The city of West Covina, California, was voted in 2008 and 2009 one of the best places to live in Los Angeles County and, with business owners like Joe Hernandez there, it’s not hard to see why. Hernandez grew up in the area and runs Solo 1 Kustoms, a vintage car restoration shop.

Recently, Hernandez was driving along Cypress avenue, when he was flagged down by members of the Northview High School’s baseball team. They were having a car show and invited Hernandez and the tangerine 1966 Mustang he was driving to participate. The show was a fundraiser for the school.

For more on this story and photos, check out the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

The team’s Coach, Darren Murphy, told Hernandez during the show that they were trying to raise money for an all-weather playing surface for the school’s baseball field.

According to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Hernandez said “I thought to myself, donate the the car. This is a good cause, just do it.” The value of the fully restored car is estimated between $40,000 and $50,000.

Coach Murphy was shocked by the offer and told Hernandez to take some time to think about it. “He was a good man who probably got caught up in the moment,” Murphy explained. “That’s why we didn’t want to announce it right away. I wanted him to think about it and make sure this was something he wanted to do because once he said yes, there was no going back.”

Hernandez remained resolute and now the Mustang raffle is happening. Tickets are available at the school for $20 each, and a hotline is set up at 626-723-6246. The raffle will be help on January 8th, 2011, at Solo 1 Kustoms, 701 E Arrow Hwy, Azusa, CA.

“Whatever it makes for the school, whatever it does for the community I’m for it. I’m doing it from the bottom of my heart,” Hernandez told the SGVT. “I’m not at the top of the world, I’m going through the same struggles that a lot of Americans are going through. But when it feels right, most of the time it is right.”

Now that’s Grand Slam thinking!