Auto Restoration Archives

Posted On: March 24, 2017
By: MC Admin

Fifth Avenue Antique Auto Parts of Clay Center, Kan., recently made a sizeable donation of original antique automotive training materials to the automotive restoration department of McPherson College.

Curt Goodwin, associate professor of technology, said that they couldn’t give enough thanks to Randy Rundle, owner of Fifth Avenue, for the donation.

“The department is extremely grateful for Fifth Avenue’s donation,” Goodwin said. “This kind of training material is difficult to find in any condition, and the quality of Fifth Avenue’s donation is remarkable.”

Among the donations were items from Cowie Electric Company in Wichita, Kan., which was established in 1917. Until it closed in 2012, Cowie Electric served as a Midwest regional automotive parts distributor and rebuilder of starters, generators, carburetors, magnetos, and all types of automotive electrical parts, with customers in all 50 states.

The company also served as the regional training center location for all of the major automotive manufacturers including Delco-Remy Ignitions, Rochester Carburetors, Wico Magnetos, and dozens of aftermarket companies. Automotive mechanics could attend six-week classes at the Cowie Company location, taught by various manufacturing representatives, to become certified by the those manufacturers.

The donated training materials include 33-1/3 rpm records, filmstrip presentations, 16 mm movies, classroom workbooks, and large flip charts detailing the inner workings of all types of automotive systems manufactured from the late 1920s through the 1960s.

“I found out by accident from a friend living in Wichita that the building was vacant and that all of the 50 plus years of training materials were still upstairs in the old classroom. So I tracked down the building owner and bought all of the training materials that were left,” Randy Rundle said. “I was happy to support the school with this contribution.”

Brian Martin, director of auto restoration projects at McPherson College, said these materials are a wonderful resource.

“For students to have access to original teaching materials from 70 years ago is really valuable,” he said. “These materials will be used and appreciated for many years to come.”

Posted On: October 27, 2016
By: MC Admin

Garrick Green A professor recently recognized among “Faculty of Distinction” sees the award as a recognition not so much of himself, but of the entire automotive restoration program at McPherson College.

Garrick Green, associate professor of technology at McPherson College, received the award from the Kansas Independent Colleges Association. Green has been the chair of the automotive restoration department for 11 years out of the program’s 40-year history.

“It’s always nice to have that pat on the back,” he said. “But working hard and being part of a good team like we have in auto restoration is its own reward.”’

The KICA award recognizes the excellence and achievement of faculty members at each of the 19 private colleges and universities across the state. They are chosen as outstanding examples of professors who stress the importance of classroom teaching, personal attention for every student, and a commitment to character, values, and learning.

Dr. Bruce Clary, vice president for academic affairs, said that Green is an outstanding chair of the automotive restoration department. Students praise Green for his teaching, Clary said, and have respect for the high standards he sets out for them.

“It is no coincidence that the reputation of the automotive restoration program has grown rapidly and exponentially under his leadership,” Clary said. “But more importantly for our students, Garrick consistently offers a high-quality classroom experience day after day.”

Green has stood out as a leader in the college’s entrepreneurship initiative. Last year, he was named to the college’s Horizon Faculty Fellows program – which provides support, mentorship and education for MC professors to incorporate entrepreneurship into an existing class or start a new entrepreneurial course. He’s also been a pioneer in using 3-D printing as a tool in restoring antique and classic cars. Green received the “2015 Teaching Award for Tenured Faculty” at McPherson College – recognizing excellence in the classroom.

Read more about the Faculty of Distinction awards here.

Posted On: May 12, 2016
By: MC Admin

Paul Russell can point to the specific day he fell in love with cars. He was 16, and his friend took him for a ride in an Austin Healey “bug-eyed” Sprite. Its unique look, the thrum of its engine, and even the smell of the exhaust all drew him in.

“It was my first experience with a car that was about more than just transportation,” he said. “It was about entertainment. For the first time, I appreciated a car’s emotional appeal. It was a revelation, and I was hooked.”

That moment sparked an interest that would develop into a prestigious, lifelong career. On April 30, McPherson College honored Paul Russell with an honorary Doctorate of Applied Arts in recognition of his contributions to McPherson College, its automotive restoration program, and the collector car industry.

