Spare Parts

Spare Parts

Year: 2015

Runtime: 83 min

Language: English

Director: Sean McNamara

DramaSport

Four determined Latino students, with the help of their dedicated and unconventional teacher Fredi (George Lopez), create a robotics club despite limited resources. They challenge the seemingly unbeatable MIT champions, learning valuable lessons about engineering, teamwork, and perseverance as they build a winning robot and strengthen their friendship. The experience ultimately sets them on a path toward a brighter future.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Spare Parts (2015)

Trace every key event in Spare Parts (2015) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Four students arrive in Santa Barbara for the competition

In 2004 four Mexican students travel from Phoenix to UCSB to participate in the Marine Advanced Technology Education Robotics Competition. They come from an underfunded public high school and face steep odds with limited resources. Their arrival marks the start of an underdog robotics effort.

2004 UCSB, Santa Barbara
2

Oscar Vazquez seeks a path through the robotics competition

Oscar Vazquez visits a U.S. Army recruitment center hoping to enlist, but learns his immigration status blocks him from service. He discovers the underwater robotics competition as an alternative path to build a future in STEM. This realization steers his focus toward the team and their project.

Pre-competition, 2004 Armed Forces Career Center, Phoenix
3

Cameron is hired and encounters Santillan's theft tactic

Fredi Cameron is hired as a substitute teacher at Carl Hayden High School to supervise the engineering club. In the parking lot, Lorenzo Santillan tweaks a car temperature sensor for a quick payoff, foreshadowing his risky behavior. Cameron’s arrival sets the stage for the team’s mentorship.

Shortly after hiring Carl Hayden High School Parking Lot
4

Cameron agrees to mentor the robotics club

Cameron takes on the role of advisor to the engineering club and meets Vazquez, who wants help building a remotely operated underwater robot. They commit to entering the competition and start planning the project. The team begins to recruit more members.

Early planning Carl Hayden High School
5

Vazquez recruits Arcega; Arcega leads the design

Vazquez brings in Cristian Arcega after Gwen Kolinsky recommends him. Arcega takes on the technical lead and outlines an initial design for the robot. He sketches ideas for how the machine could complete the competition tasks.

Early planning Carl Hayden High School
6

Prototype concept and PBASIC training

Cameron suggests building a proof of concept prototype to test ideas before full construction. Gwen Kolinsky teaches PBASIC to help implement the robot's control software. The team begins to integrate hardware and software concepts.

Early development Carl Hayden High School Lab
7

Santillan joins the team and Aranda is recruited

After Cameron catches Santillan stealing, he forces him to join the team and become part of the Robotics Academic Club. They recruit Luis Aranda to help lift the robot in and out of the pool. The expanded roster strengthens the team's capability to complete tasks.

During setup Carl Hayden High School
8

Funding the build and the birth of Stinky

With limited funds, the team raises 663.53 dollars plus Cameron's 134.63, forcing them to scale back the original design. They scavenge parts from local sources and even rely on glue to hold the robot together, earning the nickname Stinky. The resourcefulness becomes a key part of their success.

Pre-competition Carl Hayden High School Workshop
9

Travel to Santa Barbara and immigration hurdles

Travel to Santa Barbara is complicated because three of the four boys are illegal immigrants. They must navigate legal and logistical hurdles while preparing for the competition. The team remains determined to pursue their dream despite the risks.

Day before competition Phoenix to Santa Barbara route
10

Tampon fix saves the day before the contest

The night before the competition a leak in the case protecting the intelligence module forces the team to improvise a fix using tampons to contain water. The fix demonstrates their improvisational engineering under pressure. Their makeshift solution allows them to proceed to the competition.

Night before competition UCSB facility / competition site
11

Competition day shows underdog effort against top teams

The Phoenix team faces highly funded college rivals, including MIT backed by a large ExxonMobil grant. Despite a tight budget, their robot finishes the practical segment in fourth place with 75 points after missing three tasks. They remain hopeful for a high overall ranking based on the judges' evaluation.

Day of competition UCSB competition site
12

The team is crowned champions after an awards surprise

During the awards ceremony, the team expects only a Special Achievement award. They are stunned when they are announced as the champions of the event. The victory becomes a celebrated testament to perseverance and teamwork.

Night of the awards UCSB Awards Hall

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:16

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