Revved Up: CM Car Club heads to New England Auto Show

The CM Car Club’s first excursion of the year brought it to the New England Auto Show at the Boston Convention Center December 3. Moderator Mr. Tegan and a dozen students made the trip, one of at least four after-school trips they make through the year to area auto shows.

“Kids and cars, it’s a natural connection,” says Tegan. “Whether it be tinkering with them or admiring the worksmanship. The Car Club fills that need.”

With over twenty car aficionados in its ranks each year, the Car Club heads to the Larz Anderson Auto Museum and the Bayside Expo’s “World of Wheels Show.” On trips like these, members meet and talk with engineers and car manufacturers and see real-world applications of science and math skills.

The Club began ten years ago when Mr. Tegan noticed a freshman, Matthew McGonagle ’03, paging through Car and Driver during his study halls. Tegan and McGonagle struck up a conversation each week, and soon invited more and more students to join them in exploring the intricacies of automotive design each week. Matthew’s father, Ed McGonagle ’76, graciously continued to sponsor the Car Club’s outings well beyond Matthew’s graduation.

This past week, the Car Club’s acting president Tom Flaherty ‘10, a member since his freshman year, enjoyed seeing both mass-marketed and custom-built designs at the New England Auth Show. Flaherty thinks about studying diesel mechanics and design after CM.

Beside the newest Chevy Corvette (complete with GPS and DVD systems) was a custom-pinstripe airbrush paint job of ghostly figures on a 6-door pickup truck. Both caught his eye.

“I wanted to be able to get into the new models and see what new technology is coming out,” said Flaherty. “We all do. There’s definitely a bond between all of us who have the same passion for cars.”