Howie
15th July 2003, 01:14 PM
http://sg.yimg.com/xp/afp/20030713/2952937417.jpg
PHNOM PENH (AFP) - A backyard motor mechanic has won widespread applause for producing Cambodia's first automobile with flair, and at a cost that would confound car manufacturers across the region.
The "Angkor-2003" is a dashing two-seater convertible that takes four months to produce at 900 dollars a unit in Nhean Pholeouk's Phnom Penh garage. A new motorcycle costs about the same.
"It is the first home-made car in Cambodia, I'm very proud of my work," he said while polishing-up the finished product.
Dozens of orders have poured in since the 46-year-old, who subsidises his income by washing cars, drove his product to a park outside the home of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
There, thousands of people gathered to check-out the "Angkor" and offers have quickly come from tourist operators looking to ferry Western tourists around this country's famed temples.
"People always ask me if I bought it from abroad. When I tell them it was made by my hand, they are very surprised and often do not believe me."
But he complained that the government has shown little interest.
"I am told that in Western countries, if someone builds such a thing, he would get a medal and become rich. I have to struggle, it is very difficult," he said.
The Angkor has a top speed of 60 kilometres (36 miles) per hour and is powered by a 100cc motorbike engine with a four speed gear-box. But plans are on the drawing board to increase the speed to 120 kilometers an hour.
Bucket seats and panneling were made at home while spare parts from motorbikes and scrapped cars were used to complete the Angkor. Its four litre fuel tank can cover 100 kilomtres (60 miles).
"People have asked me if they could build 10 or 20 cars at a time. I can make them but I need contract labour to build them in the required time," said Nhean Pholeouk, who was described as a "budding Henry Ford" by the English language newspaper the Phnom Penh Post.
Nhean Pholeouk hopes to enter a joint venture that would raise much needed capital and possibly prepare his product for export.
"My plan is to build more big and better cars, but I am short of capital. I want to kick-start a joint venture and make bigger cars," he said.
PHNOM PENH (AFP) - A backyard motor mechanic has won widespread applause for producing Cambodia's first automobile with flair, and at a cost that would confound car manufacturers across the region.
The "Angkor-2003" is a dashing two-seater convertible that takes four months to produce at 900 dollars a unit in Nhean Pholeouk's Phnom Penh garage. A new motorcycle costs about the same.
"It is the first home-made car in Cambodia, I'm very proud of my work," he said while polishing-up the finished product.
Dozens of orders have poured in since the 46-year-old, who subsidises his income by washing cars, drove his product to a park outside the home of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
There, thousands of people gathered to check-out the "Angkor" and offers have quickly come from tourist operators looking to ferry Western tourists around this country's famed temples.
"People always ask me if I bought it from abroad. When I tell them it was made by my hand, they are very surprised and often do not believe me."
But he complained that the government has shown little interest.
"I am told that in Western countries, if someone builds such a thing, he would get a medal and become rich. I have to struggle, it is very difficult," he said.
The Angkor has a top speed of 60 kilometres (36 miles) per hour and is powered by a 100cc motorbike engine with a four speed gear-box. But plans are on the drawing board to increase the speed to 120 kilometers an hour.
Bucket seats and panneling were made at home while spare parts from motorbikes and scrapped cars were used to complete the Angkor. Its four litre fuel tank can cover 100 kilomtres (60 miles).
"People have asked me if they could build 10 or 20 cars at a time. I can make them but I need contract labour to build them in the required time," said Nhean Pholeouk, who was described as a "budding Henry Ford" by the English language newspaper the Phnom Penh Post.
Nhean Pholeouk hopes to enter a joint venture that would raise much needed capital and possibly prepare his product for export.
"My plan is to build more big and better cars, but I am short of capital. I want to kick-start a joint venture and make bigger cars," he said.