Don’t remember if it was our Junior or Senior year of high school but John Kemper bought a “59” Corvette.

He decided it needed a new paint job. A Pearl White was the color was selected. A very difficult 2 part epoxy paint was used.

He made arraignments to use the old building at Main and 2nd (currently a Title Co) as a makeshift paint shop.

With nothing other than a bunch of teenagers (about a 1/2 dozen of us) the car was stripped down, sanded and painted in a very dimly lighted room. I had painted a few cars by that time in my life. I had watched Charlie Ulbricht do body and paint work in one of the bays at the Texaco Station when I worked there for him.

Within a few days the makeover was complete. When John took it to the local body shop owner, Stan Philpott, for an inspection of our work he was able to find one small area that had some minor orange peel or running. Other than that he said it all looked good. Or at least that’s the way I remember it.

I can’t imagine a group of teens getting together today and pulling this feat off.