By Josh Bergeron

josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

After flood water filled his car, Gonzalo “Giovanni” Alvarez only needed sunlight and a bit of hard work to get it running again.

Alvarez, a 17-year-old Bob Hope School student, recently restored his 2008 Saturn Sky back to working condition. The only lingering sign of damage is a front turn signal that remains lit after he turns the car off.

For now, he disconnects the battery after parking to ensure the light doesn’t remain lit. He said buying a new light bulb should permanently solve the problem.

Never wavering, Alvarez said he remained committed to and confident that he could fully restore his car from any water damage it received.

“My parents helped me get it, it’s my first car and it’s everything I could have asked for,” he said when asked why he restored the vehicle. “I thought about all the good times I’ve had in it.”

Like many families in Port Arthur, Alvarez’s family saw its home flooded as a result of Tropical Storm Harvey. As water began to seep into their home, his family fled in a Hummer. Alvarez recalled water lapping over the top of the car’s hood and people calling for help from nearby roofs.

“They would flash lights and call ‘help, help,’ but we couldn’t do anything,” he said. “It was scary. We could feel it with our feet in the car because we didn’t grab any shoes or anything. We just left the house as soon as the water started coming in.”

After escaping, Alvarez said his family parked on an elevated part of Memorial Boulevard and waited for two hours.

“We were just there. We didn’t really know what to do,” he said.

While parked on Memorial, Alvarez said a cousin who lives in Groves called to offer a place to stay. Alvarez said his cousin’s house was not flooded.

The day after the escape — Alvarez said he’s not sure of the exact date — his family returned to their home to rescue their dog, who sat atop the refrigerator. While at the house, Alvarez saw the height of the flood water from the exterior of the building and suspected it also surrounded his car in the garage.

“I was devastated,” he said. “It was my first car, and I liked it so much. It hit me pretty hard.”

On Sept. 1, the family entered the garage. Because the garage wouldn’t open electronically, Alvarez said he had to force open the door. Various items had fallen onto car, he said.

Almost immediately, he began working to restore the vehicle.

First, he drained and replaced the engine oil, which was mixed with water. He also charged the battery. Then, he tapped the car’s relay by using two small screwdrivers. It started but only ran for a few seconds.

“So we knew right away that it was the ECM (engine control module),” he said.

He bought a new engine control module, but it didn’t work. Meanwhile, the prior engine control module worked after spending a few days in sunlight.

Other work performed on the car included: placing it on jack stands to drain water, blowing compressed air into the pistons, and checking the transmission and differential fluids. He removed the car’s seats and placed them in under sunlight. He also used a mop to remove water inside the vehicle.

Because the car’s interior is leather, Alvarez said mold didn’t grow inside of the vehicle and hinder the restoration.

Including purchasing a new ECM, which he didn’t need, the whole repair jobs cost only $300.

Out of excitement, perhaps, Alvarez didn’t bolt his seats the first time he drove the vehicle.

“It was really exciting to have that feeling again,” he said. “I dropped the top, put the roof down, and everything. The seats didn’t slide at all, but they weren’t bolted down.”

He’s been driving the vehicle for more than two weeks now. He plans to purchase the turn signal light soon. The light works as intended when the car is on but remains lit when the car is off.

Asked about his future, Alvarez said he wants to attend college but isn’t sure about what he’ll major in. He’s considering becoming a plastic surgeon but hasn’t ruled out a career involving cars.