Mechanix Illustrated magazine and in the movie Total Recall. This new edition of the plans includes 12 drawings and a large photo-illustrated book.

Urba Electric was the test bed for proving out the CVT speed control system for EVs. It was featured in Mechanix Illustrated magazine. Plans include 14 large drawings and a booklet.

UrbaCar tops 60 mph and delivers 55 mpg fuel economy. It was featured in Mechanix Illustrated magazine. Plans include 10 large drawings and a booklet; available in both CAD and printed formats.

UrbaTrike cruises at 55 mph and runs 50 miles on its eight 6-volt golf car batteries. Switch to modern 12-volt Lithium batteries for speeds up to 80 mph and double the range.  It was featured in Mechanix Illustrated magazine. Plans include 10 large drawings and a 22-page booklet.

Vans - Campers

Phoenix expands tent-trailer style into a large camper. It was featured in Popular Mechanics and Mechanix Illustrated magazines. It also appeared in the movie Total Recall. Plans include 11 large drawings and a photo-illustrated book.

Boonie Bug is a VW-van-based minivan. It was featured in Popular Mechanics magazine, and it appeared in the movie Total Recall. Plans include nine large drawings and a booklet. 

MiniHome is built on a VW Bug chassis and has compact motorhome-style facilities for four. It was featured in Mechanix Illustrated magazine. Plans include ten large drawings and a 17-page booklet.

Budget Camper fits long-bed American pickups. It was featured in Mechanix Illustrated magazine. Plans include seven large drawings and a 12-page booklet. 

Single-Track Vehicles

Ground Hugger XR2^HP (latest release) carbon fiber recumbent bicycle can be made in three versions: human-powered, battery-electric e-bike, and the race-winning solar-/human-powered version. The Solar XR2 won the 2001 Australian World Solar Cycle Challenge (B-Class).  Plans come on CD-ROM.  Click on the image to the left for complete information.  Clicking on the "Order XR2 Plans" to order.    

Ground Hugger is the design on which the new XR2 is based.   It is one of the most thoroughly proven recumbent designs around.  It's introduction  helped spark the modern revival of the recumbent bicycle. It was featured in Popular Mechanics magazine.  See information page and right margin for prices & contents. 

El Chopper ET is a deluxe version of El Chopper electric motorcycle (below). Instructions and plans are provided in a 67-page, 8 ½ x 11-inch, photo-illustrated manual with construction drawings.  ET uses a Honda motorcycle chassis. 

EL CHOPPER PLANS ARE OUT OF PRINT El Chopper is ET's little brother. It is an electric motorcycle that uses off the shelf parts in combination with a custom-built frame. Top speed is 30 mph. Plans include an 8-1/2 x 11-inch, 67-page, photo-illustrated manual with thirteen 8-1/2 x 11-inch drawings bound inside.

Bidwell Bike Pusher provides electric propulsion to any ordinary bicycle. The propulsion mini-trailer can be removed or installed by pulling a single pin. Plans include one 8-1/2 x 11-inch, 48-page, photo-illustrated  manual with eleven 8-1/2  x 11-inch drawings bound inside. 

No Longer Available
 

Hovercraft

Pegasus is a hovercraft for youngsters designed as an educational father/son project. It was featured in Popular Mechanics magazine. Plans include six large drawings and a 32-page, photo-illustrated book with hovercraft principles of operation.

Tri-Flyer is a three-place, high-performance hovercraft that can top 80 mph. Plans include six large drawings and a 60-page, photo-illustrated book with hovercraft principles of operation. It was featured in Popular Mechanics magazine.

Boats

HydroRunner is a high-performance personal watercraft using an outboard engine. It was featured in Popular Mechanics magazine. Plans include six large drawings and a 36-page, photo-illustrated book.

AquaSub is a one-man sports submarine that operates in the near-surface environment. The interior is dry, so no scuba gear is needed. It was featured in Mechanix Illustrated magazine. Plans include 10 large drawings and a booklet describing step-by-step how to build it.

Surf Sailer is a combination sailboat, motor boat, paddle board, and surfboard. It was first used as a life-saving device on the beaches of Israel. Later, Popular Mechanics magazine featured the plans-built version. Plans include six large drawings and a 14-page booklet.

General

Super Spa can be built either fully in-ground or above ground. Plans give complete instructions for building a custom designed deck and spa. Featured in Home Mechanix magazine. Plans include four large drawings and a 34-page, photo-illustrated book.

Old Hickory smoke cooker imparts old fashioned smoke-cooked flavors to food, and it almost cooks by itself. Plans include two large drawings and a photo-illustrated booklet showing step-by-step how to build it.

Alternative Cars in the 21st Century: A New Personal Transportation Paradigm, Second Edition, by Robert Q. Riley (SAE 2003).  In 1994, Riley accurately forecasted the need for "alternative cars."   This significantly updated Second Edition reviews the latest in technology and design.  Includes a Forward by Dr. Paul MacCready, a new chapter on intelligent transportation systems by Dr. Wonsik Chee, and tilting three-wheeler information by Tony Foale. Hardbound, 512 pages.

Rhino 5 provides the tools to accurately model your designs ready for rendering, animation, drafting, engineering, analysis, and manufacturing. Rhino can create, edit analyze, and translate NURBS curves, surfaces, and solids in Windows. Rhino also supports polygon meshes and point clouds. There are no limits on complexity, degree, or size. Flamingo nXt brings raytrace and radiosity rendering to Rhino. For information on ordering software, click on "More Information" in the field to the right.   Attention: Software will only run on Windows XP , Vista, and Windows 7 & 8 (32 bit & 64 bit).