BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Members of the Lehigh Car Club brought their automotive enthusiasm to the Euro-themed Cars and Coffee event at the SteelStacks on Sunday, highlighting the club’s mission to rebuild Lehigh University’s automotive heritage.
The club, which rebranded in 2018, displayed its ongoing project – a 1995 Miata with a transplanted 1999 engine.
Vice President Quinlan Smith explained that the club purchased the car with a blown motor from a former club member, who included a spare 1999 engine with the sale.
The club completed the engine swap over the course of a week during the summer, installing the NB engine from the 1999 model into the 1995 NA chassis, making necessary adjustments to accommodate the different specifications.
“We use it for stick shift lessons, maintenance demos, and just kind of stuff like that,” Smith said. The club holds regular meetings on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in Packard 258, where members organize hands-on maintenance sessions with the vehicle.
Justin Padgett, a club member, said the group attends the monthly SteelStacks event to raise awareness and attract new members. The club also joined with Formula C, Lehigh’s racing team, to showcase opportunities in automotive engineering.
“The mission of the club is just bringing together the student body for the automotive industry,” Padgett said. The club offers garage space and maintenance instruction to help students overcome common automotive challenges like parking issues and vehicle upkeep.
Club member Marc Orent emphasized the organization’s goal of reviving Lehigh’s automotive legacy, noting the university’s famous alums in the industry, including namesakes of campus buildings like Asa Packer and automotive executive Lee Iacocca.
Iacocca, a 1945 Lehigh graduate, led Ford Motor Company before becoming president of Chrysler Corporation, where he oversaw the development of the minivan and helped turn around the struggling automaker.
“Lehigh used to be extremely involved in it, and yet when students are coming here, they don’t really see that side of it,” Orent said.
The club participates in various events throughout the year, including charity drives, local meets, auto shows, and go-karting excursions.
