a public charity
serving the
car community
our mission
Helping To Build a New Generation of Automotive Tradespeople
The Piston Foundation’s mission is to bring more young people into the collector car industry. By funding skilled trades programs in collector cars, we’re working to help today’s craftspeople transfer their skills to a new generation and help young technicians build rewarding careers in the trades and services of the collector car industry.
What we do
We direct the charitable giving from car enthusiasts back into the car community, helping to build awareness and respect for automotive skilled trade career choices.
Our goal is to fund skilled trade education for automotive students and to develop and establish vehicle restoration apprentices. We’re creating career opportunities for people who want to take a different path and we’re helping to build a new generation of automotive tradespeople.
Who We Serve
We support students seeking skilled trade education as an alternative path to a rewarding career, different from the “college-at-all-costs” approach and help working auto technicians find apprenticeship placement and achieve a career in collector car restoration and services.
We serve restoration shops and auto industry businesses who need skilled technicians and specialists ready to learn the craft and trade, and we serve the car enthusiast community who want to continue to enjoy their hobby, share their passion, and keep their beloved cars on the road.
we’re car enthusiasts, too
Everyone in our organization has a passion and a drive for keeping vintage, classic, and collector cars on the road.
Our founder, Robert P. Minnick, has always been a car guy and sees the Piston Foundation as the way in which he, and others like him, can give back and affect real positive change in the car community.
GIVE TO WHAT YOU LOVE
Young or old, we all love classic cars. A generation of craftspeople built rewarding careers keeping these cars on the road. Now they’re retiring and the collector car industry needs new technicians. Young people are interested in learning the trade, but they need help from the car community to get the education and hands-on training they need.
The high cost of education and limited access to hands-on training makes it difficult for young car enthusiasts to enter the auto restoration industry. Together, we can help aspiring technicians overcome these barriers and put them on a career path into the collector car industry.
From the Piston Blog
Piston Technician Award Presented at Historic Festival 42
The Piston Foundation, in partnership with Lime Rock Park, presented its third annual Piston Technician Award to Davin Lindy of Brown Brothers Racing during the Lime Rock Park Historic Festival 42. Davin’s trophy was designed and fabricated by an auto-tech student at J.M. Wright Technical High School in Stamford, CT.
The Piston Foundation Announces Petrolicious as its Newest Community Partner
“I’m excited to welcome Petrolicious as our newest Piston Community Partner, Petrolicious is all about the passion for collector cars, and so is The Piston Foundation. We look forward to being a part of the Petrolicious community and working together to raise funds for the Piston scholarship program which supports education, training, and job opportunities for the next generation of collector car technicians.”
~ Jeff Mason, President and COO of The Piston Foundation
Piston Awards 20 Scholarships to its Fall Class of 2024 Scholars
The Piston Foundation is proud to announce the Fall 2024 class of Piston Scholars. Each of these scholars is a bright and exciting talent with a passion for collector cars and the drive to learn the skills of automotive restoration. Like other Piston Scholars before them, these aspiring technicians will join the collector car community as part of a new generation ready to preserve the past and build the future.
Give to What You Love
Make a gift that helps the next generation access the education and training they need to begin a career as a classic car technician. Gifts of any size are appreciated and will be used to fund our scholarship and apprenticeship programs.
Sponsor a Piston Scholar
Piston Foundation scholarships are awarded to aspiring technicians to help them begin an auto restoration career. Give to the car culture you love. 100% goes to fund scholarships.
Cars for Piston Scholars
Turn your collector car into education and hands-on training for aspiring collector car technicians. Your car can change lives. 100% goes to fund scholarships.
Give to What You Love
Make a gift that helps the next generation access the education and training they need to begin a career as a classic car technician. Gifts of any size are appreciated and will be used to fund our scholarship and apprenticeship programs.
Sponsor a Piston Scholar
Piston Foundation scholarships are awarded to aspiring technicians to help them begin an auto restoration career. Give to the car culture you love. 100% goes to fund scholarships.
Cars for Piston Scholars
Turn your collector car into education and hands-on training for aspiring collector car technicians. Your car can change lives. 100% goes to fund scholarships.
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