SRT students pay it forward to future students

It might not look like much now, but when Lakeland College's street rod technologies (SRT) students are finished, a '69 Firebird will be restored to mint condition.

Destined to be sold at an auction in a few years, the proceeds raised by this SRT project will support future SRT students.

“Building funds for our student awards program is the goal with these types of projects,” says Stuart Ribey, SRT instructor. “It does not look like much now, but we’ve started to do some metal work and the students will be building parts and pieces for this vehicle and welding them in.

“When we get to the section of this program where we talk about putting new fenders and new quarter panels on car, the students will work on this vehicle completing all of the appropriate steps to make it look like a brand new car.” 

To date, three custom cars have been prepared for sale by SRT faculty and students, in addition to working on their own vehicles during the eight-month program.

This ’69 Firebird was donated by a gentleman from Calgary, Alta., who learned about the program through the Specialty Vehicle Association of Alberta’s newsletter. 

“He got part way into working on this car and thought it was too much for him. And so he thought about us,” says Ribey, adding that once restored, the vehicle could raise upwards of $20,000 for the student awards program. “It is one of the best years there is for a Firebird. It’s highly desirable, so we are very grateful he donated it for our SRT scholarship.”

The SRT scholarship is awarded to one Lakeland student each year for academic excellence and overall leadership. SRT students, including Byron Goodsman, know that their work on these vehicles will benefit others in the program.

“It’s a great idea. I know some of us will be bringing our own vehicles to work on as well but we’ll work on this as a class together. Stu and Matt, our instructors, will be right there beside us,” says Goodsman, whose goal is to farm after graduation and restore vehicles during winter months. 

“This will be a great way to learn as a class, as everything needs to be done on this car. From rust repair to panel fitting, to glass and the interior, it’s the whole building of one car that needs to be completed. This is a great way to keep a project car in the shop at all times and support Lakeland’s future students.”

Goodsman enroled in the SRT program after he completed Lakeland’s two-year agribusiness diploma and the crop technology diploma in only one year. In his fourth year at Lakeland, Goodsman says the SRT program has exceeded his expectations.

“My instructors are exceptional. They both have a great background in their body work, heavy duty and automotive, so if you have a question and they don’t know it, there are not too many people who would then,” he says. “I can’t believe how much I have learned already. We do a lot of welding, electrical, work with suspensions and brakes – I can’t believe the amount I can do with what I have learned. From mechanical to an awesome amount of electrical, it’s all stuff that is very helpful for me to manage a farm and work on cars.”

Ribey expects to complete the restoration of this ’69 Firebird by March 2017. When it goes to auction, he’ll share the date with former and current SRT students, should they wish to bid on it. The next restoration vehicle project is already lined up for future students to work on.

“I try to bring projects that I know the students will get the maximum experience out of that’s related to this program. We want to make sure they are not just doing this for us, they are doing it for themselves and their own personal experience,” says Ribey. “It gives more ownership to the course.”

Photo: Tyler Sparrow (above right) completes welding work on the '69 Firebird as Stuart Ribey, instructor, observes. SRT students will work on this vehicle as a class project, in addition to their own vehicles over the course of the eight-month program.