CLASS FORCED TO SELL CLASSIC CAR IT REBUILT.

Byline: Krystn Shrieve Staff Writer

Students in the auto restoration classes at Fillmore High School have built a truck from parts, completed a grueling 3,500-mile race, won $1,600 and must now sell the truck they have come to love.

The blue 1930 Model A Ford will be sold to repay Fillmore Unified School District, which loaned the campus $13,000 to fix up the truck and pay for expenses during the 14-day race.

``We knew we would have to sell it to pay the money back,'' said 15-year-old Brandon Chewning, one of the navigators during the race. ``But I don't want to. It's the first truck the school has ever built and I wish we could keep it.''

The Fillmore team returned this week from the 17th annual Great Race, a classic car rally from Georgia to Anaheim, where it came in fifth among seven teams in its division.

Superintendent Mario Contini said the deal struck with the students was this: The district would front the money needed to participate and the high school would pay it back through fund-raisers. Part of the bargain was that the truck would be sold if the school came up short.

``I'd love to buy it myself, but my wife would have my hide,'' Contini said.

So far the high school raised $11,500 to repay its debt. The largest donation of $4,000 came from the Model A Ford Company of America. A Santa Paula doctor, P.W. Diesfield, donated $700 and other residents gave $50, $20 or $10.

The $1,600 prize money is to be used as scholarships for the five students who acted as navigators in the race - Joey Fielding, J.T. Stone, Brandon Chewning, Joseph Carreno and Daniel Garcia.

Parent Ted Chewning, one of the drivers on the team, still has the truck parked at his house and hates the thought of giving it back.

``It's got a lot of sentimental value,'' said Chewning.

The dad has a plan to enlist every resident of the small city to chip in to help the team.

``We have between 12,000 and 13,000 people in this community and if everyone donated one dollar we would have enough,'' said Chewning. ``It would pay off the debt and give (the high school) money for next year. And everyone in town would have part-ownership of the truck.''

The students had been working on the truck during the school year, and borrowed $9,000 from the district for parts and then an additional $4,000 to pay for race expenses.

Auto shop teacher Lin Thomas, the team's leader, said the truck was surprisingly reliable.

The team dealt with brake adjustments, a wobbly steering wheel, a bad carburetor and a new distributor.

When the truck left for the race it had about three miles on the odometer. When it reached Fillmore after the race it had 4,222.

``We've grown to love and trust that pickup,'' said Thomas, who plans to participate again next year.

Race director Sister McRae said she was impressed with the school's showing.

``They did something no one else did - They competed with a stock speedometer,'' she said. ``Everyone else had a special one, but those kids from Fillmore couldn't afford one. Our motto is to finish the race is to win and I'm really proud of these boys.''

The truck will be on display at Fillmore's Fourth of July chili cook-off and there are discussions over having it displayed at the Ventura County Fair. The truck could be put on the block through a silent auction at the upcoming Independence Day festivities, but details have not yet been worked out.

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PHOTO (Color in Conejo and Simi Editions only) Fillmore High School students, from left, Joey Fielding, J.T. Stone, Brandon Chewning and Daniel Garcia were navigators while racing the auto shop class's 1930 Model A. Brandon's father, Ted Chewning, was the truck's driver during the event.

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News