My automotive career started

My automotive career started

Looks like the guys are going to let me talk about myself a bit, but it had to be on a different page than theirs!!

My automotive career started quite awhile ago, in about 1976; that's when I got my driver's license!  I knew that fixing cars and trucks was going to be my future even during high school, when I built my first "Hot Rod", a 1973 Vega hatchback.   I removed the original four-banger, and replaced it with a hot 283 smallblock Chevy, with a four-speed transmission and rear axle out of a Camaro.  It was fast, and, it was dangerous!  That poor old Vega never knew what hit it when I hit the gas...  I sold it shortly after it was done.

automotive

I worked for several different folks around town, the first being Bill Blakeslee at the corner of Broadway and Clay, where a used-car facility now stands.  That was my first "real" job, and it got my feet wet in the repair business.  I would go to school in the morning, then work at the gas station in the afternoon and into the evening.  Bill was a great teacher, and showed me many things that still affect the way I do things today.

During the following years, I worked for a few other places in town, and in 1980 I attended Highland Community College, graduating in 1982 with an Associate's Degree in Automotive Applied Sciences.  That same year, shortly after graduation, I took the ASE tests, then known by it's full name at the time, the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence.  I passed all 8 of the tests available, and became a Certified Master Auto Technician.  I have since re-certified 3 more times, and still hold the Master rating, which I am very proud to say.  ASE has become the standard of the industry, and truly represents the "best of the best".  You can learn more about ASE by following the link on my home page.

After College, I went to work for McNett Chevrolet-Buick in Stockton Illinois until December of 1982, when I was offered a job by Hersey Motors in Savanna Ill.  That was a good opportunity for me, and I enjoyed the time I worked for Joel.  Another opportunity arose at the end of 1983, when I was hired as a Service Writer at Bocker Chevrolet of Freeport Ill.  Time went by fast there as well, and by the end of 1984 I knew that something had to change.  Working for other shops just wasn't the ticket for me, and I felt that I could fill a need in my home town fixing cars, and being the boss as well.

So, in January of 1985, I found a building in Mt. Carroll that I could rent, and started renovating it into a service facility.  It is best known for being the former State Highway garage, and it was also home to several other automotive businesses since then.  Three of the four bays in the building would be mine, with the fourth saved for storage purposes by the landlord.

I officially opened for business on February 2nd, 1985.  It has been, without a doubt, the best thing I could have ever done!  The original plan was for me to be the only employee, and for awhile that was OK.  However, before long I was so far behind in my work, and there was no relief in sight!  I hired my first employee at that time, and not long after I hired Dave, who is still here today as you already knew.

With extra hands came a need for extra room, and I was given the fourth bay to supplement the three I had.  That helped, and it also led to my purchase of the building in 1986.  The need for space grew more, and a 28 x 40 foot addition was built to the North side of the shop in late 1987.  Now we have room to work on at least 7 cars at a time, and there are many days where we fill them all.  It is also the home to the newest facet of my business, a full-service radiator shop!  In December of 1996, I
was asked by the owner of Chadwick Radiator if I was interested in getting into the radiator business.
I really didn't know what to say, but the owner, Keith McFalls, said he had decided to retire and wanted me to pick up where he left off.  It was a real challenge, but he taught me how to do the job right, and it has been a great addition to the business.

So, that's the story up until today!  2001 will mark the beginning of my 17th year in business, and I still can't believe it at times.  It has been and will continue to be very rewarding, and I have to thank all my customers for their support and loyalty during those years.