As TST BOCES prepares for the 33rd Annual TST BOCES Car Show on Sunday, May 17, the event serves as a reminder of the incredible hands-on projects students tackle each year across Career and Technical Education programs.
One standout project unveiled at last year’s car show was the restoration of a 1949 Farmall H tractor, a collaborative effort that brought together students and instructors from multiple programs throughout the C Building at CTE.
The project began when a family friend approached TST CTE instructors Dale Kinney and Jeff Brockway with a unique opportunity: to restore a beloved family tractor that had spent decades working on a local farm. The tractor carried significant sentimental value for its owners, and the restoration quickly became a year-long learning experience for students across multiple trades.
Students in the Heavy Equipment program coordinated the tractor’s arrival and safely unloaded it into the C Building, where the restoration process officially began.
Auto Tech students then took the lead in carefully disassembling the tractor and removing years of rust and worn paint through descaling and wire wheeling. Once prepped, the tractor moved to the Auto Body program, where students refinished it in the iconic Farmall Red paint scheme while working to preserve the authentic look of the 1949 model.
As the restoration progressed, students identified additional repairs and mechanical needs. Auto Tech students researched and installed replacement rear wheels, while Welding students fabricated and repaired critical metal components, including brackets, fender supports, the battery box, and the oil bath air cleaner assembly.
Back in Auto Tech, students carefully reassembled the tractor, replacing hoses, belts, bearings, fuel lines, wiring, and other mechanical components. Heavy Equipment and Auto Tech students also worked together to mount reclaimed tires onto newly installed rims.
By spring 2025, the tractor stood fully restored after months of work involving students from Heavy Equipment, Auto Tech, Auto Body, Welding, and Digital Media. The Digital Media students created a display banner documenting the restoration process through photographs taken throughout the year.
The completed tractor was unveiled during the 2025 TST BOCES Car Show before being returned to its grateful owners, Bill and Skip Wolfley, whose daughter, Sarah Herting, is a teacher at TST BOCES.
The restoration project gave students valuable real-world experience while highlighting the collaboration, craftsmanship, and problem-solving skills developed every day throughout CTE programs.
Community members will once again have the opportunity to support and celebrate student talent during this year’s 33rd Annual TST BOCES Car Show on Sunday, May 17, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the TST BOCES Career & Tech Campus, 555 Warren Road in Ithaca.
Admission is a $2 donation per person or $5 per carload, which includes parking on campus. All proceeds benefit the TST BOCES SkillsUSA Club.
The event will feature classic and custom vehicles, student projects, trophies, food and beverages, a $500 door prize, and free flea market space for vendors.
Show car registration is $10 both in advance and the day of the event. Coffee and cinnamon rolls will be available beginning at 8:00 a.m., and lunch will be served from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
For more information about the car show or flea market registration, contact Josh Kline at jkline@tstboces.org.