The staff of Riley’s Rebuilds: from left, Dagny, Katie, Riley, Amelia, and Elaine. Debbie Swann
Posted on 08/27/2022 9:13:31 AM PDT by DFG
Agated neighborhood in an upscale Tampa suburb is a strange place to send your carburetors for rebuilding. The shop sits in the three-car garage of a lovely home, alongside a similarly lovely turquoise 1957 Chevrolet Nomad wagon. There is a long table with some chairs, and a workbench is parked next to a couple of soda blasters. All is lit by florescent bulbs overhead.
This the modest domain of Riley’s Rebuilds, a carburetor rebuilding service headed by Riley Schlick.
Riley is a 17-year-old girl: A surfing, skating, soccer-playing, Jeep-driving high school senior. Four of her high school friends, all girls, have learned to rebuild carburetors too, rounding out the staff of Riley’s Rebuilds. Ship them your worn-out carburetor, and they’ll ship it back soda-blasted, ultrasonic-cleaned and rebuilt to original specifications.
On what planet is this happening?
Here on Earth, actually, where a girl with a screwdriver, a drill, and some wrenches can earn “really good money,” Riley says. Her father, Dane, is an amateur mechanic. That’s his Nomad, which he’s had for about 15 years, and he also has a much-modified Dodge Little Red Wagon pickup that he drag races. He’s the one who taught Riley how to rebuild carbs, and she taught her friends, and now they all have part-time jobs “that pay us well,” Riley says. “For teenagers, anyway. So much better than minimum wage.”
(Excerpt) Read more at hagerty.com ...
The staff of Riley’s Rebuilds: from left, Dagny, Katie, Riley, Amelia, and Elaine. Debbie Swann
Great story.
L
As it should be. Florida at it’s best.
Most kids their age, in fact many of their parents, would ask, “What’s a carburetor?”
Good on these kids!
I keep telling you all that THIS will be the standard ‘Business Model’ for anyone wanting to still make or do or provide a service for others, once the Socialists are done destroying America.
We Proletariat WILL be the Butcher, Baker and Candlestick makers for the Bourgeois.
Plan accordingly, FRiends.
Cool story!
Awesome. As a hobby to business guy I always try to support young entrepreneurs. I am posting this to all of my car clubs & sites.
Thanks for posting this.
This is what America’s about.
OPPORTUNITY! WORK HARD AND YOU SUCCEED!
Now on to a bad note: How long before the government closes them down?
And those are jobs that are not easily out sourced to low skilled low wage workers in third world countries.
Happy to read this local success story! Youth entrepreneurs should be encouraged like this and while carbs may be losing out to EFI setups, the knowledge and skills these women are learning will last them a lifetime! And just think of the 1st date any one of them may have when SHE talks about that nice Holley Carb she rebuilt!
When I was their age (it was the NEOlithic, not Paleolithic), many schools had Junior Achievement organizations to encourage just such efforts with hands-on training and mentoring on running a business. Can’t help but wonder how many such programs still run in our WOKE academia.
Rebuilding a carb is something so easy that if you had to do it. You’re going to do it yourself.
It’s neat, but the article and publicity are designed for people who are impressed with stuff they don’t understand.
Until the HOA and/or the zoning board and/or state revenue depts. get involved. Don’t forget all those new, armed IRS agents looking to make sure EVERYONE pays their “fair share”.
I wish these young ladies well, but just can’t can’t see this type of entrepreneurship being permitted to thrive without TPTB sticking their noses in....especially after this publicity.
About five or six years ago I was a faculty member that was involved in a JA competition in Castine, ME. About 10 high schools from the area participated.
Awesome.
You can’t keep talent down. Many years ago I had a high school dropout working in my parts dept, (Honda dealership in Boston), who later started a machine shop in his mother’s garage. Town zoning soon forced him to lease an industrial space, but by the time he was 40 he was a millionaire and could retire.
I’d reckon she’s on the same path to success.
A carburetor is a device used to ensure that a engine will not start in really cold weather.
What a wonderful story. This young entrepreneur would make any parents proud!
Awesome story...may have to send one of my Rochester Quad 4M4C there!!there
Cool!
There’s installing a kit, and then there’s soda blasting, re-jetting, replacing the throttle shafts and bushings, installing a power valve protection systems etc.
Some of these things require tools not available in your average garage.
Besides, who wouldn’t want to tell their associates they helped out some clever motivated students and ended up with a perfectly operating carburetor?
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