Piston Scholar Mory Hummell has his sights set on being part of the car restoration world after graduating from WyoTech

Finding a Calling – From Grandpa’s ’32 Ford Pickup Truck

“My grandpa was a really cool guy,” says Hummell. “He fought in the Vietnam war. Well, he didn’t fight, he was a mechanic. He worked on airplanes and would have some crazy stories about the airplanes he would fix that would come back with bullet holes in them.

“So he grew up through that and had a really focused life, especially with hot rods. He had a really cool car during high school and he took automotive shop class. So, that kind of passed down through my mom, I guess.

“Then, in 1969 he found that old truck in a farmer’s field in Maine, and he bought it for, I think, about 10 bucks.”

Fisher did get the pickup truck “running pretty good and would drive everywhere in it,” says Hummell. “But then he left it sitting for a long 30 years. It was completely rusted out when he started the restoration on it. He did all the bodywork, the paint, the engine work, transmission work, mostly in his garage. He passed away just before it was done and left it in his will to me.”

Following some major work done on the truck, by Hummell and repair shops, some glitches experienced while driving it, and some serious downtime, Hummell returned to the project. “I put it off for a long time and then I was, like, I just have to do this. I tried to watch videos. There’s not much on that specific truck, but I just kind of jumped into it and did it with my dad (Cameron).

“It’s fully restored – the bodywork and the engine. I have to do a few tweaks to it. And it doesn’t really have an interior, just some seats. It’s in progress.”

Drawn to an Old-Time Charm

He’s currently driving a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser, but “likes older cars. Newer cars feel like a cookie cutter, where there’s no character to them. I love the cars from the ‘80s and back to the early teens, where every car was specific, but you could make them all unique,” Hummel says. “I love the ‘30s cars because when you sit in a ’36 Ford you have all these dials that are just massive and they look ancient. It’s just a really cool experience. You feel like you’re living in the past and that’s why I love the old car restorations. I love the history.”

A fan of the JDM cars, a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX is high on his list to own. “They had this 4-cylinder engine in them that could produce tons of horsepower and whip any American V8. It was a crazy car,” Hummell explains.

Challenges of a Shop Leader

Hummell turns 18 in December 2024, yet at such a young age, he’s already faced some challenges as he looks to the future. “I want to have my own shop and manage people,” he says. “At WyoTech I was designated as a shop leader, so I realized that trying to keep everybody organized and doing what they’re supposed to be doing is really, really tough. It’s harder than I expected. It’s really a challenge to make everything work smoothly. That’s one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced.”

A True Reward – The Piston Scholarship

Earning the Piston Scholarship is a welcome reward, Hummell says. “I came to the Piston Foundation because I was needing support. College is expensive. I ran across the web site and  [saw how Piston supported the collector car business that I love]. That drew me in. It’s really rare to find somebody designated to keeping those old cars stock. I just love every aspect of the Piston Foundation and since then, I started at WyoTech with their support, and I really thank Piston for everything.

“They’re very encouraging and they’re willing to keep in touch with me and see how I’m doing.”

Integrity and Perseverance

Wise beyond his years, as they say, Hummell’s message to parents and other students seeking to become car restorers is, “You have to have a lot of integrity to do what’s right, especially when you’re fixing a car. If you do it wrong, it could be a matter of life and death. Have integrity and be willing to do the best job you can and be willing to stand up for what you believe and just keep on going even when it gets tough. Just persevere.

“We need to encourage the younger generation to appreciate the history behind those cars because it got us to where we are today in the automotive industry.”

Taking to the Skies

As for that pilot’s license he’s considering getting: “I don’t have my full-fledged pilot’s license; I have a student’s license. I do want to get back to that, take the tests and be able to fly,” he says.

“I’m a World War II buff, and so I’d like to fly a Douglas SBD Dauntless, or an F4U-4 Corsair or a P51 Mustang. I’d love to work on them. I know that the principles are kind of the same as a car. They are more aerodynamic and made for the air instead of the ground, but I have not gotten to work much on them.”

One of his post-graduation goals is a move to South Dakota. “I love the culture there and I’d like to work there,” Hummell says. “I love off-roading with my FJ Cruiser and I like the winter and the cold and the forests.”