Houston high schoolers' re-imagined Mercedes makes semifinals in global Hot Wheels contest

"Tootsie" was on a roll after the 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300D, re-imagined as an off-road sedan by Houston auto tech instructor David Almanzan and his Dekaney High School students, was named a semifinalist over thousands of other entries in the 2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour. The winner would have their creation turned into a 1:64 Hot Wheels die-cast car sold around the world.

But in the end, Tootsie was eaten up by a modified 1990 Mazda MX-5 roadster from New Zealand nicknamed "Chimera" that took home the top prize, which was announced Nov. 11.

Despite not winning, Almanzan said his students can be proud.

"I always like to show the students the positive side of everything," he told Automotive News. "I tell them that the judges said we built one of the top 10 cars in the world. Coming from people like Hot Wheels designers, actor Noel Gugliemi and especially Jay Leno, that means a lot."

Almanzan noticed the neglected Mercedes sitting on a neighbor's lawn and decided it would make a great project to teach students not only technical skills, but also life lessons of having fun and learning through hands-on experience. "Tootsie" was the creation of 260 students over several years. It features bolted-on fender flares to accommodate the all-terrain tires and a lifted suspension inspired by classic rally cars. It is powered by a inline 5-cylinder OM617 turbo diesel engine with exhaust exiting through the hood.

Almanzan, 35, spoke with Houston-based Automotive News freelance writer Jeff Yip about the project and his career. Here are edited excerpts.

Q: What more can you tell us about the background of your project vehicle?

A: This project stemmed from a previous car we built. It was a similar model — a 1982 Mercedes-Benz 300CD — but we restored it to original specifications. The students learned everything on this car from bumper to bumper and everywhere in between. We wanted to do another project but with more creative freedom for the students; that's how "Tootsie," our off-road Mercedes-Benz sedan, came to life.

Did you play with Hot Wheels as a child?

I have had Hot Wheels toys for as long as I can remember. A toy car plants inspiration in a child where we all dream of driving a life-size version. A few years back, I had a collection of over 300 Hot Wheels cars on a wall at home. I gave them away to a nephew who later passed away from a tragic car accident. He was stoked that I would give my collection away and that gives me a strong connection to the toys we all love.

How long have you been teaching high school students, some of whom aspire to be dealership technicians?

I've been teaching my trade for nine years. The Houston area is an extremely diverse region with a thriving automotive industry. The business is never-ending; we have every major brand name imaginable and there are plenty of career opportunities.

Why do you like teaching auto tech, and what have you learned from being an instructor?

I enjoy sharing my skills and showing someone how to be independent and fend for themselves. Being an automotive technician involves problem-solving and [overcoming] challenges that [requires] knowledge in electronics, physics, hydraulics, chemistry, geometry, central area networks and even artificial intelligence that we must be experts on. When someone learns to face these challenges as an everyday occurrence, they grow stronger to face other challenges in life.

Being an instructor has showed me the importance of having a good role model. I have had plenty of them and I am glad I can be a good one for my students.

Some of our students come from split households where they may lack guidance and leadership from an absent parent so I take this as my chance to impact someone's life. My students feel connected to me [because] I grew up in the same area facing many of the same challenges they face.

From coming to this country as an undocumented immigrant to learning a new language at 6 years of age and thriving in the automotive industry, I show them that anything and everything is possible with persistence and dedication.

Who inspired you as a young man?

My late grandfather would take me on trips to farms and construction sites as a child where he would work on heavy machinery and farm equipment. My other grandfather is a lifelong cyclist who showed all of us the importance of perseverance and dedication as a solid foundation for life. My parents are still in the industry as well.

How did you wind up on the automotive technical side?

When I was 10 years old, I yelled at my mom that I would never be a mechanic like my dad. Twenty-five years later, I have never done anything else for a living but work on cars. Now that I get to teach others the trade, I wouldn't do anything else.