RPM Under the Hood - Behind the Desk by America's Automotive Trust

Under the HOOD

The Newsletter of RPM Foundation • Behind the Desk 2016

RPM Foundation Awarded $50,000 RPM was awarded $50,000 from the net proceeds of the live auction at LeMay – America’s Car Museum’s (ACM) Annual Wheels & Heels Gala this year. The well-attended “Casino Royale – High Stakes & Hot Cars” included a live auction that focused on the educational mission of America’s Automotive Trust, which impacts programs and students across the United States and Canada through ACM’s Museum Education and RPM. Friends of America’s Car Museum enthusiastically bid on a variety of unique auction items, showing their strong support of the Museum and its mission. Thanks, AAT!

It was a spectacular evening on June 4th, 2016 at LeMay – America’s Car Museum’s Annual Wheels & Heels Gala event, where RPM was awarded $50,000 at the “Casino Royal – High Stakes & Hot Cars” live auction.

Message from the President It quickly became clear in early 2016 that the RPM Foundation did much, much more than awarding grants – with providing services, sharing resources and awarding grants. RPM not only supports the existing restoration educational programs and their students, but we are changing the landscape of the education-to-shop pipeline, influencing the growth of restoration curriculum at the high school level, mentoring students and teachers, and collaborating with shops. With the help of Board Members, staff, volunteers, donors and friends, RPM made significant accomplishments that went beyond expectations. We exceeded our targeted 350-450 students touched by RPM by reaching 725 18-25 year olds, cultivated relationships with “auto hot spots” in new locations such as Tennessee and Maryland, and surpassed support from individuals by engaging meaningfully with national and regional car clubs while presenting at meetings, providing content for publications, and participating in events. RPM presented to more than 5,500 people in 2016 in both the Collector Car Industry and the Automotive Industry – a feat that explains how RPM has established itself as a thought leader, three years earlier than expected! Beyond our three main program areas – provides Services, sharing Resources and awarding Grants – RPM is contributing to a shift in the marketplace.

Diane Fitzgerald went to Atlantic City, NJ and visited the Plumbo Buckley Antique Car Museum, which is home to some amazing vehicles, including this 1907 Mercedes Landaulet, owned by Victor Plumbo.

As RPM evolves, I expect that the mission will expand to serve beyond restoration and preservation educational programming to include all elements of the Collector Car Industry and its service providers. There is a lot to do, and we’re getting it done! See you along the way.

Under the HOOD: Pit Stop RESTORATION SPOTLIGHT

This has certainly been a busy and successful year for my work with RPM Foundation, and these last few months have been productive! Some highlights:

Ryan Levesque at Kip Motor Company RPM Foundation funds scholarships, internships and programs, including one at Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, PA. Their exceptional Automotive Restoration Technology program attracted Ryan Levesque, who enrolled in the program while earning his business degree. After graduating in 2014, Ryan was invited to be part of RPM’s pilot Apprenticeship Program – working for 6-months at Precision Motor Cars (Allentown, PA), the first “host shop”, under the mentorship of master craftsman Keith Flickinger. The pilot was a success; in fact, it went so well that the apprenticeship was extended another 6-months.

• Visiting the Pennsylvania College of Technology (Williamsport, PA) on behalf of the AACA and meeting some of the students in Pennsylvania College of Technology's Automotive Restoration Technology program, including Genevieve Kelly and Vanessa Mathurin, who is a scholarship recipient from RPM Foundation. An unexpected surprise was a gift of a beautiful clock they designed and made for me, which is now hanging in my kitchen.

Today, Ryan works at Kip Motor Company as a project manager and Restoration Specialist – or Restoration “Carcheologist”. We are proud to say that he is also an RPM Ambassador! Kip Motor Company is a Dallas, TX-based, all-British-focused shop with 18 employees who are all deeply passionate about “antique cars” and their histories. After joining the shop in August, 2015, Ryan began a restoration project on a 1958 Jaguar XK150 – an ambitious project that had already been in the works for several months. The classic car had been owned for over 30-years by a recently retired doctor who wanted to bring it back to life!

• August is always about Monterey – and not just Pebble Beach, but the Rolex Reunion at Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca. While I didn’t have a drive this year, I was able to visit with many of the car owners/racers/and shops preparing The Amazing Race cars, and bringing them up to speed about the RPM Foundation. • September was the best month of the year for me! I spent a couple of weeks at one of my favorite race tracks, Watkins Glen, and turned some laps in a Ferrari 550 race car (thanks to owner John Terrell) and also raced the 2008 Dallara Indy Lights car owned by Bruce Hamilton. Plenty of time was spent seeing historically important race cars and sharing information about RPM Foundation wittheir owners. RPM is an official charity of SVRA, the organizer of the Watkins Glen races.

Ryan and the team decided to disassemble and strip the whole car – media blasting showed that it needed metal work on almost every panel, as well as major cosmetic work. Once there were new floors, rocker panels, new wheel wells, and patches on all fenders and firewall, Ryan and Body Specialist Juan Garcia tag teamed laying body filler, sanding and blocking as well as spraying primer and the original color single stage of "Old English White". Next, the car was moved to the assembly/disassembly area where Ryan assisted the Assembly Specialist Nick Foglietta in putting the car back together. In July, 2016, after nearly two years of hard work, the project was complete.

