Ames Performance has been involved with the SEMA/ARMO (Specialty Equipment Market Association / Automotive Restoration Market Organization) council for more than 10 years. During that time this restoration industry council has worked to protect our hobby from oppressive legislation, complex licensing issues and to protect the future of our hobby with our "Take A Kid To A Car Show" campaign.
This last campaign is most important to us, because without the youth of our country embracing classic cars, our hobby will become stagnant and eventually disappear. Today's kids have the same affinity for their cars as we did. We realized that in the first 20 minutes of "The Fast And The Furious", which felt like 1967 but with different wheels.
For this reason we are excited about entering a joint venture with Carlisle Automotive Classrooms Foundation (a nonprofit organization established by Carlisle Productions in Carlisle, PA) and the students from Dauphin County Technical School in Harrisburg, PA.
The agreement was for us to find a GTO in need of complete restoration in time for display at Fall Carlisle 2002 (only two weeks away). We put the word out and found a '67 GTO at Gary Cave's that seems perfect for all aspects of a vo-tech classroom shop (exact description of the car will be posted as soon as we receive the appropriate information from Pontiac Historic Services).
Carlisle Automotive Classrooms Foundation immediately purchased the car and donated it to the kids at Dauphin Tech. It was delivered to Fall Carlisle on time and displayed at the grandstand during the show. Friday was the highlight for us since the six students that will spearhead the restoration arrived at the show for a photo shoot.
Our job at Ames Performance over the next year will be to provide the technical help to the kids and supply all restoration parts at no cost. In this way we can take the kids to a car show and bring a car show to the kids.
It already sounds great, but the best part will be after the car is completed. The car will be sold-- a portion of the money will go back to the Carlisle Foundation for future projects while the rest will return to Dauphin Tech in the form of new tools, equipment,and/ or machinery for their automotive department.
The four photos below are the first shots taken of the car at Carlisle.
The next update will be the photo shoot and the people involved in the project while at Fall Carlisle.
After that update we will follow with the information from Pontiac Historic Services about the car. (We think we have the quintessential GTO here but need authenticity).
Of course, once underway, the photography class at Dauphin Tech. will be involved in supplying constant pictures and updates as the project progresses. We plan at this time to update progress about every two weeks.

Please remember, the youth of today are the future of our hobby - "Take a kid to a car show.