If you like cars and want to work in the auto industry, perhaps you would like to be part of a NASCAR or Formula One Racing Team.

Or maybe you intend to rebuild the engine of your ’68 Porsche 912. All this and more is possible for the students of the Engine Rebuilding class, Auto 111, at City College.

Students meet in a big and spacious room that looks like an auto body shop. Tools and top of the line equipment included are all in the shop, and combined with background music of clinks and drills, it sounds like music to any mechanic’s ears.

“This is an Engine Rebuilding class, they learn all about how engines work, how to diagnose problems with the engines and how to repair things that are broken,” said professor Tim Gilles, who has a degree in Industrial Arts from Long Beach State and has taught at City College since 1974. “And it closes up early every semester, is always full.”

Gilles recommends before taking the class students should take two introductory courses, Auto 101, Introduction to Auto Mechanics and Auto 110, Fundamentals of Automotive Servicing; related work experience will also help.

Michael Ayala is majoring in automotive aervice and technology and he is going to bring his own car in to rebuild the engine. This will be his team’s project, and once rebuilt, the car should run better than ever.

“I enjoy coming,” Ayala said. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s the funnest class this semester.”
Another automotive student has his eye set on furthering his education in the field in addition to having fun.

“I am basically learning to have some type of training to go along with my AA in Business and Economics,” said Robert Buttry. “I already finished one AA, now I am trying to become an ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certified.” Buttry thinks about opening his own shop or get on a race team.

Despite the early hours that students have to get up at in order to go to class, students like Buttry don’t seem to mind.

“We have to be here at 8 o’clock in the morning. We all come in and we are not even sleepy or tired.” said Buttry about the class. “This is something you have fun with and you can make money doing if you do it right; is a great trade-off.”

Working with another team on a different engine is Carolyn Clancy, the only female student in this class.

She has a specific goal: to rebuild the engine of her ’68 Porsche 912, for the second time. “I took this class 20 years ago and rebuilt my engine,” Clancy said. “Twenty years ago I was the only woman in the class.”

Furthermore, twenty years ago she took the class with the same teacher, Tim Gilles.
“He is an excellent teacher,” Clancy stated.

Previously she had taken some Adult Education classes on tune-ups and brakes, but this class allows her to perform the most maintenance of her Porsche. Carolyn is also interested in taking some other classes after this.

The department offers specialization courses like brakes, suspension and steering, automotive electricity, fuel and air conditioning and power train to list a few.

“They get a certificate of completion when they are finished. If they just take the automotive courses they get a certificate,” said Gilles about the certification. “If they take the academic courses along with it they get the academic degree, an Associate Degree.”

The metallic clinks continue combined with background music and the voices of the students commenting about what tool to use or what to fix next. The fun goes on.