Thursday, October 1, 2026
"2016 was our first car show," said Long Beach High School automotive teacher James Johnsen. "We had a '47 Ford pickup that we built into a rat rod and we wanted to show it off, so we started a car show."
The annual display, which took place on May 30, highlights the students' work and spreads awareness of the school's auto program, which has been in operation for more than 50 years.
"There's two classes that are a half-year for one period," Johnsen explained, "Then there's one class — if they take it for two years in a row with a double period, then they take the other two years and they meet a certain criteria, students can graduate with CTE credit (career and technical education college credit).
Alex Infante, a senior in Johnsen's advanced double-period class explained the work behind the two current class projects. One began as a 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass which was reworked to run a high-powered LT-1 Corvette engine with a fully custom suspension. "It's been a two-year project," Infante explained. "It should be done close to the end of the year. We refabricated the whole floor and the whole backseat. We have to finish up some of the electrical work."
The class is also transforming a factory-issued 2000 Ford Ranger into a reinforced rock crawler with 40-inch tires capable of handling off-road trails. "We cut the frame in half and welded beams in to make it stronger," said Infante. "And we did the whole rear suspension. We also did an exocage, in case it rolls over."
Josh Pilar graduated LBHS in 2006 and is co-owner of Driven Motorsports in Oceanside. "When I attended there, the auto shop teacher was Mr. Krywe," Pilar said. "The facility didn't have the equipment it has now. They've made a lot of improvements. It was a class I enjoyed very much." Pilar brought five rebuilt cars to this year's gathering, showcasing vehicles from his staff and customers.
