Bangla Bangers

Bangla Bangers, later followed by sequel-series Chop Shop: London Garage, was a reality program on the Discovery Channel about eccentric and unconventional Bangladeshi coachbuilder Nizamuddin "Leepu" Awlia and foul-mouthed Cockney mechanic Bernie Fineman. In every episode they and their team attempt to build a supercar in a mere matter of weeks out of an automobile which they generally obtain from a wrecking yard. Leepu converts rusting old autos into Ferrari and Lamborghini styled fast sports cars and limousines in his small workshop in Bangladesh's capital of Dhaka, and then later in the "Chop Shop" garage he and Bernie operate out of in London's East End. What makes these episodes notable is that the vehicles constructed by the team are made in a meager shop using lo-tech, basic tools; the bodywork is handmade from sheet metal. Assisted by Bernie's mechanical expertise, the improvements are sometimes questionable. On 6 Sept 2009 the 1988 SAAB 900 Turbo that the Chop Shop team rebuilt into a one-off 'Gangsta Car' for Martin Kemp was demolished by monster truck Podzilla during the VW Action car festival at Santa Pod Raceway, the very same place where the new car first broke down prior to its initial test run. a workshop is located in Cudworth St. 20A / Tent Street 108