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Ohio Technical College Students Restore 1978 Cruiser for Cleveland Police Museum Read the blog for the whole story! Students enrolled in the Collision Repair and Refinishing Program at Ohio Technical College recently restored a 1978 Ford LTD Cleveland Police Cruiser to prepare it for display at the Cleveland Police Museum. "This project was brought to our Collision Repair students on behalf of the Cleveland Historical Society," said Tom King, director of enrollment management, Ohio Technical College. "With a five-week start-to-finish timeframe, it was a great challenge for the students to complete the detailed repair and refinishing work as well as the research for the police cruisers to ensure their restoration was historically correct. I also think the students got a kick out of painting and refinishing the cruiser back to its original lime green color, which our 1978 Cleveland Mayor Ralph Perk had established as the official color for his police force."
For the first step of the restoration process, the students obtained a 1978 "parts" vehicle from which to source the multiple repairs. They then began a long list of improvements, including repairing all body damage and trim; removing the vinyl top and bringing back the original hard top; and replacing the front grill, rear bumper guards, speedometer, light bar, siren and switch panels. Students also replaced the front headlights with red lenses and installed original-era hubcaps. The restored police cruiser is now on display at the Cleveland Police Museum, with recognition of the restoration work completed by the Ohio Technical College students. Visit the Cleveland Police Historical Society Inc. and Police Museum at the Justice Center, Cleveland Police Headquarters, First Floor, 1300 Ontario Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44113, or online at www.clevelandpolicemuseum.org. About Ohio Technical College
Ohio Technical College (OTC) is an accredited private, proprietary technical school dedicated to providing premier technical training in the world of modern mechanics by pursuing industry alliances, providing outstanding training equipment and focusing on the needs of individual students. An Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT) college, OTC encompasses more than 500,000 sq. feet of classroom and workshop space. Drawing students from all over the United States, OTC offers technician training programs in Automotive, Diesel, Auto-Diesel, Collision Repair, Classic Car Restoration and PowerSport Technology as well as specialization in High Performance and Racing, BMW, Alternative Fuel Vehicles, Custom Paint and Graphics and Power Generator Systems. Motorcycle technician training is provided through the PowerSport Institute, a branch campus of OTC in North Randall, Ohio. For more information, write to Ohio Technical College at 1374 E. 51st St. Cleveland, Ohio, 44103; call 800.322.7000; or visit www.ohiotechnicalcollege.com and www.psi-now.com.
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