Posted on 08/27/2022 11:57:37 AM PDT by Hojczyk
A gated 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 oil 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.
Riley has a year of high school left, and she foresees no end to Riley’s Rebuilds, even if she goes away to college. She’s already talked to one college soccer coach who has pledged to help find room in the engineering department to let her do rebuilds there if she comes to his school. “This has been a great experience,” she says. “I’ve learned so much, and not just about carburetors.”
427 A/C
2.20:1, 1.66:1, 1.31:1, 1.00:1 with 3.54 rear end.
I am running a 3.73 with 3.66/2.43/1.69/1.31/1.0/0.65 with 20” low profile tires.
Amazing….
Here in NC, there is a SCCA hill climb event each year around the 4th of July. It’s on the Cherohala Skyway (Blue Ridge Mountains) out of Robinsville, NC. About a 20 mile closed course time trial, excellent 2 lane asphalt. Elevation ranges from about 2500-5000 feet. Steep grades. Turns are broad sweeps to hairpins.
Supercars from the southeast flock there. Last year, a 64 or 65 GT-350 was trailered in and ran. Long live the 289!
Let me know if you’d like some info, I can probably track down details. Good place to let that beast stretch its legs some.
Rob
“Last year, a 64 or 65 GT-350 “
65 or 66
“Let me know if you’d like some info, I can probably track down details. Good place to let that beast stretch its legs some.”
SCCA. Roll cage required.
Vid below is a BMW. No roll cage apparent.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3hPk0KVPfOo
Nice. No info on being sanctioned?
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