The restoration of a 1971 Pontiac LeMans that had belong to the late Butler sports hero Eddie Hartman has more work needed, and a planned unveiling the finished car has been pushed back.

The “ribbon cutting” was expected to be on June 11, but after tests on the vehicle were run, organizers discovered that the vehicle’s engine and transmission needed to be rebuilt

“The engine and transmission both were in bad shape,” said Dave Fox. “It’s another hurdle, but it’s been a fun projec. People are really talking about it. I’m really looking forward to getting it (the car) out and around.”

Fox, a 1983 graduate of Butler High School who bought the car from Hartman for $500, said he has raised $4,300 for the project and needs about $7,000 more to complete the restoration.

The transmission will be rebuilt by Byron Dreher, another Butler High School alumnus who is an automotive instructor at the Butler County Vocational-Technical School. Dreher and his students have already contributed time installing a new fuel injection system in the vehicle, as well as replace or refurbishing other components like the exhaust system tires and brakes.

The vehicle’s engine will be rebuilt by Gary Cygan of Cygan Speed Engineering in Renfrew, and Denny Ashcraft of Ashcraft Speed in Chicora.

There is no timetable for when those repairs might be completed, and Fox said that it could be as long as another year before the car is ready to unveil.

The restoration is part of a project to honor the legacy of Hartman, a multi-sport athlete at Butler who went on to receive All-American honors for his performance on the football field at Geneva College.

Hartman was 22 years old when he was killed on the night of May 27, 1983, the night before he was to marry his high school sweetheart, Marybeth Diamond.

Hartman and five of his friends had left the wedding rehearsal dinner that evening and were on Route 28 in Etna when their vehicle was hit head-on by a drunken driver traveling in the wrong lane.