MacArthur High School’s Auto Tech Team Showcases Custom Build at Hot Wheels Legends Car Show

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The MacArthur High School automotive team, known as Mac Tech, made its debut at the Hot Wheels Legends Tour car show with a one-of-a-kind custom build.

Bryan Benitez, auto mechanic technology teacher at MacArthur, challenged his students to create something that had never been done before. Inspired by his cousin’s suggestion, Benitez proposed converting a sedan into a four-door hatchback — a vehicle that doesn’t exist in production.

“My cousin’s suggestion to build a four-door hatchback was a game-changer,” Benitez said. “When I searched online, all I could find were photoshops — there were no actual builds to reference.”

To make it happen, Benitez sourced a 2000 Honda Civic sedan and the shell of a 2000 Civic hatchback. The Civic hatchback was produced at that time, but only as a two-door model. Creating a four-door hatchback required his students to rethink and rebuild from the ground up.

At the start of the 2023 school year, students eagerly signed on. They disassembled the vehicles, rebuilt the body, and even converted the automatic transmission to a manual. For performance, they completed a K24 engine swap, replacing the stock 1.6-liter with a larger 2.4-liter engine capable of 400–500 horsepower.

“I did work at my dad’s shop doing paint and body. I knew I could help make this car come to life,” said Eric Saldana, a 12th-grade student.

For the finish, the crew selected a bright green pearl, a nostalgic nod to Benitez’s own high school car.

After nearly two years of work, the team rolled out its creation.

Hot Wheels Legends Tour

The Hot Wheels Legends Tour is a global traveling car show where builders and visionaries display their custom projects. Judges evaluate vehicles on authenticity, creativity, and “garage spirit.” While only one car from each stop advances in the competition to potentially be turned into a Hot Wheels diecast toy, dozens of unique builds are highlighted and displayed at each event.

On Aug. 2, the tour stopped in Houston, drawing crowds to see standout builds from across the area. Benitez said the car was invited to be showcased because of its uniqueness as a true “one-of-one” build — a vehicle that doesn’t exist anywhere else, according to Benitez.

“I was nervous because this was my first time competing with a car in a show,” Eric said. “Even though we didn’t win a prize, I was still happy to see people’s reactions to the four-door hatchback.”

For Benitez and his students, the project was about more than competition.

“The Mac Tech team proved they could take an idea that seemed impossible and make it a reality,” Benitez said. “It’s only up from here. There’s more to scratch off the list, but maybe one day we can win a trophy.”