“We’re most fortunate to have Paul involved at McPherson College,” said Amanda Gutierrez, vice president for historic automotive restoration at MC. “He has always held himself to the highest personal and professional standards in his accomplished career. Beyond that, he believes in the liberal arts and values the well-rounded education our students receive.”

Following that fateful ride at age 16, Russell started working on cars in his garage in his hometown of Andover, Mass. After several year of college, he left to work at a Mercedes-Benz repair shop. There he realized that high-quality technicians also needed to understand business and his desire to create high-quality work found root.

After five years at a firm focused on 1950s-era Mercedes-Benz, he negotiated to purchase the restoration side of that business. He opened in 1978 as “Gullwing Service Company, Inc.” and today marks 38 years in business – now doing business as “Paul Russell and Company.”

Paul Russell has had a hand in multiple aspects of the collector car industry. His restorations of significant historical vehicles – including Mercedes-Benz, Ferraris and Bugattis – have won prestigious international awards at events such as the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California and the Concorso d’Eleganza at Ville d’Este in Italy.

Russell’s work has attracted clients such as fashion icon Ralph Lauren.

“This is not his job,” Lauren said, “It’s his life.”

He is a judge for the Cavallino Classic, the Ferrari Club of America, Masterpieces & Style, and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. An advocate for the arts, he served as a guest curator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s “Speed, Style, and Beauty” exhibit. Most importantly to McPherson College, however, Russell supports automotive restoration education.

One of the early members on the National Advisory Board for Automotive Restoration at McPherson College, Russell has served on the board for 12 years and as chairman for the last three years. He was instrumental in advocating to move automotive restoration to a four-year bachelor’s degree, helped MC to create a strong strategic plan for the program, and has hosted numerous events to benefit the college.

As a guest speaker, he has also advocated for restoration education at numerous events, including the Revs Institute’s Symposium on Connoisseurship and the Collectible Car as well as the Historical Vehicle Association’s National Automotive Heritage Summit.

Russell said supporting McPherson College has been a wonderful way to contribute back to the collector car industry.

“I think it is the duty of someone who has gotten so much out of this profession to support and encourage those that follow and to try to influence the maintenance of high standards,” he said. “That’s why I love my association with McPherson College.”

Posted On: May 7, 2016
By: MC Admin

To a packed auditorium of more than 500 people, the CEO of Hagerty spoke about the importance of passion in the business world.

McKeel Hagerty presented the annual Harter Lecture in Business at McPherson College in April and started his lecture asking the audience whether the career dreams they had as children match up with their actual jobs today. Few raised their hands.

That’s OK, Hagerty said.

“There’s nothing wrong with having those kind of dreams,” he said. “I wanted to be James Bond.”

His work is ostensibly about insurance, which he jokingly said was not exciting on its face. He hadn’t planned on going into the family business, but along the way he discovered a deep passion for the work in a new framework.

“We’re for people who love cars,” he said. “We don’t even talk about insurance anymore.”

Hagerty is the largest classic car insurer and also publishes a valuation guide and the largest circulated classic car magazine. The company McKeel Hagerty oversees – based in Traverse City, Mich. – has been a huge supporter of the classic car hobby, committing 10 percent of net profits back to programs and organizations that support classic vehicles.

Using examples from within Hagerty as well as other successful businesses, McKeel Hagerty shared lessons on how passion in business makes a difference – both for the business itself and the individuals who work at it.

“These the companies that people want to work at,” Hagerty said. “They have a strong sense of purpose.”

Hagerty’s lessons for developing passion in business were:

Be a Challenger. McKeel said that at the time he started with Hagerty, their competitors had highly restrictive requirements. They introduced more practical and useful policies. They also challenged with creative advertising.
Seize the High Ground. Hagerty said this was a matter of working in a way that one honestly believes in. At Hagerty, it meant starting a Youth Judging program and the Historic Vehicle Association in support of classic and antique vehicles.
Be a Great Place to Work. The important consideration is finding interesting and passionate people, McKeel said, they can teach the specifics of a job.
Don’t Invent Passion. Celebrate It. “Manufactured” passion will come off as artificial. Instead, find out what customers and employees are already passionate about and find ways to highlight and celebrate that.
Be “The Spirit of…” Figure out what the essential element of a business is, then build a brand around that identity. For example, McKeel said Nike built a brand around “The Spirit of Sports” and Hagerty appeals to “The Spirit of Cars.”

