Kansas City teens transform vintage car with Travis Kelce’s support
A unique project is changing lives and sparking innovation for Kansas City teens, thanks to a restored 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle and years of hard work.
The car, discovered abandoned on a farm near Springfield, Missouri, has been fully rebuilt and transformed into an electric vehicle. Over the course of three years, 81 students from Operation Breakthrough, a Kansas City nonprofit, worked to bring the car back to life.
Oz Qureshi, director of Mind Drive, detailed the intensive restoration effort.
“About 60% of the metal was replaced. It’s a complete frame-off restoration. Everything was replaced or restored,” Qureshi said.
The project received support from Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, who, through his 87 & Running Foundation, helped fund the rebuild.
The revamped Chevelle is a marvel of engineering and design. It features a digital dashboard modeled after the car’s original 1969 interior and has already gained recognition. The vehicle won Best in Show at its first competition in Austin, Texas.
“It was a huge honor,” Qureshi said.
Mary Esselman, CEO of Operation Breakthrough, said the project has had a transformative impact on the students involved.
“It really represents a pretty big change for a lot of lives,” Esselman said.
One participant, Jordi Martinez, joined the project last year and said the experience inspired him to think differently about his future.
“Many of my friends drop out after graduating, but I want to do something different. It doesn’t matter where you come from. It doesn’t matter your age. Anything in this world is possible,” Martinez said.
The restored Chevelle, which symbolizes hope and opportunity for the students who built it, is now up for grabs.
For Qureshi, the project’s greatest achievement lies in the skills and confidence it instilled in the students.
“What it means to me is the impact it has on young people, what they’ve learned, and what they’ve gained,” Qureshi said.