Oskaloosa, Kan.-- In the June issue, Parts & People wrote about a high school in Kansas that was restoring a 1976 6.6-liter Pontiac Trans Am--alias "The Bandit"--to participate in the Hot Rod Power Tour. The students of Oskaloosa High School attended that tour and then went to the Vintage Car Rally in Branson, Mo.
"The tour was not without its problems as well as successes," said David Tenpenny, automotive instructor at Oskaloosa High.
At the end of the first day on the tour, Murphy's Law struck the Bandit and the students. The transmission on the Bandit went out, Tenpenny said. "We were in Michigan and in two days, we were to be part of a filming with Primemedia and Year One in Springfield, Ill. The only choice we had was to load the Trans Am on the trailer and drive to Springfield, calling any shop that may be able to get us in and rebuild the transmission."
Parents were up most of the night getting phone numbers that they could call while en route. After numerous attempts, Tenpenny said, they had no luck at getting any help.
"The last number we called," he said, "I just asked if there was a shop close to the fairgrounds in Springfield. We got the number for Steve's Transmission Service in Springfield."
Tenpenny said that he spoke with Steve Bernotas, the owner, who said he was very busy, but they could use his equipment.
So outside, in the rain, six young men removed the transmission from the car and brought it inside to Bernotas. "The man was truly magic," Tenpenny said. "Not only was his skill second to none, but his patience with the kids was rare. The repairs and installation took the team late into the night. Bernotas allowed all of this to happen without a complaint.
"Mr. Bernotas became a hero to those kids that night. He took a moment and made a difference in the lives of those students," he said. "We were able to get back on the road and successfully made it to the Vintage Car Rally in Branson."School has begun and Tenpenny said he has never seen such a positive start to any year in his 23 years of teaching. His students are positive, strong, confident, willing, and best of all, a team, he said.
The community is just as excited about what went on this year, Tenpenny said. The automotive class of 2008 has set its sights on restoring a '47 sedan delivery truck that has been sitting in a field for at least 25 years, he said. The sedan is going to be built as a "patina" hot rod.
The students also have a 1970 Lemans that has not seen the light of day since 1994 for a future project, he added.
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