President Michael Schneider said that having Hagerty speak at McPherson College was a wonderful opportunity.

“There is no one who has been at the center of the automotive restoration industry more than McKeel,” he said.

Hagerty is a founding and current member of the National Advisory Board of the automotive restoration program at McPherson College and is the 2016-2017 chairman of the International Board for the Young Presidents’ Organization.

Under McKeel Hagerty’s leadership, he has grown Hagerty from a small agency with 30 employees to 800 worldwide, with branches in Canada and the United Kingdom in addition to the U.S. His company has been named a “Best Small Company to Work For” by Fortune magazine for three consecutive years.

Posted On: May 4, 2016
By: MC Admin

With high turnout at the McPherson College 17th annual C.A.R.S. Club Car Show – at about 275 entries and 1,000 visitors – there were unique and classic vehicles for every taste.

Bill Brutsman of Lenexa, Kan., came to the show on April 30 for the first time this year. Brutsman said that

“It’s a diversity of people and cars, and it’s everything automotive,” he said. “You name it, it’s here.”

The show on April 30 offered cars from nearly every decade, hot rods, motorcycles, trucks, tractors and more. There were curiosities to appeal to any car-lover. Among them:

The custom 1953 Manta Ray – which looks like it’s floating on air.
An original and working 1893 Daimler engine brought by the Mercedes Benz Classic Center
Even: A hearse with the words “You’re Next” in the side windows.

Brutsman entered with a unique racer of his own – a bright-orange hot rod he races on the Bonneville Salt Flats. He built the custom job himself from a 1927 Ford Roadster body on a 1932 Ford frame that he rescued from the trash.

He used the hot rod to haul his other original, custom job – a tiny trailer RV in the classic teardrop style with just enough space for a queen-size bed inside and a kitchen complete with cabinets, stove and kitchen sink under a pop-up tailgate.

Getting so many people out on a day that started cold, cloudy and wet said at lot for the quality of the student-run show at McPherson College, Brutsman said.

“You’ve got a lot of pull when you can pull in this many people in this kind of weather,” he said.

Stan Diehl of Hutchinson, Kan., was also attending the show for the first time. Diel said he was excited to see so many cars and people out for the show but even more to know the program at McPherson College that’s behind it. MC is the only institution to offer a four-year bachelor’s degree in automotive restoration.

“It’s fun to see the college teaching these old-fashioned skills,” he said. “I think that’s the part I like the most.”

Diehl’s entry in the show – a mint green hot rod with swirling pinstripes – nearly represents the show’s diversity on its own. Based on a 1948 Ford, it also has a 1987 Jaguar motor and transmission and 1964 Thunderbird seats, among others.

“It’s definitely a custom,” Diehl said. “I just like unusual and unique stuff.”

He’s been trying to complete one new custom vehicle every year, and this one – which he has named “Mona” – is his fourth and the “younger sister” of Lola, Viola, and Olga. He’s always loved cars, Diehl said, as his father owned a Volkswagen salvage yard growing up.

“It’s always been something I enjoyed,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll ever get away from it.”

In addition to all the great vehicles in the show, the “Motoring Weekend” also included a swap meet; a sheet metal shaping demonstration from Ed Barr, assistant professor of technology; and a noon performance from the McPherson College Jazz Band, which has multiple members who are students in the automotive restoration major.

Visitors also got to see two different teams of automotive restoration students demonstrate the rapid assembly of a Ford Model T from a pile of parts to running. Both teams logged impressive, blazing-fast times of 8:06 in the morning and 6:52 in the afternoon.

