“BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL”: Master Craftsman Cigo from Bijelo Polje Hand-Built a Mercedes Using Just 9 Tools! (VIDEO)

One man, one garage, and one hammer…

Vladan Cvijović, known as Cigo, from Bijelo Polje, managed to build a car of the powerful German auto giant Mercedes using only nine hand tools in his workshop.

“This is a one-of-a-kind copy, better than the original, and it will last forever because the entire body is made completely of stainless steel. The engine is original — a 300 Turbo,” says Vladan, adding that the shell was made by hand using nine hand tools — literally everything, down to the last millimeter, was made only by hand.

“This takes a long time because it’s not done non-stop; it’s done when there’s the will… The goal was to show the level of craftsmanship.”

The owner and заказилац of this unique Mercedes, who commissioned the entire project from Vladan, lives and works in Luxembourg and originally comes from nearby areas — the municipality of Petnica, the village of Trpezi.

“That way, his wish came true — to have a G-Class that no one else has. This is a unique example in the world because it’s the first of its kind to be entirely hand-made, and I guarantee that not a single millimeter of sheet metal here was done by any machine, only by hands.”

Cigo also says that his sons are not present, but that it is important to him that they have mastered the craft. He adds that he learned the trade from an early age from his late father. He also notes that his uncle Radoš was once the best auto body craftsman in Europe, whose legacy was later continued by his son Milan.

Vladan, known as Cigo, has a great love for unique vehicles and vintage cars, and this is one of the projects he completed for the children of a close friend.

Vladan already has numerous orders, especially for vintage cars or vehicles whose owners want something special that no one else has.

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He also says that Bijelo Polje has always been a town of outstanding craftsmen and artisans, but when it comes to the generations to come, he admits he is not satisfied.

“Students don’t come anymore, no one wants to learn. In a few years we’ll have a problem, and I could teach someone in six months to a year to surpass me in knowledge — everything I know,” says Vladan, who prefers older cars like the Fića, Peglica, and Beetle over today’s modern vehicles.

Speaking about the Mercedes he is hand-building, he notes that dormice usually cause problems with car bodywork, which will not be the case here because everything is made of stainless steel.

“The owner himself is not demanding and doesn’t want it painted; it will only be sandblasted and won’t be shiny like this, but matte.”

“People from Mercedes have already called me — they want to come this summer. They can’t understand how this was done,” Vladan says.