For the average person, owning expensive, high-end cars, like a Lamborghini, is out of the realm of possibilities. Building a car you’ve always dreamed about owning is something every car lover would love to do, but few get the opportunity.

There’s one man, however, who found a way to do both, building the Lamborghini of his dreams for a fraction of the cost and with a 3D printer.

Building his son’s Lamborghini dream car

Colorado State University professor, laser designer, and physicist Dr. Sterling Backus (Ph.D.) didn’t need much convincing from his son when the idea of building a car came about, according to WhichCar.

As a car lover himself, he’d always wanted to build a car from scratch. So when his son asked if it was possible to build a Lamborghini Aventador after playing the video game Forza Horizon 3, Sterling Backus started coming up with a plan.

Backus began plans for building his Lamborghini Aventador replica, with original intentions of using steel to build it. Instead, he looked to the advancement of 3D printer technology to get him there.

Even though he had no prior experience with 3D printing, it’s been 18 months since work began and the car is coming along nicely. Spending at least one hour each day on his project, Backus has come a long way in building his own Lamborghini. He has no plans on slowing down anytime soon.

Per our friends at Top Speed, Sterling Backus has given his incredible Lamborghini build the name “AXAS Interceptor“. Backus plans to ignore the typical, $420,000 price tag in favor of a budget of under $20,000. And better yet, he’s updating everyone via his Facebook page.

How the homemade Lamborghini is turning out

Backus realized that printing whole pieces on a 3D printer would be unrealistic. Instead, he’s made use of a design program that breaks each large piece into smaller pieces. From there he prints from three, smaller 3D printers.

After printing these smaller pieces, they are then glued together, with some of them being affixed to a steel frame underneath. To ensure that the larger pieces and panels have a singular, smooth look, Sterling Backus then wraps the entire piece in carbon-fiber Kevlar. Then he seals them using a vacuum encapsulation method. This also helps to strengthen the parts and protect them.

Once the panels and parts are ready, Backus attaches them to the steel frame chassis that he built himself. This chassis isn’t quite like the Aventador you’d receive from Lamborghini.

However, it’s designed with an impressive suspension system in both the front and rear that is similar in design to the Lamborghini’s inboard suspension setup. The 3D printer has been used to build the body, as well as the taillights, and other complex parts like the rear diffuser and front bar.

Impressive resourcefulness

Some parts for the Aventador replica he wasn’t able to fabricate himself. So he’s using used or new Lamborghini parts to fill in. The rearview mirror, glass for the side mirrors, door windows, door latches and strikers, wiper arms, and marker lights are all Lamborghini parts.

He’s even taken some switches and the steering wheel from an Audi. According to Fox News, the father and son duo are using a 5.7-liter LS1 V8 engine with two turbochargers taken from a 2003 Chevrolet Corvette, as well as a transaxle taken from a Porsche 911.

Though this team isn’t quite finished yet, the progress they have made is impressive. The body is built and it’s looking more and more like the Lamborghini we all wish we could have. We’re all rooting them on as they complete this incredible feat. If we could all have a Lamborghini Aventador for under $20,000, what a world that would be.