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McPherson College Car Show Weekend Scheduled May 5

Dennis Gage, host of My Classic Car

Dennis Gage, host of My Classic Car, will be on campus during the car show shooting an episode for his show.

The 19th Annual C.A.R.S. Club Car & Motorcycle Show at McPherson College will take place Saturday, May 5 starting at 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. The student-run car show annually attracts rare automobiles from across the country. Last year, more than 300 cars entered the show. This year’s event will also feature special guest, Dennis Gage from “My Classic Car.”

Gage, host of “My Classic Car,” will be on campus during the car show shooting an episode for his show. “My Classic Car,” first appeared on TNN in 1998 and hasn’t been off the air since. In production of its 23rd season, the show is seen by more than 100 million households on several cable networks.

This annual event is created and run entirely by the students of the McPherson College C.A.R.S. Club, which is the student-led organization of the Automotive Restoration program open to all students interested in antique and collector cars. Events begin Friday evening with a Cruise-in on Main in downtown McPherson beginning at 6 p.m. There is no registration required for this event and all car enthusiasts are invited to participate. On Saturday, the car show will feature the Model T build team, shop tours, and awards ceremony at the end of the day.

Among the many cars on display and activities throughout the day, the event also showcases feature cars that represent unique and rare vehicles.

One of the featured cars at this year’s show will be the Shelby Cobra CSX2409. The history of this car is impressive, it is known as the lowest mileage Cobra in existence. It was built to USRRC specifications by Shelby American primarily for SCCA racing. It’s original paint scheme, orange with yellow strips, remains intact and is the only factory-built orange Cobra. The Cobra Experience, a non-profit museum committed to the promotion, conservation, education, and preservation of the cars produced by Shelby America, is bringing the car to campus. The museum, located in Martinez, California showcases original Cobras, Shelby Mustangs, a Daytona Coupe, a GT40, King Cobra, Sunbeam Tigers and a Lotus.

For those interested in showing a car or motorcycle, pre-registration is open until April 15 and registration deadline for judging is April 30. Details about entering a vehicle for the show can be found at www.mcpherson.edu/autorestoration. Admission to the show is free.

McPherson College Welcomes Craig Jackson to “An Evening With Auto Restoration”

Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson Auction Company, will be the special guest at an “Evening with Auto Restoration” on Friday, May 4 at 6 p.m. in Mingenback Theatre at McPherson College. Each year the Automotive Restoration program of McPherson College brings to campus industry leaders for an evening that raises support for student scholarships.

Born and raised in the automotive world, Jackson’s passion and devotion to the automobile market was instilled in him by his older brother Brian and father Russ, who with Tom Barrett, founded the company in 1971. Taking over the reins after the untimely death of his brother, Jackson has grown the company’s events and brand into one of the most recognized names in the collector car industry.

An Evening with Auto Restoration will feature a dinner and presentation by Jackson. The event also kicks-off the annual car show weekend at McPherson College. A Cruise-in on Main in downtown McPherson will take place Friday evening after the event and on Saturday the 19th Annual C.A.R.S. Club Car & Motorcycle Show will begin at 8 a.m. on the college campus.

Registration for An Evening with Auto Restoration is required by April 25 and tickets are available online at www.mcpherson.edu/evening-with-ar.

McPherson College Auto Restoration Program Receives Grant

RPM FoundationThe McPherson College Automotive Restoration program was recently awarded a grant from The RPM Foundation to fund eight RPM Scholars and provide Internship Gap Funding for students.

“The work that is being done by RPM Foundation to connect young people to meaningful careers through their love of automobiles is important,” Amanda Gutierrez, vice president of Automotive Restoration, said. “By supporting scholarships and providing internship gap funding, the Foundation eases the expenses associated with studying on campus as well as summer learning opportunities around the country.”

The eight students named RPM Scholars are: Braden Hess, Prospect, Pennsylvania; Erik Wallace, Pantego, North Carolina; Zachary Alexander, Newton, Kansas; Dylan Riley, Lake Ozark, Missouri; Matthew Nutting, Foxboro, Massachusetts; Charles Hoehaver, Auburn, Alabama; Gray Irwin, Shawnee Mission, Kansas; Abi Morgan, Lansing, Illinois.

The RPM Foundation supports restoration and preservation training programs for the next generation of automotive, motorcycle, and marine craftsmen. Since 2003, the foundation has funded 87 scholarships for AR students at McPherson College.

“RPM has enjoyed a strong partnership with McPherson College, facilitating more than $700,000 in funding through program grants and we are proud again this year to congratulate the scholarship recipients,” Diane Fitzgerald, president of The RPM Foundation, said. “We are looking forward to assisting these and other students so they may become vital members of the automotive craftsmen community.”

