Flipside

Logos photo by Collie Wood Several NIACC students, with the help of NAPA and Ray’s Collisions, created the “monster” truck pictured above. The truck can be seen in local parades pulling the Industrial Technology exhibit trailer.

Industrial arts students raise the bar

NAPA, Ray’s Collisions help with college’s ‘monster’ truck

Collie Wood
Staff Reporter

Some people find achievement in creating their first paper airplane; the students of the NIACC Industrial Arts Department raised the bar a bit higher when they successfully built the NIACC Industrial Truck.

Last winter, students of the NIACC class of 2007 volunteered their time and energy in constructing a blue “monster” truck.

Josh Byrnes, the Agriculture and I dustrial Arts department chair, said that the project took about five to 10 students working at different times.

Though NIACC doesn’t have a large automotive department, those attending the stirring suspension course were included in building the lift and tires for the truck.

Rob Heimbuch, the NIACC instructor for automotive service technology, related how students interested in automotive showed enthusiasm in getting involved in the project.

“A love for cars runs through the department,” Heimbuch said.

Funding for this project came from donations of material primarily from NAPA, and a local automotive shop called Ray Collisions got involved in the paint job.

From Ray’s, Heimbuch explained how his students were involved in a chance to learn “tricks of the autobody trade.”

Ray Schimak, owner of Ray Collisions, volunteered about 30 hours to the auto department.

One of Schimak’s laborers took time to paint the elaborate flame on the truck, but Schimak made sure 99 percent of the work was done by NIACC students.

One student Schimak primarily remembers was J.R. Peraganda, who spent a majority of his time on the truck.

Peraganda impressed Schimak so much he went to work at Ray Collisions for the rest of his time at NIACC.

Both Schimak and Heimbuch said the industrial truck provided a rare opportunity for the automotive department to showcase its capabilities.

The truck’s own massive structure is overlaid with blue body paint and red flames detailed on to appear sprouting out of the grill.

Overall, the industrial truck stands like a beast that could eat Smart Cars for dessert.

Today, this truck that owes its existence to the time and labor of local mechanics and everyday car lovers can be seen in parades, pulling the Industrial Technology exhibit trailer.