Program revs up auto interest

CHARLO — Charlo High School students have something other than summer break to look forward to, thanks to the efforts of the Mission Valley Cruisers, the school board and various donations.

The Cruisers recently approached Charlo shop teacher Stan Atchley with an exciting project that serves to encourage youth to get involved in an automobile hobby.

To reach this goal, the Cruisers have chosen Atchley’s automotive class to perform a full restoration on a classic automobile and a member has donated $500 to the project.

Over a period of one or two years, Charlo High School students will rebuild an engine, perform body restoration, do upholstery work and other measures to revive an old-timer car.

At the last school board meeting on March 19, $8,000 was allocated to the restoration project. An additional $500 has been donated from a member of the community.

“I’ve been telling Stan not to get anything too complicated,” said Cruisers vice president Mike Lee.

Lee has experience in car restoration and has been working on a ‘57 Chevrolet Pickup with his son for the past two years.

Atchley worked on a 1980 Ford pickup a couple years ago and said the final project had little financial value.

“It was only worth the value of the parts I put into it,” he said.

Lee said it is important that Atchley’s students work on a vehicle with inexpensive parts. He has budgeted $6,000 for his restoration project, and said the $9,000 Charlo students have to work with should be sufficient.

President of the Cruisers, Jack Bishop, was involved in a similar restoration project in northern California. There the Altamont Cruisers restored a ‘66 Buick Wildcat, which was raffled off for $5,500. The proceeds went to a local DARE school program.

A similar recipe for success will be followed by Atchley and his students; proceeds of the vehicle restored by Charlo students will be used for future automobile restoration projects.

The shop teacher is currently looking at several automobile donations in his search for a dusty gem his students can breathe life into.

“The kids are thrilled about the project,” Atchley said.

Cruiser members are also more than excited about the restoration — which will begin with the coming school year — and will offer their expertise during the restoration project as needed.

Students will get a taste of the year to come on April 18 as the Cruisers will visit the high school with restored classic cars in tow for the students to admire and discuss.