STEAM Cathedral
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Utilizing motorsports and automotive arts to teach STEAM components to youth in a hands-on communal environment
STEAM Cathedral was founded to be an inclusive, early entry pipeline for young talent in the underserved communities throughout Ohio to experience the dynamic career opportunities in the motorsports industry. Collectively, we educate, design, restore and revive through kinesthetic learning projects.
09/25/2026
What if your teen could do more than watch from the sidelines?
What if they could learn how a race car works, how a race team operates, how to solve problems when things go sideways and actually contribute to the success of a team?
You can provide your son or daughter the chance to build something they can be proud of and discover what they're capable of along the way.
This fall, students ages 13–18 will help restore our vintage air-cooled VW desert buggy as we prepare it to return to desert racing.
No sitting on the sidelines. No simulation. Real responsibility. Real tools. Real work. Real education in real life.
We have a few spots remaining, and classes start October 5; learn more & reserve a spot: bit.ly/26Q4Motorsports
Good times!
Julien has been wanting to send the buggy. Today is the day.
We performed a few additional steps that Maxwell didn't mention in the video that you'll want to undertake before trying to start a vehicle that has sat for several years:
- We had the battery on a trickle charger for a week before work commenced
- We performed a very thorough visual inspection
- We cleaned the carb
- We checked the air filter for furry friends or other obstructions
- We checked the oil level and added nearly two quarts due to a known leak – discovered during the visual inspection as coming from the strainer
- We temporarily ran a fuel line and in-line filter from the fuel pump to a fuel jug with fresh gas to bypass the fuel cell and any gunk that may have accumulated over the years
Then, as Maxwell and Tony said, the spark plugs were pulled and their condition checked. This is when we noticed one of the heads had been repaired as the plug threads on one side had been increased from M14 to M16.
With the spark plugs removed, a dry compression test was performed and showed three cylinders had very good, and similar, compression, while the fourth was 15psi lower than the highest. We then squirted a bit of oil in the cylinders and the wet compression test showed all four cylinders within ~4% variance. This is great news! For reference, 10% is generally considered a perfectly acceptable value for a street-driven engine.
Once the spark plugs were reinstalled the engine was turned over numerous times by hand with a breaker bar on the crankshaft (always in the direction of engine rotation!) to feel for potential obstructions. Once everything was verified multiple times, and documented…we fired ‘er up!
If you find a gem hiding in the barn we recommend you follow the same process before turning the key. These simple steps are a great investment because they can prevent unnecessary damage, ultimately saving you time and money.
Oh, we've been places, but we didn't go anywhere!
Check in later this week to find out what they've done.
10/02/2025
🏎️💡 Time at STEAM Cathedral is always about hands-on learning and growth! Over the past few months our students continued to learn automotive skills, practice teamwork, and apply real-world life lessons in a fun, safe environment.
From under-the-hood learning to stepping outside comfort zones, our students drive their curiosity and confidence forward—because learning is always fun when you're allowed to get your hands dirty! 🛠️✨
07/11/2025
Speaking of shirts... we also have a limited number of Trotters Hot Rod Club tees for sale at our booth during Goodguys Rod & Custom Association this weekend!
As the caretakers of the Trotters' custom '35 Ford hauler, memorabilia, and history we designed these shirts to honor the legacy of the first Black hot rod club in Columbus (established in 1953!).
Visit our booth on Saturday from 1-3PM to meet the three remaining living original members, listen as they swap some amazing stories, and maybe even have them autograph your shirt!
All proceeds go to fund our youth development programs and the restoration of the Trotters' hauler.
07/10/2025
Starting tomorrow you can stop by our booth at Goodguys Rod & Custom Association Columbus at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds to purchase your own limited edition '25 STEAM Cathedral/Goodguys tee!
All proceeds help fund our hands-on education as we properly train young people on the joys and benefits of working with their hands AND brains in motorsports and automotive arts.
07/09/2025
A heartfelt thank you to Bill and Nick at Visionary Signs for taking so much time out of their busy day yesterday to provide some of our students a fantastic overview on how to produce and apply vehicle vinyl.
The Visionary team were patient instructors encouraging students to get hands-on and make mistakes, then teaching them how to fix those mistakes, along with methods to reduce the potential for those difficulties to occur in the first place. They exhibited a perfect example of the type of workplace partner STEAM Cathedral exposes our students to.
Oh, and that trailer they're working on...that's our karting trailer getting a much needed makeover. We may be biased but we think it's looking pretty good. 😍
Come decide for yourself in-person at our booth during the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association Columbus car show this weekend at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds. 👍
Finally, after more than 40 years of sitting dormant, it lives again! 🤘
Visit our booth at Goodguys Rod & Custom Association Columbus, this weekend to hear the Pontiac 400 that will power Eric’s ‘67 Firebird.
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
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Columbus, OH
43211
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