All tricked out

It might have been the popularity of MTV's "Pimp my ride" show.

Or maybe the bravado, speed and danger in movies such as the "Fast and the Furious."

Whatever the cause, high school students are driving the best. Many teens purchase inexpensive "fixer-uppers" and then refurbish them.

They spend a lot of money to fix up their cars to their liking, from simple things like a new paint job to reassembling a better, faster engine.

Gavin Richmond, a senior at Scott City High School, has spent about $4,500 on improvements his Cheyy S10. He originally paid $3,500 for the car a year and a half ago. Among several improvements, he lowered the front by five inches and the bed of the truck by 8.5 inches, as well as installed blue-tinted headlights at $204 a piece.

He's still not finished. He takes morning classes at the Career and Technology Center in Cape Girardeau to work on his car. He did all the work himself.

Kyle Reese is in the afternoon auto shop class at the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center. His car, a bright lime green Honda CRX, originally cost him $2,500.

He has completely rebuilt the engine, replaced the hood, fenders, wheel rims and seats, completely customized the inside and then had it painted.

He did all the work himself but the paint job.

"All in all, I've spent at least $10,000 working on it," he said.

Emily Hendricks is a student at Southeast Missouri State University who freelances for the Southeast Missourian.