Laguna Hills HS Students use a $10K Grant to Restore K&N Equipped 1966 Ford Pickup
Laguna Hills HS received a donated 1966 Ford F100 pickup as a class restoration project and instructor Timothy Chambers worked to secure a grant from the RPM Foundaion
by Steve Gibson
Opened in 1978, Laguna Hills High School (LHHS) is a relatively small high school in the Southern California beach community of Laguna Hills. Excelling in academics and athletics, LHHS also has a fully functioning Automotive Technology program, which is part of Coastline Regional Occupational Program (ROP). Laguna Hills automotive students can use the LHHS auto program to receive course credit at two local community colleges enabling students to continue their automotive education and possibly turn a passion for the automotive industry into a career. In the summer of 2012, Laguna Hills High School students received a donated 1966 Ford F100 pickup to be used as a class restoration project. Instructor Timothy Chambers worked with Coastline ROP to apply for and secure a $10,000 grant in money from the RPM Foundation – Restoration. Preservation. Mentorship. The RPM Foundation awards scholarships and educational grants to organizations committed to “hands-on education” and making a difference in the lives of young people through the appeal of historic vehicles and vessels. The students aptly named the project “Restoration 66: Connecting Students with Cars, History, Family, and Community”.
Laguna Hills HS automotive students installed new brakes; steering, suspension, wheels and tires to allow the 1966 Ford F100 pickup to cruise safely down the street with a mild custom stance
Before any work on the 1966 Ford F100 pickup could begin, LHHS students were asked to construct a plan for the restoration, and line up all the parts and pieces they would need. Timothy Chambers tasked the students with researching the role of the automobile in their own family’s history. There were many great stories spanning multiple generations, each centered on how a simple machine somehow played a significant role in their lives.
Once a plan was made for the theme of the truck, the restoration work began. The interior was completely gutted, the aging 352 cubic inch engine was removed, suspension and steering components were removed and replaced, and the body was prepped for paint. A custom upholstered seat and headliner from George’s Upholstery makes the interior very classic and comfortable.
LHHS automotive students prepped the body before a beautiful coat of bright Porsche Red paint was sprayed by A-1 Paint and Body to make this truck standout in a crowd
A blueprinted 390 cubic inch engine now sits underneath the hood, breathing through a chrome Ford Racing air cleaner with K&N air filter element, and a custom exhaust system installed by Collins Exhaust. New brakes, steering, suspension, wheels and tires allow the truck to cruise safely down the street with a mild custom stance. A beautiful coat of bright Porsche Red paint sprayed by A-1 Paint and Body makes this truck standout in a crowd. Timothy Chambers and his automotive students knew the big Ford 390 engine needed superior airflow in order to obtain superior performance. A round K&N air filte E-3699 allows the Ford big block engine to breathe easily without sacrificing filtration. The 13.125” x 4.0” air filter fits perfectly inside the chrome Ford Racing air cleaner assembly. Chambers and the LHHS students are very proud of how the restoration of the truck turned out, and plan to take it to many car shows and events. None of the work completed would have been possible without the grant and assistance provided by the Hagerty Education Program, and vendors who provided product or offered discounts on parts to finish the build, including:
Timothy Chambers and his automotive students knew the big Ford 390 engine needed superior airflow in order to obtain superior performance so they used round K&N air filter, # E-3699
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Steve Gibson is coordinator of education programs for K&N Engineering. Steve specializes in training students and instructors in school-based automotive
A-1 Paint and Body
Striping
technology programs on air flow, filtration, and performance. These school
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LMC Truck
programs are producing the future engineers and technicians of the automotive
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industry. K&N recognizes the importance of these programs and invests in their
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success by providing training, instructional aides, scholarships, and more.
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By providing support in education, we are creating our own future, both company-wide and industry-wide.
Laguna Hills High School, located in Laguna Hills, California was opened in 1978. It is a small school with an average of 1700 students. They excel in academics and sports with many awards in both areas. Tim Chambers teaches five classes, four ROP (regional occupation program) and one district class which is composed of freshmen. The Auto 2 or Advanced Auto was responsible for most of the build. Programs cater to students who want to pursue a position in the automotive field. All the automotive basics are taught and the school collaborates with two junior colleges, Saddleback and Golden West. These colleges have auto programs that allow students to further their automotive pathways and a future in industry. Auto Restoration teacher, Tim Chambers, and some of the Laguna Hills High School, Laguna Hills, CA students who restored this 1966 Ford F100 Pickup Truck, a 2-year project. The pickup truck will be used to promote the school throughout the region at car shows, Cruise Ins, parades and other community events.
RPM Foundation is an entity of America's Automotive Trust.
Toll Free: 855.537.4579 Website: www.rpm.foundation