The full results of the 2016 C.A.R.S. Club Car Show Awards are as follows:

Best of Show: 1936 Cord 810 Sportsman, owned by Evergreen Historic Automobiles.
People’s Choice: 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle, owned by Randy Nusz
Kids’ Choice: 1950 Crosley Hotshot, owned by Abigayle Morgan

Categories:

1927-older: 1914 Willys Overland 79 Touring, ownedy by David Ellrich
1928-1944: 1937 Lincoln Brunn, owned by Rex Russell
1945-1954: 1950 Plymouth Special Deluxe, owned by Willard Banman
1955-1964: 1956 DeSoto Adventurer, owned by Bruce Blackwell
1965-1973: 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T, owned by Fred Gilmore
1973-1989: 1979 Chrysler New Yorker, owned by Robert Siberns
1990-present: 2003 Ford Mach I, owned by Bruce Laude
Special Interest: 1969 AMC AMX, owned by Larry Montgomery
Truck: 1951 Chevrolet Pickup, owned by Jim Streeby
Hot Rod, Custom, and Mod: 1935 Ford Pickup, owned by Randy and Donna Booth
Foreign: 1955 Porsche 356 Cabriolet, owned by Bill Pierson
Tractor: 1952 Massy Harris 44, owned by David Walker
Motorcycle: 1974 Honda Rickman, owned by Dale Keesecker

Posted On: April 27, 2016
By: MC Admin

Classic cars are typically split into two eras – pre-WWII and post WWII – and this year’s 17th annual C.A.R.S. Club Car Show will have double the usual number of featured cars to represent iconic vehicles from both periods.

Jason Peters, senior, McPherson, Kan., is secretary for C.A.R.S. Club this year and is the primary organizer of the student-run show. Peters said that among the featured cars will be a 1908 Haynes Apperson, a 1929 Duesenberg Model J Sedan, a 1953 Manta Ray, and a 1956 Continental Mark II.

Peters said as they began to secure feature cars, a clear pattern emerged.

“It became apparent that not only were the feature cars falling into a couple of distinct eras,” he said, “but that America has always produced very luxurious and special automobiles, even from the very beginning. We feel very fortunate to be displaying some of the finest representations of these beautiful automobiles.”

The show has been moved up from its usual weekend on the first Saturday of May. The show will be held to April 29 to May 1 instead so that students won’t have to put on the show immediately before finals week.

In addition to the primary car show on Saturday, April 30, the weekend will again include a cruise-in on Friday night and a swapmeet on Sunday – successful additions to the show that were new last year.

Visit www.mcpherson.edu/autorestoration/cars to learn more about the show and to register a vehicle. The registration fee to enter a vehicle in one of the many show categories is $20, but the event is free for the public to attend. The public is encouraged to come and view the approximately 250 vehicles expected to be on display on the McPherson College campus.

17th Annual C.A.R.S. Club Car Show at McPherson College
10 a.m. – 4 p.m., April 30

Feature cars
Pre-WWII: 1904 Haynes Apperson, 1929 Duesenberg Model J Sedan, 1931 Auburn Cabriolet Coupe, 1940 Cadillac V-16 Convertible Coupe by Fleetwood
Post-WWII: 1947 Chrysler Town & Country Woody Convertible, 1953 Manta Ray, 1956 Continental Mark II, 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible

Posted On: April 19, 2016
By: MC Admin

While his name is on the recognition letter for the Jay Leno/Autoweek Scholarship, Adam Mashiach sees the other names that lie just out of sight.

He sees the names of those who supported him and worked by his side as he drove himself and achieved receiving the largest automotive restoration scholarship available at McPherson College – the only institution that offers a bachelor’s degree in the craft.

“I’m still taking it in,” Mashiach said. “I just look at it as an affirmation. While I got the scholarship, I see it as more of a group effort.”

The first name the Encino, Calif., senior sees is that of his grandfather, who restored and repaired Cadillacs in California for celebrities such as singer Nancy Sinatra and actress Angie Dickinson.

Mashiach spent a lot of time in his grandfather’s shop. He was fascinated by seeing the underside of a car on the lift. He’d play with his grandfather’s tools and invent new ones for him – some that even got regular usage. He came to love the smell of oil, grease and rubber.

“It’s what’s always been there,” he said. “I can rely on for my passion and for fun.”

The next name is “Petersen” as in “Petersen Museum.” He was a regular visitor to the museum in his childhood, and it was where he saw his first Bugatti. But he never imagined he’d have the opportunity to work there. But last summer, he got to do just that as an intern at Petersen.