This “car clock” made by the Pennsylvania College of Technology's Automotive Restoration Technology program is now hanging in Lyn’s kitchen!

Lyn St James turning laps on one of her favorite race tracks at the SVRA's Watkins Glen Historic Grand Prix.

Arizona Concours d'Elegance

>2016 5

The Drive Home, Chicago Stop #10

ARC of Sun City West Restoration Center Grand Opening (AZ)

24 26

JANUARY

27 FEBURARY

ClassicCars.com Future Classics Car Show (AZ)

The 1958 Jaguar XK150 BEFORE…

. . . and AFTER!

Arizona Regional Summit Meeting - EVIT

Amelia Island Concours (FL)

PAPA Seminar Panelist

Ryan Levesque, RPM’s first apprentice welding a Jaguar part at Kip Motor Company (Dallas, TX) where he is one of their Restoration “Carcheologists.”

World of Speed (OR)

3 10 MARCH

Spring Vintage Classic - SVRA (FL)

Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance (NC)

16 APRIL Pennsylvania College Car Show & Site Visit

The Art of the Car Concours (MO)

SVRA Go-Kart Challenge at Indianapolis (IN) The Elegance at Hershey (PA)

30 4

3 11 17 MAY

Mc Pherson College Car Show (KS)

JUNE AACA/Pennsylvania College Grand National Event

RPM traveled 79,000 miles so far this year, looking for and finding collector car loving students (with heritage in their hearts), their above-and-beyond-the-call-of-duty teachers, supportive school administrators and local shops with mentor-mindsets – the ingredients for ensuring the next generation of craftsmen & artisans are in place as stewards of our automotive heritage. We’ve touched 725 students, more than double what we planned for in 2016!

Under the HOOD: Fuel for Thought Behind the Scenes at Monterey Car Week with SEVEN

AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT

Jason Peters got the chance of a lifetime when he was hired by SEVEN’s Kara Gray to join their 10-person detailing team. He arrived in California on August 18th on a calm and quiet Saturday – but that didn’t last long. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were spent prepping cars for the Gooding & Co. auction previews, which began on Wednesday. Jason and the team made sure to keep each car in pristine condition while on display – that meant constant wipe-downs and being available to open hoods, doors and decklids for potential buyers. On Thursday, the duties of working auction preview became much more challenging due to fires spreading throughout Southern California. Ash drifted into the main center preview tent, and eventually spread to the other two tents as well. Trying to keep the cars looking clean and polished involved wiping them down on an almost non-stop basis.

RPM ambassadors are car enthusiasts whose interest in the automotive industry goes beyond hobbyism. These volunteers are dedicated to improving hands-on automotive education and creating opportunities for future craftsmen and women. By attending car events and speaking on panels, ambassadors across the country are spreading the word about RPM and working hard to ensure that a smooth road is paved for the next generation of car lovers!

Jason polished a beautiful jade-green and black 1953 Fiat on Friday night during Concours preparation. He was one of only three others who had polishing experience, thanks to the Automotive Restoration Technology program he currently attends at McPherson College. After his impressive work on the Fiat, Jason was asked to do a complete polish of a 1931 Cadillac V-16 in time for its Sunday morning drive on the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance lawn at 5:00am. “I have worked on some large cars in the past – this however, was completely unlike anything I had done before.” Beyond size, the car included complex details such as hand-pinstriping, tight spaces, trim, and hard-to-reach areas around the drip rail. The classic car had been restored to exacting detail by owner Dave Gano – a V-16 enthusiast. This was Gano’s seventh restoration.

Stacy Puckett (Detroit, MI)

Stacy Puckett grew up attending car shows with her parents. In fact, she went to her first car auction while her mother was pregnant with her! In 2004, Stacy received an AssoStacy Puckett, Parts Productions Manager ciate’s Degree in at Classic & Exotic Services (Troy, MI). Automotive Restoration Technology at McPherson College in Kansas, and before that, a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Art Institute in Chicago. She believes that automobiles are the ultimate combination of technology, mechanics and art. After graduating from McPherson, Mercedes-Benz Classic Center offered her a scholarship in Fellbach, Germany to become a Mechanic’s Apprentice. Next stop? LeMay – America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, WA where Stacy was employed as the Collection Manager and Curator. Today, Stacy lives in Michigan with her husband, Hayden, who also loves cars. Together, they own seven Audi vehicles and a few motorcycles. She is currently the Parts Production Manager at Classic & Exotic Services and oversees the manufacturing of classic and exotic car parts – a job that requires a great deal of mechanical knowledge.

After the Concours, Jason finally got to watch the live auction. “It was a ton of fun listening to the auctioneer and hearing how much the cars sold for – the very cars that we had spent all week wiping down and detailing. Energy seemed to radiate from where the auction was happening. Regardless of how exhausted we all were, you could still feel it – the anticipation of the sale, which had been building for several days by this point. It was a blast!” Footnote: Jason Peters is a fourth year Automotive Restoration Technology student at McPherson College and an RPM Foundation intern and scholar. SEVEN reached out to RPM for “Concours support” and we connected them with Jason. A match made in heaven!

