Don McCombs is retiring from the staff of Kimball High School after teaching courses in auto mechanics at the school since August of 1970.

He has seen a lot of changes in the auto and truck line during those days.

The biggest change has been in the area of electronics. The power supply has gone from generators to alternators, from points to electronic distributors, seat of the pants analysis to CF card scanners.

On board computers tell where the problem is located. They control the climate. Scanning devices and TV screens warn you of hazards. GPS systems tell you where you are and how to get to where you want to be.

Don says the school gets new CF cards every year that have the latest diagnostic help. Snap On Tools supplies them. The cards cover domestic and Asian imports but not the European models. The European model data comes on a card that must be purchased separately at a price McCombs has chosen not to pay.

As cars and trucks have become more complex, enrollment at KHS has slowly dropped. So has the number of students enrolled in McCombs classes. In the 1970s, McCombs had 50-60 students enrolled in his several sections of classes. Now the number is in the range of 25.

Most of his auto mechanics students have been boys but there has been an occasional girl in the class.

The students do traditional classroom work plus plenty of hands on work in the auto shop. They do basic lube and oil change work, brake jobs, pack bearings and check out electrical systems. In previous years, the class would swap out engines but that has gotten to be too expensive to do at this time.

McCombs has sent teams of students to the Plymouth Troubleshooting Contest in Milford, Nebraska and seen them take second and third place in the competition. With the demise of Plymouth and the deterioration of Chrysler, the contest continues as the Ford AAA Student Auto Skills Contest.

McCombs said, ‘I’ve always been a truck guy. When I was young, my dream vehicles were International and Chevrolet pickups.”

When the subject of cars comes up, he speaks fondly of Studebaker and Packard. On occasion, he has had local Studebaker affecionado Stuart Tritt speak on that subject to the auto classes.

McCombs was born in Kansas and graduated from high school in Greeley, Colorado in 1955. He earned a BA from what is now the University of Northern Colorado and got a teaching certificate. Somewhere along the line, he served in the U.S. Army. He also has an associates degree in diesel mechanics and technology from Pueblo Community College.

He worked for awhile at Ellis & Capp in Greeley, repairing trucks and farm machinery. He worked for Kimball’s Case dealer also.

McCombs capped his education off with a Masters Degree from Colorado State University. He has also attended courses taught by Ford, General Motors and Chrysler to keep his skills up to date.

McCombs has been a member of the Parade Committee for Farmers Day since 1972. At KHS, he has been one of the junior class sponsors for about 15 years. That means 15 prom decoration efforts.

He drove a school bus for awhile but his early morning and late afternoon class schedule makes that impractical now.

McCombs says, “ I know discontinuing the auto mechanics course is all because of a loss of state aid. I would be willing to teach another year if the economy permitted it.”

He will be plenty active in retirement,  taking care of his house, his vehicles and himself.

McCombs is an avid reader. He goes through several newspapers a day, including the Observer. He reads history and politics. And of course, Motor Age Magazine.

Don McCombs has been a vital part of Kimball High School and the Kimball community for nearly 40 years. Best wishes in your retirement, Mr. McCombs.