- Title: GAZA: Students build race car from scratch
- Date: 22nd January 2010
- Summary: KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA STRIP (JANUARY 17, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF KHAN YOUNIS YOUTH TRAINING COLLEGE CLOSE OF SIGN READING IN ARABIC AND ENGLISH "KHAN YOUNIS YOUTH TRAINING COLLEGE" SING READING IN ENGLISH "NORWAY, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - USA, HIGHER COLLEGES OF TECHNOLOGY - UAE" VARIOUS OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS WORKING ON THE RACE CAR THEY BUILT VARIOUS OF STUDENTS
- Embargoed: 6th February 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA4XX5VJTIT02BEQ8DDYQODS79J
- Story Text: Four Palestinian engineering students in the Gaza Strip have invented a race car from scratch using the limited supply of new and second-hand materials available to them.
Though poverty, unemployment and an Israeli-imposed blockade have crippled the Gaza Strip since 2007, Gaza's students have managed to create a red racing car with the help of their very own Khan Younis Training College.
The brains behind the creation proudly suggest the car is more than capable of competing in international competitions. The car was created as a research model capable of competing in Britain's annual Formula Student Invention Competition in 2011.
"The head of the college suggested this idea, and the engineers encouraged us to make this car. So we decided to invent a car, to learn about the parts of the car. Since we cannot import any parts, we had to make our car from materials already available," said Taleb Obaidi, one of the inventors.
The racing car is a brainchild of four students who collected car parts from used and old motors from Gaza's car dealers and workshops.
"We collected pieces of old and used cars, that we bought from welding and dismantling workshops. We brought the engine of the car and we brought the stir system from Fiat 131," engineering student, Wasfi Kamal, said.
The students say that the creation of this car proves that Gaza's spirit has not been diminished by the tightened blockade.
"In the face of the suffering in the Gaza strip, the Palestinian youth can produce things that do not exist in this country," Kamal added.
A year in the making, this car is the first race car ever made in the Gaza strip.
The British Formula Student Invention Competition is a competition aimed at promoting future engineering talent by designing and producing racing cars. It is run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).
Currently, the Gaza race car is still being tested. The inventors have placed a price tag of between 3500-4000 U.S.dollars on their car. But the students say that in order for the inventors to generate a profitable business, access to brand new motors, not second-hand materials such as the ones used in the race car would be needed, which will only ever be possible if the blockade is lifted. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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