The college along with the industry has benefited from the long-time association with and funding from RPM, according to Gutierrez. For example, there are currently four alumni on the AR faculty and staff who were RPM Scholars while students.

“We can really see the impact of this type of support,” Gutierrez said. “Not only do the recipients of these scholarships go on to work in the automotive industry, but four of our faculty were RPM scholars who are now committed to training the next generation of automotive industry leaders.”

McPherson College Professor, Alumnus Recognized In Magazine

Luke Chennell

Luke Chennell, assistant professor of technology

McPherson College Professor Luke Chennell was included in Sports Car Market’s “40 under 40” list appearing in the October issue of the magazine. Also included on the list is McPherson College alumnus Jonathan Klinger.

The list was compiled by the editors of the magazine who reviewed nominations sent in by its readers and features individuals in the automotive restoration industry who are “making a difference in the collector car world.” Hundreds of names were submitted for consideration. Sports Car Market is a magazine based in Portland, Oregon that covers the auctions of vehicles and other aspects of car collecting.

Chennell is an assistant professor of technology in the Automotive Restoration Department at McPherson College. He teaches students mechanical skills in the craft of authentic restoration and covers a broad range of automotive history from the 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen to the present day. He specializes in transmissions, rear axles, steering, suspension and brakes, and teaches materials science and manufacturing including sand casting and pattern making. His interest in vintage automobiles began at age five and he has been immersed in the history of the automobile ever since.

Jonathan Klinger

Jonathan Klinger

“I am honored to be included on the list of younger professionals,” he said. “I’m proud of the ethic of restoration that the college instilled in me and am proud to continue to pay forward that ethic to the students I’ve been so lucky to teach.”

Klinger, a 2002 graduate of McPherson College, is the vice president of public relations at Hagerty Classic Car Insurance. He is responsible for positioning the company as unbiased automotive experts and building the company’s automobile knowledge through its employees. He also works closely with colleagues to build the youth programs that introduce the next generation of car enthusiasts to the world of collecting automobiles. Klinger has served five years as a member of the McPherson College Board of Trustees and is an active member of the Automotive Restoration Department’s National Advisory Board.

McPherson College Students Participate In Prestigious Event

Stepping onto the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach before dawn to judge some of the most exquisite automobiles at one of the most prestigious events in the world is a rare opportunity. For McPherson College Automotive Restoration students, it is an opportunity that is not so far out of reach. Four McPherson College students recently returned from serving as shadow judges this year at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

McPherson College has been taking students to Pebble Beach since 2012 to involve them in the automotive industry at its highest level. Students Aaron Israel, Abigayle Morgan, Ben Falconer, and Dalton Whitfield, were invited this year to join the teams of expert judges who brought more than 2,000 years of judging experience to the field. The students were assigned to classes and fully participated in the judging experience.

Dalton Whitfield, a senior from Cleveland, Georgia, shadowed judges in the Pre-war Preservation Class and worked with judges eager to share their considerable knowledge with him. “The judges were incredible and willing to show me what they were looking for, from correct places of wear over time to original fabric and paint composition,” he said. “I learned that judging preservation is more like judging an artifact from a museum rather than a restored car.”

McPherson College is recognized in the Pebble Beach program and at its events as a leader in automotive restoration education and the Pebble Beach Company Foundation annually awards four scholarships to McPherson College students. The Foundation has also supported several McPherson College interns, helping defray living expenses while they gain experience. The college’s participation at the event has made it possible for students to experience the industry at its highest level.

“Being engaged with the top players in any industry is unreal, but the automotive industry is a different story than most others,” Aaron Israel, a senior from West End, North Carolina, said. He was part of the team that judged the Early Open-Wheel Race Cars Class.

“Being an automotive restoration student at McPherson College allows us to communicate with leaders in the industry on a personal level because they truly care about our futures,” Israel said. “They realize that students like us are the future of their industry. We are in a growing industry of people who have a passion about their future, their careers, and their hobbies.”

The college’s presence at Pebble Beach extends beyond its current students. McPherson College alumni are highly involved at the Concours at the auction houses, restoration shops, historical archives, in public relations and as automotive specialists for companies like Hagerty and RM Sotheby’s. While many McPherson College alumni are at the event working for a variety of companies there, others work for months prior to the event restoring cars that are shown. This year at least five recent alumni worked on automobiles ranging from Rolls Royces to Ferraris that were accepted to show at Pebble Beach.