Jason Peters cleaning the whitewalls on the 1953 Cadillac V-16 on Wednesday morning just before the judges arrived at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Standing next to the 1953 Cadillac V-16 is (from left to right) Ross Morgan, Ross’ guest, Dave Gano and his wife, and Jason Peters.

Santa Fe Concorso (NM)

Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance (CA)

Geneva Concours d'Elegance (IL)

Forest Grove Concours d'Elegance (OR)

JULY Concours d'Elegance of America at St. Johns (MI)

21 27 AUGUST

“I want RPM Foundation to become a clearing house of information for and about the restoration industry – a place where students, instructors and shops can all find what they need and what they’re looking for."

Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours (SC)

ACIT Board HVA Academic St. Michaels Concours (MD) Meeting (NJ) Conference (PA)

SEPTEMBER

19 20 OCTOBER

Radnor Hunt Concours Hemmings Concours Hershey Region d'Elegance (PA) – SAM (NY) AACA Fall Meet (PA)

Pennsylvania College of Technology Site Visit

6 13 NOVEMBER

2017>

DECEMBER

The SEMA Show (NV)

2702 East D Street, Tacoma, WA 98421 Toll Free: 855.537.4579 Email: info@rpm.foundation Website: www.rpm.foundation

RPM FOUNDATION BOARD of DIRECTORS Dan Beutler, CFO, Hagerty (Traverse City, MI) Dawn Fisher, Vintage Racer, owner MFD Classic Motors (Lake Leelanau, MI) Keith Flickinger, Master Craftsman, Precision Motor Cars (Allentown, PA) McKeel Hagerty, Chairman & CEO, Hagerty (Traverse City, MI) David Madeira, CEO, LeMay – America’s Car Museum (Tacoma, WA) Jim Menneto, Publisher, Hemmings Motor News (Bennington, VT) Paul Miller, President, LeMay – America’s Car Museum (Tacoma, WA) T.G. Mittler, Collector (Santa Fe, NM) Clint Sly, Managing Director, Hagerty Financial Services (Traverse City, MI) Mike Stowe, Master Craftsman, Great Lakes Motor Works (Boyne City, MI)

RPM AMBASSADORS Patrick Barnes, Community College Instructor, retired; ACM Volunteer (Portland, OR and Indio, CA)

Honor the Greatest Teachers in the World: GRANDPARENTS!

Josh Baum, Conservator, Private Collection (Goleta, CA) Herb Clark, Automotive Restoration Club of Sun City West, founder (Sun City West, AZ)

Young people are often introduced to old cars by their grandparents and parents, passing down knowledge and skills from one generation to another. This year, RPM Foundation celebrated a national holiday for grandparents on September 11th, but to these young car lovers, every day is Grandparents Day!

Drew Feustel, NASA Astronaut (Houston, TX)

“My love of cars started when my grandfather bought a ’68 Corvette Stingray. When I visited, he made it routine to work on it with me, and by helping him I began to learn about tools and parts.” – Kyle, Lyons Township High School, Illinois, 18 years old

Stephen Murphy, Collection Manager, Private Collection (Chicago, IL)

Ryan Levesque, Restoration Carchaeologist, Kip Motor Company & RPM’s 1st apprentice (Dallas, TX) Bud McIntire, Director of Student Services, Great Lakes Restoration Shop, retired (Winston Salem, NC) Stacy Puckett, Parts Production Manager, Classic & Exotic Services, Inc. (Detroit, MI) Burt Richmond, Collectors’ Car Garage (Chicago, IL)

“I have an interest in old cars, especially trucks. My grandpa drove a ’57 Chevy pickup that we are restoring in his memory.” – Quinci, Dysart High School, Arizona, 18 years old

David Rising, Automotive Engineer, Tacoma-native (Esslingen, Germany) Lyn St. James, Indy Racer (Phoenix, AZ and Indianapolis, IN)

RPM STAFF

Honor your grandparents with a gift in support of RPM Foundation – funding the educational pipeline for careers in automotive and marine restoration and preservation through formal training and mentorship.

Diane Fitzgerald, President, RPM Foundation (Chicago, IL) Pam Dudley, Administrative Coordinator, RPM Foundation (Tacoma, WA)

PRESERVE THE PAST. BUILD THE FUTURE. Who We Are + What We Do

RPM Foundation is a services-providing, resource sharing, grant-giving organization that accelerates the growth of the next generation of automotive Restoration and Preservation craftsmen through formal training and Mentorship. Founded through the vision of Hagerty in 2005, RPM Foundation is the educational arm of America’s Automotive Trust. Together, these organizations work to secure and preserve America’s automotive heritage.

Supporting RPM Foundation – Thank You! Help us achieve our goal of raising $1,000,000 in 2016! Today, with funding requests more than triple what we are able to giveaway, we need your support. Donations of any size are deeply appreciated. For more information, contact Diane Fitzgerald, President (diane@rpm.foundation, C: 312-543-5732 Direct: 855.537.4579 www.RPM.Foundation).

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