A Palestinian mechanic discovered a Mercedes Gazelle while working on a car and set out to build a replica of the open-top roadster model.
After disassembling the old car and sourcing additional parts from the United States,
he built his best replica yet. Built on a Mitsubishi chassis, the car is powered by a Mitsubishi engine and can be driven without any problems.
He is waiting for permission from the authorities to drive his car replica.
NHTSA has new law on automotive replicas
The National Transportation Safety Administration passed a law in 2015 that made it easier to make and buy car replicas.
Small manufacturers that make fewer than 5,000 cars can now produce and sell 325 car replicas without having to meet costly safety standards like crash testing.
Prior to this law, only kit cars could be sold,
which the owner had to assemble and register themselves, but now they don’t have to.
Smaller manufacturers can try their hand at producing car replicas
It also allows small manufacturers to try their hand at production,
something that the original regulation of car replicas prevented them from doing.
Car replicas have become so popular that production can’t keep up with sales.
