When Lindsey Candelaria started at Forsyth Tech, she didn’t plan on majoring in Autobody Repair. “I was in the Criminal Justice program for about a year,” she recalls, “and then I got my ’81 Datsun 280ZX, and I wanted to see about getting it restored down in Autobody. I went down there and I talked to Mark Walker and I told him about my interest in cars and he said, ‘Well, why don’t you just fix the car yourself.’ And I said, ‘Well, you know, that’s a good idea.’ So he kind of recruited me into the Autobody field.”
Now, having already received Certificates in Painting and Finishing, Structural Damage and Non-Structural Damage, she’s well on her way to completing both her Autobody degree and the restoration of her car. One of her cars, that is — she has two vintage Datsun Z automobiles that she plans to restore. Why this passion for the Z? “The first guy I dated had a red 300ZX,” she says. “It was an ‘85, non-turbo. And I fell in love with the car. Then a 280 popped up near where I live so I bought it. And then I also bought a ‘74 260Z.”
The goal of restoring her cars got Lindsey into the Autobody program, and once there she discovered she has a passion for it. In fact, she’s now thinking of opening her own restoration business someday. “I enjoy taking something that’s rusted and fixing it up into something beautiful like a show car. It’s just really amazing to be able to do something like that.”
Being in the Autobody program has also inspired her to learn more about the inner workings of her car. “I’m switching to Automotive Technology next semester,” she declares. “I’m going to take some Automotive, and then eventually I hope to switch to Race Car Technology at some point.” In fact, now that she’s discovered the joys of learning about cars at Forsyth Tech, she’s in no hurry for her education to end. “I’m a recurring student,” she says with a laugh. “I don’t want to leave!”
One thing she really likes about Forsyth Tech is the support she receives from the faculty. “Mark Walker is my favorite instructor,” she says. “Mark’s a wonderful teacher. He’s very helpful. And Randy Butner in the Race Car Technology program. He’s not my teacher, but he’s been a great influence. And they’ve both been very supportive of having a female in the class.”
As a woman in what is, largely, a man’s world, Lindsey has faced some resistance. “I’ve come across a lot of men who don’t like a woman being in the class,” she says. “When guys make remarks, sometimes I’ll answer back, but usually I just feel that if they have to insult me, then go ahead. It’s not going to change me. It’s just going to make me work harder.”
She’s also convinced other women to follow in her footsteps. “I’ve talked a few women into joining the program,” she says proudly. “A lot of women, they want to get involved, but they’re intimidated by the fact that there are all these guys in the class.”
Clearly, nothing intimidates Lindsey. She carries a full load of classes, works on her car in her spare time and has two part-time jobs (much of the money going to pay for things like paint and Bondo for restoring her beloved Z). But she doesn’t mind all the hard work and sacrifice. She’s a young woman with a clear vision of where she wants to be, and she’s found that the path to get there goes through Forsyth Tech.
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