COLLEGE STUDENTS REBUILD CARS FOR IOWA LAKES COLLEGE FLEET

Students at Iowa Lakes Community College are helping the college save money – and gaining some good experience for their resumes.

The Auto Collision and Paint Technology students are spearheading the project that takes ‘auto salvaged’ late-model cars and brings them back to life.

“The students are doing very nice work and deserve recognition for what they’re doing for the college,” said Tom Brotherton, Executive Dean at the Emmetsburg campus. “This conserves resources and provides needed fleet replacement at a greatly reduced cost.”

And, what the students are learning is valuable.

“The repairs on these late-model cars directly relate to what they will do when they begin working in the collision industry,” said Rob Schultz, instructor of the Auto Collision and Paint Technology program.

Students were divided into teams to work on the three cars.

“The first one completed was a 2003 Mercury Sable. It took about two months to finish. The others are more than halfway done. They are 2005 Chevrolet Malibu and a 2005 Pontiac G-6.

“All three cars will be a great addition to the college fleet since they are low mileage, newer vehicles; we should be able to use them for quite a long time,” said Schultz.

“The repairs ranged from basic metal straightening to major structural repairs and replacement; to air bag service and replacement; as well as refinishing,” he added.

In addition, students in the Automotive Technology program have also done some mechanical diagnosis on the Mercury.

The projects were complicated.

“Large portions of the interiors had to be removed to do the air bag work,” Schultz said. “We also had to remove the engine and drive train from the Malibu to do the structural work.”

The other cars will likely be done shortly after the summer term starts. And, since it was such a valuable experience for the students, Schultz said he’d include it in his curriculum again, if the opportunity presents itself.

“To be able to work on late model vehicles is nice. The students understand that when they complete these jobs that the safety standards have to be ‘up to snuff” because people are going to be driving them,” Schultz said.

All three cars were taken from a local salvage yard.

 

Front row left to right: Andrew Meyer, Joe Larsen and Eric Christensen. Back row: Jordan Epley and Jordan Erick, all students in the Auto Collision and Paint Technology program at Iowa Lakes Community College.