Out with the Old and in With the New – CPTC Unveils Restored Model-T

After 15 years of hard work, Clover Park Technical College’s automotive programs will finally be unveiling the fully restored 1927 Ford Model-T that was donated to the college by Mr. Harold Feaster.

The car has been restored to resemble the Model-T that Feaster’s grandfather drove in Missouri when Feaster was a boy. Students from CPTC’s Automotive Collision & Restoration and Automotive Technician programs have spent countless hours over the years to restore the vehicle to like new condition.

However working with a vehicle that is over 80 years old is never easy, and that is where the expert comes in. Marty Pendress, a volunteer from the Tacoma Model-T club, has spent well over a thousand hours during the past few months working alongside CPTC students to ensure that the car not only looks great, but is in top driving condition.

“Clover Park put out the call for someone to help with this project and I answered,” said Pendress. “Working side by side with students in order to restore this great old car has been a fun experience."

Feaster, a graduate of Clover Park Vocational Technical Institute himself, donated the car as a way of giving back to the college and to students.

“The training I received from Clover Park enabled me to have a successful career, said Feaster.” I wanted a way to give back to the college, and donating this car seemed like a good long-term project for the students.”

Though the car is all but fully restored, don’t expect it to leave campus anytime soon.

“The car has become a mascot for the automotive programs,” said instructor Wayne Bridges. “It is a great symbol of the quality of work our programs and students are capable of delivering.”

If you are interested in learning more about CPTC’s automotive programs please visit www.cptc.edu/programs/auto-collision or www.cptc.edu/programs/auto-tech. If you are interested in donating a vehicle to the college, please call Janice Parker at 253-589-6044.