On Tuesday, Sept. 9 more than 30 students at Palisades High School convened at the campus’ refurbished body shop to size up a 1966 Mustang, the first passion project of the school’s newly reinstated body shop club.
“They’re all here because they have a love for cars and want to learn about old-school muscle cars,” said David Riccardi, Pali High’s director of operations and the club’s founder. With a lifetime of experience working on cars and a vested interest in muscle cars, Boston-born Riccardi knows a thing or two about high-performance automobiles.
Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
“There’s a wonderful feeling of driving a vintage car that you don’t get in a new car,” Riccardi said.
The auto shop had been closed for 25 years, making this the first hands-on automotive class at the school in just as long. Young car buffs have Riccardi to thank for dusting off the shop and spending a year and a half cleaning, painting and renovating the space.
Riccardi spoke to the Palisadian-Post earlier this year about his efforts to re-open the shop, which is being dubbed Pali Automotive or Dewey’s Garage. Now, he’s seeing the results of all that hard work.
“I’m elated and terrified,” Riccardi said with excitement on the club’s first day, a hot and steamy September afternoon.
The club will focus on the muscle car era from 1966-1977, Riccardi said. Students will learn the history and theory behind these wheeled beauties, but most of the time they’ll be getting their hands dirty and “digging in,” Riccardi said.
Most of the students who showed up for day one have little to no experience when it comes to cars, leading Riccardi to name three car-savvy students as team captains to help organize the group.
Senior Arthur Grigorian, one of the three team captains, wants to focus on the exterior of the car and will refer to his experience building a 1991 BMW 3 Series from the body up.
“I have an eye for detail,” Grigorian said.
Dane Bowe, a 10th grader, is looking forward to putting the stereo in the back of the club’s 1966 Mustang.
Like most of the students, 11th grader Jennifer Ahern joined the club out of curiosity and a desire to learn the ins and outs of automobiles.
According to Riccardi, the club has plans to “flip” the 1966 Mustang and use the funds from its sale to fix the 1968 Mustang currently waiting in the wings. Then they’ll put that car in the Palisades Fourth of July parade and auction it off.
The club will ultimately be a “self-generating program,” Riccardi said. In the meantime, he is calling on the community to donate parts, tools, supplies, services, funds or even cars in order to keep the club running.
To donate or for more information, contact Riccardi at (781) 820-7709 or email driccardi@palihigh.org.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