The experience strengthened his long interest in French Art Deco vehicles from 1920 to 1940 – the stylized swoops and curves, the unique colors, the blend of industry and artistry.

“They just created these works of art that were like mechanical sculptures,” he said.

The final names are the friends he made at McPherson College in the automotive restoration department and who partnered with him on two unique projects – creating from scratch a classic Model T speedster (nicknamed the “Nayslayer”) and a board track racer modeled after historical plans. The projects will be used by the program to demonstrate what MC students in the program can achieve.

Ed Barr, assistant professor of technology, praised Mashiach and those who worked on the special project.

“Adam is a critical thinker who takes directions well and who applies everything he has learned to new situations,” Barr said. “I see him working in the lab outside of class more than anyone else. Seeing his evolution as a thinker and craftsman has been a true joy.”

Posted On: December 7, 2015
By: MC Admin

The McPherson College Auto Restoration program continues to reach new heights, returning home from London with the 2015 International Historic Motoring Award.

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Posted On: November 30, 2015
By: MC Admin

McPherson College’s bachelor’s degree in automotive restoration has been known for years as the premier destination for restoration education. Now that recognition has risen to the international stage with the program winning the International Historic Motoring Awards 2015 Industry Supporter of the Year.

Amanda Gutierrez, vice president for automotive restoration, and Paul Russell, chair of the program’s National Advisory Board and owner of Paul Russell and Company in Essex, Mass., represented the college in accepting the award at the ceremony and gala dinner in November at London’s St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel.

“This is a wonderful recognition of everyone who has worked so hard to make the automotive restoration program a success – our campus community, alumni, advisory board and supporters” Gutierrez said. “This is the international stage affirming the quality and value of what we’ve built during the last 40 years.”

McPherson College Automotive Restoration program was in fantastic company among the other finalists for the award. These included such well-known organizations as: Hagerty, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, Porsche Motorsports North America, and Royal Automobile Club.

The automotive restoration program was established at McPherson College in 1976 with a $1.5 million donation of capital and project cars from Gaines H. “Smokey” Billue. In 2001, the program moved to a four-year bachelor’s degree – making it the only automotive restoration program offering a comprehensive liberal arts and technical education in the craft.

Launched in 2011, the International Historic Motoring Awards recognize and celebrate the skills and achievements of the worldwide historic motoring industry. The event comprises 14 award categories ranging from Museum of the Year to Motor Sport Event to Personal Achievement.

It is judged by an international panel of experts from museums and collections, major events, historic motor racing and the world of modern car design. The awards are presented in association with EFG Private Bank and Octane Magazine.

Posted On: October 21, 2015
By: MC Admin

The McPherson College Automotive Restoration program has been named a finalist in the Industry Supporter of the Year category for the 2015 International Historic Motoring Awards.

Car enthusiasts across the globe submitted nominations for the competition. The winners of each of the prestigious awards will be announced at the International Historic Motoring Awards ceremony and gala dinner at London’s St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel on Nov. 19.

The other finalists for 2015 Industry Supporter of the Year are: Hagerty, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, Porsche Motorsports North America, and Royal Automobile Club.

Quicklinks

Category: Auto Restoration

Fifth Avenue Antique Auto Parts Makes Donation To McPherson College Automotive Restoration Department

Green at McPherson College Named ‘Faculty of Distinction’

Automotive Expert Paul Russell Receives Honorary Doctorate from McPherson College

Hagerty CEO Presents ‘Why Passion Still Matters in Business’ to 500 for Annual Lecture

About 275 Vehicles Arrive for 17th Annual C.A.R.S. Club Car Show at McPherson College

C.A.R.S. Club Show Coming April 30 To McPherson College Campus With Special Feature Vehicles

Recipient of Largest Automotive Restoration Scholarship at McPherson College Sees Recognition as Group Honor

Amanda Gutierrez, Vice President of the McPherson College auto restoration program on KSAL Morning News

McPherson College Automotive Restoration Program Wins Prestigious International Historic Motoring Award

McPherson College Automotive Restoration Among Finalists For Prestigious International Historic Motoring Awards