Associated Press PROJECTS COMPLETE — Power mechanics students gave new life to older tractors by restoring the vehicles throughout the school year. Junior Andrew Wetherell and seniors Boady Wood and Ben Carpenter were aided by classmates in the refurbishment as well as students in the auto collision technology program. On their tractors are, from left, Wetherell, Carpenter and Wood with auto collision tech students Lexis Kloeker, Laela White, Michelle Ziarko and Logan Abercrombie. Ares Cline also participated.

BLOOMINGDALE — Older tractors are getting a new life after undergoing refurbishment in Jefferson County Joint Vocational School’s power mechanics program.

Three farm vehicles dating back to the 1950s and ’60s received new parts and color as projects which began at the start of the school year. Junior Andrew Wetherell and seniors Boady Wood and Ben Carpenter brought the tractors from their home farms and said they will put them to use now they are as good as new.

Wetherell, the son of Duayne and Monica Wetherell of New Alexandria and a student at Steubenville Catholic Central High School, repaired his red 1962 Farmall International 140. He disassembled, sanded and painted the equipment, the latter with help from JVS auto collision technology students, before putting it all back together again. Wetherell said the process began in November and finally wrapped up in April.

“My love of agriculture (led to the project) and I wanted to see it restored and be able to use it,” he said, adding that he will definitely use it on his family farm. “It belonged to a neighbor, and we bought it a few years ago, and now it’s a family tractor. This was my biggest project so far and I loved every minute of it, especially seeing the outcome.”

He plans to keep using the tractor well into his future and said his goal is to become a farmer.

Wood, the son of Ted and Alana Wood of Bloomingdale, attends Edison High School and restored his 1946 Farmall BN tractor during the past few months, but it was not his first such project.

“Last year, I did a project on my 1950 Farmall Super N, so I restored two tractors over the last two years,” Wood said. “I got (the current one) running after it sat for between 30 and 40 years, stripped down the body and primed and painted it for a perfect restoration.”

His process began in February and wound down in May. Like the former vehicle, he plans to use the Farmall BN around his family farm and in tractor shows. Following graduation, Wood hopes to work as a diesel technician and farm for the rest of his life, and he said his training at the JVS has made him ready to fulfill his endeavors.

Carpenter, the son of Clint and Mindy Carpenter of Bergholz, also attends Edison and refurbished his green 1952 John Deere A. His project has been ongoing since September before finally finishing in May.

“We did the John Deere B last year and the John Deere B was sitting for 20 years. I got it running and did a full engine rebuild and cosmetic restoration,” he explained. “It was really great to see it all come back together.”

Following graduation, Carpenter hopes to work in the diesel mechanics field.

The projects were completed with help from fellow power mechanics students Gabe Bocek, Jason Harris, Kaleb Griffith, William White, Victoria White, Daniel Cermak, Izak Pyle and Dylan Haines as well as auto collision technology pupils Logan Abercrombie, Michelle Ziarko, Laela White, Lexis Kloeker and Ares Cline.