Classic Mercedes Roadster Turns Heads in Gaza
Image by Wikimedia Commons
Repairing cars in the Gulf, a Palestinian mechanic from the Gaza Strip once spotted a vehicle that took his breath away.
It was a classic: a Mercedes Gazelle. Munir Shindi knew that he had to have one. So, after returning home to Gaza, he set about building a replica of the 1927 model of the two-door, open-top roadster from scratch.
Cannibalizing parts from used vehicles and importing a few items such as locks, hub caps and hinges from the United States, Shindi, 36, spent nearly two years shaping his masterpiece. It’s now on display in his mechanic’s shop.
“I wanted to prove to myself that I can make it and that nothing was impossible,” he said.
Off-white with burgundy seats, the replica is built on a Mitsubishi chassis and powered by a 1,600 cc Mitsubishi engine. It drew admiring glances and cheers from motorists and pedestrians as Shindi, accompanied by two of his sons, took a rare drive down a main Gaza street on Sunday.
“I am still waiting for the authorities to allow me to license it so I can drive it properly,” he said.
Designed by Ferdinand Porsche, the lightweight Gazelle series helped Mercedes dominate motorsport in the late 1920s and early 1930s. According to classic car websites, about 300 Gazelles were produced, and one unrestored model sold for $7.4 million in 2004.
Palestinians in Gaza, territory controlled by the Hamas Islamist group, import cars from around the world via neighboring Israel. There are about 70,000 registered cars in the small, densely populated enclave of 1.95 million people.—Reuters
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
