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My story
starts many moons ago, in a far off galaxy called Sharon
Mass. when I was 15 years old I bought my first car, a
1969 Dodge Charger with a little help from my dad . He
taught me how to overhaul the engine and rebuild the
suspension using hand tools in our backyard. In 1980, I
bought a 1937 Willy's pick up truck that was one tow
away from the junkyard, and realized that I had neither
the equipment or the knowledge to build it. But I did
not give up on it, I just bought all the books and
magazines I could find and learned as much as possible.
I learned that there was a lot to learn and most of what
I had already done was wrong, so I rebuilt many things
many times. I was working in the backyard, and sometimes
in the garage when my parents didn't mind parking
outside, and all work stopped when the weather went bad.
In 1982 I went to work with Chick Brignolo in Dedham,
and learned on the job, some times at my own expense,
about the hot rod business. Chick allowed me to work on
my Willy’s after hours , and progress was very slow, but
I was learning. After three years I learned that
it was time to quit, thinking that I would never get
involved in the madness of building cars for a living!
After a short while of mechanics job’s a friend of mine
named John Ondryko told me about a race car builder
looking for help in Brockton Mass. Smith Brothers Race
Cars was my next experience and I worked with Fred Smith
and Elvis Jenkins for five years and learned more about
race cars and bizarre behavior than I thought was
possible. Fred also allowed me to work on my Willy’s on
the weekends if there was room in the shop. Elvis urged
me to set up a hobby shop and do my own thing, so taking
his advice I rented a shop in Brockton, and started
working seven days a week. Things were not going well
between Fred and I and I went to work at The Power Shop
in Marlboro Mass. as their fabricator/ engineer in 1990.
Working with some great engine specialists, I learned
much about racing engine technology, and built my first
engine components, which I still enjoy doing today.
Unfortunately, I was also working with some great con
men who drove the Power Shop into the wall and I went on
my own full time in 1991. After some of my work was seen
at local race tracks and car shows, my business picked
up, and overtook me. I hired help and bought or built
machinery as fast as possible, and soon I outgrew my
1200 square foot shop and moved to a great old factory
building in East Bridgewater Mass. in 1996. I have been
extremely busy since then even though I do not do any
formal advertising, and for that I must thank my great
customers who are my best and only form of advertising.
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