KOCHI: At the age of 12, Prasobh rode around with his friends in his 'own car,' a small car with a 35 cc TVS moped engine mounted on a frame made of welded iron pipes. Within two years, this teenager who drove around in this car in the alleys started riding a 'bike' he created and old mopeds he repaired. This 38-year-old, a native of Choorakkad, Tripunithura, now has 30 rare vehicles on the terrace and yard of his house.

These old-fashioned vehicles roar themselves into movement if you 'give them a hand.'. In addition to 19 mopeds, 4 bikes, 3 cars, and 3 quad bikes that he built himself, there is also 'Bobby,' the baby on the bike. Most of them are in running condition. There are even mopeds made in 1942. Many of them have travelled more than 100 kilometres in a stretch.

The elders have mopeds such as the 1942 model VeloSolex 330 from Holland, the 1952 model Mobylette AV 33 from France, and the Royal England Phillips mopeds. The parts and original engines were sourced from Punjab, UP, and Chennai. None of the vehicles will be sold. The desire is to set up a museum of vehicles.

His wife is Aswathy. His son is Abhishek, a second grader.

Prasobh has only school education. He has never been to a workshop. There were no instructors. He learnt by reading and experimenting. He became a well-known mechanic when many people came to him to repair their vehicles because of the trust they have in him. The workshop is in his backyard.

Started from the money in his savings box

Although his father, Anandakrishnan, was a goldsmith, Prasobh had a passion for vehicles. The money he saved in his savings box made his dreams come true. Although he started with a car, the Red Horse bike he built at the age of 14 lent him satisfaction. He started by pushing the bike with a moped engine and 18-inch bicycle tires. At the age of 16, he built his first car, called Stranger, with a reverse gear. The car, which was four and a half feet long and two and a half feet wide, had a 65cc Hero Puch engine and scooter tires. After buying the plates of old cars and fixing the body, it became like new. It has three gears and a mileage of 60 km.