A recently restored car set for auction on March 15 in Patagonia comes with a twist.
The automobile—a silver, four-door 2008 Dodge Avenger in beautiful condition, minimum bid $2,000, purchase is tax deductible—wasn’t worked on by auto mechanics.
Instead, it was completely restored, from top to bottom, by students at Patagonia Union High School.
The Avenger will be the third vehicle restored by PUHS students that’s been brought to auction in the last two years.
It’s all part of an auto/welding shop program that originated in a conversation two and a half years ago between PUHS Principal Kenny Hayes and history teacher Jeff Gudenkauf.
Hayes mentioned to Gudenkauf that he would love to see a shop program at PUHS, utilizing an old storage building that was then being used to “store everything that didn’t have anywhere else to go.” Gudenkauf replied that he was an Army-trained certified registered mechanic and would enjoy the challenge of establishing a program.
Nate Mershon, a Navy-trained certified welder, and Elliot Codding, an Army-trained computer programmer, joined Gudenkauf as the necessary staff, and the program was underway.
Next, the old storage building was cleared and completely retooled. There are now two tool rooms, one metric and one standard; a large equipment room, which holds a pressure washer, generators, a compressor and other equipment; an office, paint room, and foyer with safety equipment, such as goggles and vests; and two large auto bays to accommodate two projects at once.
“We installed a four-post lift with an internal jack just two weeks ago,” said Gudenkauf. “We also have a two-post and recently acquired a laser balancer and tire machine. Best of all, all of this equipment is grant and/or donation driven and doesn’t cost the taxpayers a cent.”
Auto Shop at PUHS is a two-year program. Auto Shop 1 and Auto Shop 2 currently enroll 12 students, 10 male and two female. The students are sophomores, juniors, and seniors, ages 15-18. Gudenkauf is working to encourage more female participation. “It would be great if everyone knew how to change the oil in their car,” he said. This year he is speaking with eighth grade students to build interest in taking the classes in high school.
Students are presently working on the fourth car in the auction series. Two have been sold at auction in the past two years, a Mazda is on the lift being worked on, and the Avenger is outside in the parking lot awaiting its turn at the block. A Jeep Cherokee is “in the wings.” Each car that is sold funds the reworking of the next car up.
The first-year students start with a review of the car they will rebuild. As a group they create a vision of what they want to do. They then prepare a budget based on the projected auction value, the cost of needed repairs and what they can add within their budget. A spreadsheet is prepared and maintained on expenditures for parts and other expenses.
“All projects are student-driven,” said Gudenkauf. “They take the car apart and put it back together.”
The first car rebuilt and auctioned was an old police car in tough shape donated by the city of Nogales. Work included gutting and redoing the interior, rebuilding the engine and the suspension. This redo raised $7,100 at auction.
Right now, students are rebuilding a four-door Mazda sedan. They are installing such extras as undercarriage lighting coordinated via Bluetooth with a sound system which changes colors and surges in time to the music.
Tinting windows is a new skill they have learned, along with combing junk yards for parts. “They’ve learned to recycle cars,” said Gudenkauf. There are new wheels, tires, and unique, red-tinted rims. “The Mazda will be a one-of-a-kind, original vehicle ready for car shows,” said Gudenkauf.
The Auto Shop students are looking forward to a great turnout for the auction of the Dodge Avenger on March 15, a major fundraiser for the auto-welding program.
Donated by an anonymous woman from Patagonia, the Avenger was in “fair” condition when the students began restoration in January. Twelve students in the school’s auto and welding classes spent 21 man hours each for a total of 252 hours of work on the project. The beautifully restored Avenger now sits at the PUHS parking lot to the west of the auto shop at the school, awaiting its lucky new owner.
All money for expenditures, donations and grants are handled by PUHS Club Skills USA in compliance with Arizona law regarding taxpayer donations to public schools. The students are all members of Skills USA and compete with other schools at the State level.
Funds raised will pay for transportation, food and lodging needed for travel, in addition to funding the next car project.