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Nizamuddin Awlia has turned part of his house in the capital Dhaka into an automobile workshop, where he and four assistants cut, weld and paint unglamorous cars to make them resemble the world's most prestigious vehicles.

The current works in progress at Awlia's garage include a metallic green "Lamborghini" and a "Ferrari F50" which the customer, a smiling teenage boy, has come to inspect with his girlfriend.

"This boy has courage," said Awlia, wearing a T-shirt and shorts, his hands blackened by oil and grease. "He bought a Honda car and just told me to turn it into his dream car -- a Ferrari F50."

Awlia, 35, has been refitting cars since his youth, starting his trade in Bangladesh after a boyhood in the Middle East and the United States.

Outside Awlia's house lies his trophy: a 22-foot (seven-meter) black limousine fitted with a television and other luxuries.

The limo started off as a 1986 Nissan Laurel until Awlia started working on it, extending its base and putting in a 2.8-liter engine.

"It is made in Bangladesh and by me," Awlia said proudly.

"People call me mad as I left the luxurious life in America and work around the clock just to make my dream and those of my customers come true," he said.

Awlia's fascination with elite motors started as a child when he bought a toy Lamborghini, whose shape and structure he studied closely.

As he grew older he began scouring bookstores to learn the art of putting together cars.

"I made the first copy version of my dream car, the Lamborghini Countach, in 1989 with the engine of a Volkswagen as I needed an engine which can be set at the back of car," Awlia said.

"I cried with joy and grabbed my mother when the wheels moved," he said, showing a photo of the red sports car that launched his career.

His father, who still lives in the United States, at first disapproved and sold the Lamborghini replica for scrap. But later he had a change of heart and began funding his son's budding profession.

"He was happy that it would keep me at home instead of spending time with friends. He feared I could turn to drugs," Awlia said.

Old cars are the mainstays of Bangladeshi motorists, who historically have bought reconditioned used imports, mostly from Japan, because of the prohibitive cost of buying new foreign makes.

But some Bangladeshis are buying new cars. Dhaka hosted its first auto show in May with major international companies including Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi and Volvo putting their models on display.

But Awlia does not see himself as being in competition with major car dealers.

"I've never advertised about my work and the word just spread through friends or relatives," he said.

His prices vary greatly depending on the work. He said the "Ferrari" he was working on would cost 2.5 million taka (43,000 dollars) while he would ask for at least three million taka (51,700 dollars) if he decided to part with his beloved limousine.

His first four years of work were difficult, but slowly customers started coming.

"I can't fail, as then I would lose my integrity and it would only confirm to people that I am insane," Awlia said.