The "Pimp My Ride" and "Overhaulin'" television shows have nothing over the project about 20 businesses and dozens of people got going to replace the car a Gardnerville resident lost to arson two months ago.
David Godwin received a revamped, renovated and refurbished 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier at a surprise party at Minden's Pizza Factory on Saturday.
"I have to send all those businesses thank-you cards - or thank-you bricks of gold," said Godwin after he received the keys to his new car.
"Project Pay It Forward" began when David Godwin's co-worker, Britney Bishow, wanted to start a collection to buy an iPod to replace the music Godwin lost in a fire in the parking lot of the Ironwood Cinema on July 14.
Godwin's car was destroyed when it was intentionally set on fire with fireworks. With only liability insurance, Godwin couldn't replace the vehicle and most of his possessions that he kept in it.
"It snowballed into a really big thing," said Tom Bishow. "My daughter was taking collections to buy an iPod and everybody jumped on the bandwagon."
Bishow, a service technician for Dick Campagni's Carson City Mazda-Hyundai for 12 years, said a woman donated a 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier.
"You don't know how many people came together to work on putting that car together," Bishow said.
Besides $20 here and there from his coworkers at the dealership, donations of car parts and service rolled in from Auto Parts Depot, Kragen Auto Parts, T&H Auto Paints and Mort's Auto Body, among others.
Les Schwab of Carson City gave the rims and tires, Unique Audio donated an audio system, window tinting was done by Sun King, a clutch kit was donated by NAPA Auto Parts, a fuel filter from AC/Delco and pin-striping was done by Auto Exciters.
Donations of tune-up components and car accouterments including a dashboard cover, moldings, heater core, ignition lock and key, interior fabric, brake pads, a battery, wiper blades and a carpet kit all came rolling in.
Jake Armer, formerly a DJ from KOZZ, donated 25 CDs presented to Godwin at his party. The CDs were in a box with a scrapbook Bishow made of the process of overhauling the ugly duckling of a car. The title to the car was in the back of the album.
"The party turned out really good," said Bishow. "David thought he was in debt to me for the car but I told him it was the 'Pay It Forward' idea. He didn't know what it was about so I told him to watch the movie and pass it on."
"Pay It Forward" is a movie from 2000 starring Haley Joel Osment telling the story of what might happen if people paid it forward - repaying favors by doing good deeds for others.
"David's sister is paying for his first installment of car insurance and Ironwood (Cinema) sprung for the seat covers," Bishow said.
"I got to meet a lot of people because of this 'Pay it Forward' idea. My brother-in-law from Susanville is really impressed with how the community has reacted. It's nice to have a community like this," he said.
Godwin works part-time at the Ironwood Cinema to put himself through college.
"I can learn a lot from this guy," said Bishow. "He still smiles through it all."
Who helped on Project Pay It Forward:
Carson City Mazda-Hyundai
Carson City Toyota
Les Schwab Tire Center, Carson City
Kustom Kreations, Carson City
T&H Auto Paints, Carson City
Auto Parts Depot-Car Quest, Gardnerville
NAPA Auto Parts, Gardnerville
NC Auto Parts and Superstores, Carson City
Auto Extras, Gregg Whitt
Carson Valley Chevrolet-Buick, Minden
Kragen Auto Parts, Gardnerville
Mill End Fabrics of Carson City
Ironwood Cinemas 8, Minden
Sun King Window Tint, Carson City
Unique Sounds & Auto Accessories, Carson City
Mort's Auto Body, Gardnerville
Able Restoration, Brett Shiloh Garcia
Tom, Anna, Britney Bishow
Al Rogers, Alex Juback, Mason Peterson, Jarrod Maples, Gregg Campagni
Recycled Records
Jake Armer, Citadel Broadcasting
Michael King
Pizza Factory, Minden
