Last modified: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 1:52 AM EDT Dana Willis, left, and Rick Hunter of "NASCAR Angels"; check the repairs. (Staff photo by MARTIN GAVIN) Set for victory lap BY RICK FOSTER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF NORTON -- After 14 years and at least 160,000 miles of driving, Dana Willis' 1993 Buick was long past its glory days as a highway cruiser. But that was before a crew of mechanics and the nationally syndicated "NASCAR Angels" TV program performed a complete body and mechanical makeover in response to a plea by Willis' high school football coach. "It's pretty amazing," Willis said after the newly repainted and overhauled vehicle was unveiled Tuesday and filmed before a crowd of friends and ex-teammates at the high school field. "I can't wait to drive it," he said. Willis, 17, was nominated for the free auto reconditioning job by gridiron coach Rob McCoy, who said he was an inspirational figure on his team. Willis played on punt and kickoff return units despite having been born missing part of his left leg. "He's a great kid," McCoy said. "He really deserves it." After being filmed with his high school teammates and program co-host Shannon Wiseman, Willis watched as a white tarpaulin covering the maroon metallic Buick was lifted to reveal what appeared to be a shiny new vehicle. Many of the car's original components were replaced during a whirlwind overhaul at New England Tire in Seekonk, a Goodyear Gemini repair shop. The interior of the car got a mammoth upgrade with custom leather seats and replacement of the factory stereo system with a brand new unit. Willis said he particularly approved of the audio improvements. "The volume was kind of stuck in one spot, and the speakers weren't very good," he said. "When you're a kid, that stuff is important." "NASCAR Angels," which is televised on more than 200 channels throughout the United States, is hosted by Wiseman and television commentator and 1989 Winston Cup Champion Rusty Wallace. Wallace was unable to attend the unveiling Tuesday because of scheduling commitments, but did pop in at New England Tire briefly Monday to check on the work. The nationally syndicated program chooses deserving car owners who need help with difficult automotive problems, and overhauls their cars in a top-to-bottom reconditioning. The segment featuring Willis should air later this summer according to NASCAR Angels' Kimberly Hyde. Waiting to see what changes the NASCAR Angels crew had made was probably the toughest challenge this week for Willis and his family. "The anticipation has been something else," said Willis's father, George, who added that his family was particularly touched by Coach McCoy's decision to nominate Dana. Willis' Buick wasn't just an older car in need of a tuneup - it was a tired hulk in need of a major mechanical and body rebuild. "I'd guess that anywhere from $5,000 to $6,000 in new parts went into the car," said Stan Morin, general business manager of New England Tire, whose mechanics worked on the car. A four-man crew, supervised by NASCAR Angels auto maintenance expert Rick Hunter, replaced all the car's brake assemblies and struts, performed ignition and engine work, fixed the car's broken air conditioner and replaced all four wheels with spiffy NASCAR signature rims and matching Goodyear tires. They also performed a complete tuneup and flushed and replaced all fluids. Before the car ever rolled into the garage, it spent a week at Miskinis Buick in Bridgewater, where it received extensive body repairs and a complete paint job. The crew also replaced much of the interior and had Willis's seats reupholstered in leather. Morin, who works for a chain of five New England Tire locations, said when he heard that NASCAR was looking for a shop to host a rebuild, he jumped at the chance. "I think it took me all of two seconds to decide," he said. "Its's really the ultimate cause. This young man really deserves it." Aside from providing a hand-up to a deserving car owner, part of the show's mission is to impart useful information to viewers about auto repair. Hunter noted that many of the fluids in Willis's car had not been replaced for long periods - a notorious killer of autos. "In some cases it was almost too late," he said. But Hunter and his Angels crew came to the rescue in time. "There's a lot of life left in Dana's car," he said. "I'm not saying he'll be driving it many years from now, but he should do OK with it."