March
2010
"STORIES"

by Pam Pollock

SHIPPENVILLE, PA…  Thirty-five high school students from the Diesel Technology Shop program at the Clarion County Career Center will be attending the Mid-America Truck Show in Louisville, Kentucky.  It is an exciting opportunity for the students, as they will be showcasing trucks they have rebuilt and customized themselves. They will also be participating in the 20th Annual Paul K. Young Truck Beauty Championship at MATS.

This will be the 2nd appearance at MATS for the students.  Many of them attended the 2008 show with "The Educator," a 1993 Peterbilt Conventional that was donated to the Clarion CCC in 1998 by the Peterbilt Corporation.  The '93 Pete was a crash vehicle and when it arrived at the school it was completely totaled.  The Diesel Technology instructor at that time and his students straightened the frame and worked intermittently to restore the truck.

The Clarion County Career Center is comprised of 11 trade shops and was founded in 1976, serving high school students in grades 10-12 from 7 school districts in Clarion County.  The Diesel Technology Course teaches students heavy truck and agricultural diagnostic repair and hydraulics.  The students learn to repair and rebuild. They perform tire servicing, alignments and PA state inspections.  Future plans include CDL licensing.

Don Doverspike took over as the Diesel Technology Instructor in 2004.  Don was a student of the program when he was in high school.  Don’s father was an owner-operator and upon graduation from high school, Don also became a professional truck driver.  In addition to being the Diesel Technology Instructor, Don still drives truck for Rhodes Trucking. Don has revamped the curriculum, bringing a hands-on concept to the students.  They gain real time experience repairing road tractors for some local fleets, learning first hand how to keep the big rigs  on the road.

When the popular CMT series, "Trick My Truck" began to air, the students were inspired and amazed at the talents of the Chrome Shop Mafia.  They asked Doverspike if they could try their hand at tricking the '93 Peterbilt.  They wanted the opportunity to show everyone the skills they learned in a vocational school.  The students, along with Doverspike and Instructional Assistant LuNeda Troutman, contacted manufacturers with their plans.  Donations from Alcoa Wheel Products, Mazzima Lighting, Spartavntex, Rhodes Trucking, Ron Kirkpatrick, and Jones Performance aided the students in their restoration endeavor.  Discounts from 4 State Trucks, good Tire, JoJo’s Variety Store and Iowa80.com helped them to purchase a bumper, stacks and other accessories.  Chad Brocious of Brocious Autobody painted the chassis of the truck.

Students from the Auto, Welding, Construction and Industrial Technology programs at Clarion CCC lent their time and talent to the project.  In 2008 many of the students took the completed truck to the Mid-America Trucking Show.  Attendees were stunned to learn that the beautiful had been rebuilt and restored by high school students.  Pride & Polish and Rockwood presented them special awards for their outstanding teamwork and initiative.

Not content to rest on their laurels, the students decided to trick out another truck.  In 2008 they purchased a 1995 Peterbilt 3792004 for $3,500 from Hunters Peterbilt of Buffalo, New York.  The truck arrived with a blown motor, major wiring issues, and a body that was only in fair condition.  The Clarion CCC gave the students $8,500 to purchase and make the truck road worthy.  Realizing that it would cost much more, the students raised over $5,000 for paint and accessories.  Donor, including Maxxima, Carl Carste of Rockwood, Continental Tire, Victory Lane Graphics, Jones Performance and Cumberland Trucks once again graciously stepped up to the plate and helped the students.

The students began the time consuming process of rebuilding the motor, transmission and driveline and reworked the rear suspension.   The students handcrafted the front bumper, deck plates, rear light bracket and 5th wheel aluminum cover.  They installed upholstery in the interior and the Carpentry class will do the cabinetry in the bunk.  The truck is a work in progress with plans to install hardwood floors in the cab and carpet in the bunk. The students have an estimated 2,000 man hours invested in the '95 Pete, which they have named "Class Act."  The students even worked over the summer, helping Terry Sherman Auto Body of Emlenton (who donated the shop and time) to paint the truck, with paint donated from PPG.

The students recently began restoring a third truck, a 1980 Kenworth W900A, owned by Ron Housely of Summerville, Pa.  Housely has given the students free rein to design and build the truck.  The students have started a cab off restoration. They have stretched the frame to a 291-wheel base and have made a custom rear bumper, battery box covers, and fabrication from bumper to dash.  This truck is a work in progress and the students have a lot of innovative ideas for the truck.

The 35 students in the Diesel Technology Program have been actively raising funds to take 4 trucks, including the 1985 Marmon they regularly maintain for owner Jesse Zeigler of Rhodes Trucking of Spartansburg, PA, to the upcoming Mid-America Trucking Show. 

A television program may have inspired the students but it is truly they themselves who have become an inspiration to the trucking and education industries.  They have showed that young people have the drive, the talent and the skills to make dreams come true.  They have shown us that the future generation is more than capable to continue the legacy of trucking.