Although the years and many miles may have passed, Norma Fitzsimmons still remembers her first ride in her shiny, red 1964 Studebaker Lark convertible.

And now Spectrum teacher Allen Anderson is helping those miles melt away as he and his shop class are lovingly restoring the classic car to its original condition.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a Studebaker guy,B次元官网网址� said Anderson, who owns a 1963 Studebaker convertible of his own. B次元官网网址淜en [Pleasance] told me about a car that had been in his garage unassembled for 17 years. I said bring it to me and the students will put it together for you.B次元官网网址�

Pleasance purchased the car 20 years ago from the owner who had contacted him to put an ad in the Studebaker newsletter. In going through the vehicleB次元官网网址檚 documentation he discovered Fitzsimmons was the carB次元官网网址檚 original owner.

B次元官网网址淲hen I decided to start restoring it I phoned her 17 years ago and said I am going to restore this car and when IB次元官网网址檓 finished IB次元官网网址檒l take you for a ride,B次元官网网址� said Pleasance.

Although more than a half century has passed, Fitzsimmons can still recall the first time she laid eyes on the car, seeing it in the showroom of the old National Motors in Victoria and telling her husband Russell that was what she wanted for Christmas.

B次元官网网址淥n Christmas morning I opened my present and it was an empty box with a key in it and he said B次元官网网址楪o look in the garage.B次元官网网址� I tore off down there and there it was,B次元官网网址� said the 94-year-old Cadboro Bay resident.

Fitzsimmons said she was so excited she immediately took the car out for a spin with her daughter Diane, still dressed in her nightgown.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of good memories in that car,B次元官网网址� she said.

Anderson and the students at Spectrum have been working on the car since February, spending about 80 minutes each school day.

B次元官网网址淚t was just a shell when I brought it in,B次元官网网址� said Plesance.

But Anderson and his students have embraced the project.

B次元官网网址淚t was one of 53 [Lark convertibles] built in Hamilton, [Ont.] that year. ItB次元官网网址檚 also a six-cylinder automatic, of which only 17 were made,B次元官网网址� said Anderson, who has always been enamoured with Studebaker, which started out in 1852 building wheelbarrows and covered wagons.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an orphan. ItB次元官网网址檚 not one of the big three,B次元官网网址� said Anderson on why the Studebaker holds such an appeal for many.

Studebaker stopped production in its U.S. plant in South Bend, Ind. in 1964, continuing production on the Lark type models in Hamilton until 1966. The fact the vehicle hasnB次元官网网址檛 been in production for more than 50 years has complicated a few things for the Spectrum shop class.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e still waiting on some parts but weB次元官网网址檙e hoping to get it on the road before the school year ends,B次元官网网址� said Anderson.

And when they do, you can bet Fitzsimmons will be among the first to go for a spin.