“Alumni are a vital part of the restoration program and they provide an outlook on future job possibilities,” Abigayle Morgan, a junior from Lansing, Illinois, said. “It was inspiring to see friends and graduates who are successful in their respected markets. I could see myself in them. They went through the same classes I am going through, and lived in the same dorms I did. I love to see the various avenues that this degree has taken alumni. It is a great motivator.”

The Concours, held on August 20, was the final event of the Monterrey Car Week, a week full of events celebrating classic automobiles. Although judging at Pebble Beach was the highlight for the students, they also were recognized at a reception for patrons of the Pebble Beach Foundation, toured the paddock area of Laguna-Seca raceway during vintage races, watched the start of the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance, and attended several other events.

“Pebble Beach is the Disney World and Super Bowl for automobiles,” said Morgan, who helped judge the Rolls Royce Class. Her classmate Ben Falconer agreed.

Falconer, a sophomore from Greeley, Colorado, who helped judge the One-Off Ferrari Class said, “I not only experienced my first Concours, I got to experience it from an insider’s view. Being so young in this industry is often tough, we might not be taken seriously, but experiencing Pebble Beach and applying what we are learning there helps us prove ourselves.”

Over 300 Vehicles Displayed at 2017 Car Show

The 2017 C.A.R.S. Club Car Show was one of the most attended ever in it’s 18 year history. The 316 vehicles on display was a record-breaking number of entries.

Senior auto restoration student and car show chairman Jason Peters thought the show was a smooth and professional and a fantastic experience for both attendees and club students alike. “We had perfect weather, phenomenal cars, great people, wonderful guests, an amazing live jazz performance and good food. What more could a car owner enjoy?”

The show is put on each year by students in the C.A.R.S. Club, most of whom are enrolled in the college’s automotive restoration program, some of them never having done a show like this. New to this year’s show was an area for local food vendors.

For more information visit www.mcpherson.edu/cars

McPherson College Presents Bill Warner: Racing Around the Rules

McPherson College is pleased to welcome Bill Warner, founder and chairman of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in Florida, as the speaker for the Evening with Auto Restoration Dinner on Friday, May 5 at 6:00 p.m.

Warner has spent his life around cars, engaged in just about every aspect of the automotive world – as a racer, writer, photographer and “all-around car guy.” He’s contributed to Road and Track, Car and Driver, Autoweek and Automobile magazines. Drawing on 40 years of racing experience and a lifelong passion for the automobile, Warner wants to impress upon the audience, particularly the students in attendance, “how important it is to have that passion in their career and lives as their guiding light.”

Tickets for the dinner are $40. Reservations may be made at www.mcpherson.edu/autorestoration. Proceeds benefit the restoration program.

On Saturday, May 6, during the 18th Annual McPherson College C.A.R.S. Club Car Show, Warner and long-time friend Tom Cotter will share about their recently released book, Cuba’s Car Culture. Cotter, has also built a life around cars, working with Indy, Nascar and Formula One, among others and is a noted author of books such as “50 Shades of Rust” and “Hemi in the Barn.” Cotter serves as a member of the college’s National Advisory Board for Automotive Restoration.

Warner and Cotter made multiple trips to Cuba, originally to study the Cuban Grand Prix for Sports Cars, but they ended up creating a reflection of what transpired before and after the revolution. Included in the book are many unseen photographs from the late Claude Haycraft, a photographer for the Tampa Tribune, who covered the Cuban races. Following the presentation, Cotter and Warner will sign copies of the book, which will be available for purchase, with proceeds supporting the C.A.R.S. Club.

“For anyone who has ever wanted to tour our restoration facility, you can’t ask for a better weekend,” said Amanda Gutierrez, vice president for auto restoration. In addition to Bill’s presentation on Friday night, the students put on a great car show on Saturday with tours, demonstrations and vehicles from around the country, many that have never been shown in Kansas.”

C.A.R.S. Club Car Show Schedule
Saturday, May 6, 2017:

7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Registration
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Templeton Tours (every 20 minutes with a lunch break from 12-1 p.m.)
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Presentation and Book Signing Cuba’s Car Culture: Celebrating the Island’s Automotive Love Affair with Tom Cotter & Bill Warner (Mingenback Theatre)
11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch
11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Pin-striping Demonstration by student Jacob san Martin
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Trim Demonstration with instructor Mike Dudley
12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Sheet Metal Demonstration with instructor Ed Barr
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. McPherson College Jazz Band
1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Benz Patent Motorwagen Demonstration
1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Pin-striping Demonstration by student Jacob san Martin
2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Model T Build
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Car Show Awards

 

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

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.”

Green at McPherson College Named ‘Faculty of Distinction’

Garrick GreenA 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.

Automotive Expert Paul Russell Receives Honorary Doctorate from McPherson College

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.”