(Piston Foundation: Stamford, CT; Runge Cars: Alexandria, MN) -- The Piston Foundation and Runge Cars announced the release of a new Petrolicious film documenting a five-day coach-building workshop for Piston Scholar Vincent Ramirez.

Produced by Petrolicious, a Piston Community Partner, the film follows Ramirez as he learns directly from Chris Runge, owner of Runge Cars. The workshop provides a close look at the mentorship, training, and professional access needed to help bring emerging talent into the collector car industry.

Over five days, Ramirez worked alongside Runge to learn traditional coach-building and metal-shaping techniques, including fabrication, welding, and metal finishing. He also applied the digital tools Runge Cars incorporates into its coach-building process: 3D scanning, 3D modeling, and 3D printing.

The combination is central to the workshop’s approach. Traditional hand skills remain essential to collector car craftsmanship, while digital tools can help craftspeople study, design, and develop components more efficiently.

“Opportunities like this help young people see a real future in the collector car industry,” says Jeff Mason, president and co-founder of the Piston Foundation. “Piston connects scholars with the education, mentorship, and hands-on experiences that allow their skills to grow, and that help preserve the knowledge this industry depends on.”

Ramirez, a 2025 and 2026 Piston Scholar, graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in May 2026 with a mechanical engineering degree, and now works in the automotive industry. His experience with CAD, 3D design, and traditional metal craft made him an ideal participant in the Runge Cars workshop.

Piston Scholar Vincent Ramirez practices metal shaping during his workshop at Runge Cars.

“Coach-building has always required patience, observation, and a willingness to learn by doing,” says Chris Runge, owner of Runge Cars. “Vince brought a strong foundation in digital design and engineering. Bringing that together with hands-on metal shaping is exactly the kind of exchange that can carry this craft forward.”

The workshop is the first in what Piston Foundation and Runge Cars intend to develop into a repeatable mentorship opportunity for future Piston Scholars. 

Watch the Petrolicious film here.