A rare vintage truck will get a new lease on life as its longtime owners brought it out of its 50-year parking spot in their barn to an automotive restoration program at Spokane Community College.
SCC’s automotive collision program is receiving a unique donation—a 1926 Star four-door sedan that was purchased new by the donor’s grandfather. It has been gifted through the CCS Foundation from Ken Brown whose family was one of the first European settlers on the Palouse.
The Star was an automobile marque that was assembled by the Durant Motors Company between 1922 and 1928. Students in the sheet metal shaping and restoration course, which is part of SCC’s collision degree in the automotive program, will be restoring the car.
Brown and his wife will formally present the car on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the collision center classroom located in Building 18 on the SCC campus at 1810 N Greene Street, Spokane.
SCC instructor Eric Christensen learned about the automobile from Brown who brought his Toyota Prius into SCC’s shop several times for repairs and paint. Christensen told Brown about the new restoration course that began recently, and Brown shared that he had made a promise to his mother that he would find a way to get the Star restored. It was a perfect match.
The program occasionally takes on project cars, but they have never had one like this. Brown’s grandfather, Samuel Brown, purchased the car, and it’s been in the family ever since, though it has spent the last 50 years in a barn.
“Students are thrilled,” said Christensen. “No one has experience with a car of this vintage. There are a whole new set of things they can learn and practice on.”
The restoration course is part of the two-year automotive collision and refinishing technician program. Instruction is primarily in a shop setting where students are able to learn by demonstration and direct hands-on experience. They learn welding, sheet metal repair and replacement, fabrication and restoration techniques, color matching and the latest in automotive paint application.
The program enrolls students in both fall and spring quarters. Enrollment for fall is underway now. For program information, call 509-533-7100.