About Frank & Wrench Nation
Starting out unknowingly as a pre teen with my uncle in Germany working beer deliveries, while slinging wrenches at night to keep the trucks running implanted the mechanical passion for everything vehicle for me. I had no idea what was to come other than I really enjoyed fixing stuff and really admired the characters who were a part of the process.
Growing up in the inner city ghetto of NYC in the 70’s & 80’s was a wild and zany time, as I gravitated to everything from the Graffiti culture, scalping tickets on street corners, to shoveling snow for a quick buck. It was an amazing time dedicated to the art of Jazz as a classically trained Trombonist attending Music & Art. Eventually this lead to multiple gigs performing with Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Branford Marsalis and many more greats at venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to small dives in the South Bronx. A time of discovery and invention had always kept me bonded to the people and places of so many different cultures.
The end of High School did not see my journey to college. I had no interest. I wanted to explore. I wanted to journey. The trombone was set temporarily aside and I enlisted in the Navy, giving me the opportunity to travel the world, while performing mine sweep operations in the Persian Gulf behind a machine gun, and literally swimming with sharks at times. The world, a vast place, of amazing culture and people and unbelievable experiences. I was truly grateful.
Leaving the Navy left me wandering in the wind with odd jobs from selling Kirby vacuums to Toshiba copy machines to old beat up cars at a used car lot. I met my beautiful wife at that time, who led me to her fathers Garage, of to which I ended up yanking out engines ,cleaning parts, and floors/toilets, chasing parts at junk yards in 120 degree heat , while essentially learning at a very rudimentary level the good ,bad and ugly of the automotive repair business as a mechanic. Just before getting married, and in fact the evening of my honey moon, I landed a formal job as a mechanic with Chevrolet Dealer and started the process of training and attaining certifications as a wrench. Years later the Dealership was sold, as I was told I would be transferred , but in all reality, after towing my tool box to my supposed transfer. I was laid off. A bitter rotten time that left me crushed and almost leaving the automotive industry completely.
$6000 to my name and the passion to courage on.
I started my first Garage in 1995 with my wife and just about nothing, although being naive while having a spritzer of blind spirit and passion for people oddly kept us going.
A drug and prostitute infested neighborhood from a 2 bay dingy garage we started our tumultuous journey with the courage to take care of cars & people. Through years of growth and at times what seemed to be an unfair amount of pain from 18 hour days of toiling through, we grew to a 5 bay Garage and ultimately sold the company for a nice profit, leading to a brand new start up a year later Desert Car Care,ultimately growing to 3 locations, of to which in 2013 two were sold for a profit. During the early years of Desert Car Care I dived in to the elements of structuring a progressive automotive business that gained a strong reputation within the community and industry, of to which acquired many awards and accolades from the great spirit of team. Working with local TV and Radio media as a regular from investigative journalist segments to educational automotive consumer segments has given me amazing opportunities to educate and empower that many more people. As the current Phoenix Chapter President of the Automotive Service Association, while running my business, I spend a great deal of my time honored to reach out and help as many automotive shop owners overcome the many obstacles that I had experienced, while providing me with an abundance of learning and growth.
WrenchNation seemed to be a part of me throughout my life’s journey from the get go. An idea that the people and places of the automotive industry could share their story and journey.The wonderful characters that make our industry special. (And in some occasions revealing the darker side of those that make it scandalous.) A corner hang out where we can share our stories and educate , while empowering those that participate. As we journey on, I invite you to join me and the many unique people and places of the automotive industry on WrenchNation.
Trust your Journey & Peddle your Passion.
