GREAT GOOF ON THE ROOF

High school pranksters hoist body of a Jaguar S-Type car to the top of their school

Give them an A for effort.

Six members of the Class of 2016 at Grimsby Secondary School pulled a graduation prank that’s likely to be talked about for years.

There, on the roof of the school one recent Monday morning, was what appeared to be a fully-loaded sports car, complete with school mascot Baldwin the Eagle in the driver’s seat, and a licence plate reading GSS2016.

“It took about a month to execute,” said Roman Kozak, one of the students who eventually came forward to talk about the stunt.

Kozak said the half-dozen future engineering and computer science students “wanted to do something that would stand out.”

After buying a 2001 Jaguar S-Type on Kijiji for $750, the students prudently decided the 2,700 kg car was too tough to lift and could have crushed the roof. They decided to rebuild the exterior of the car around a wood base.

Knowing the janitor only works weekdays, the conspirators gathered on Sunday evening to use an intricate pulley system they learned how to build in physics class to pull the pieces of the frame to the roof.

Using a rope ladder, they gathered on the roof and in three hours assembled the car that has become the talk of the town.

According to Kozak, the six students didn’t get into trouble for the prank.

“We were expecting there to be consequences, but the cool thing was going to school and seeing students piled up and looking at the roof,” said Kozak.

Even principal Shirley Scott was seen laughing.

“We’re just really glad that nobody we know of was injured in getting it up there and assembling it,” said Scott Wednesday.

When asked whether the car had been taken down, Scott said “we’re in the process of looking how to do that.”

According to Grimsby Secondary School alumnus Ishaan Gulati, pranks are a long tradition at the school. Last year, the graduating class turned the school’s cafeteria into a beach. However, the graduating class of 2016 has exceeded all expectations, Gulati said. With files from Evelyn Kwong, Ebyan Abdigir and Brennan Doherty

ROMAN KOZAK PHOTOS Grimsby Secondary School has a tradition of graduation pranks. This year’s may prove difficult to top.

BARRY GRAY/THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR STEP 5: The conspirators used a pulley system they learned to build in physics class to pull the car up onto the roof.

STEP 4: Baldwin the Eagle, the kidnapped school mascot, was placed in the front seat.

STEP 3: The car was taken apart, with the heaviest parts of the interior removed entirely.

STEP 2: After devising their plan, the students bought a $750 2001 Jaguar S-Type car off Kijiji.

STEP 1: Future engineering and computer science students wanted something that would stand out.