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Ellie’s Garage

YOUNGER GENERATION THAT WRENCH

ELLIE's GARAGE

Virginia, USA

On a mission to restore a 1965 ford falcon before I get my license. I am learning everything as i go and documenting my journey along the way.

Ellie

How old are you?

I am 15 years old.

What made you want to fix up a car?

After my brother got his license and started looking for his first car, I began to think about what type of car I wanted once I was old enough to drive. My dad suggested that, since I had always liked looking at classic cars, maybe we could restore one together. I also wanted to learn how a car worked, so restoring one from scratch seemed like a good way to learn.

How do you feel being a female in a male dominated profession?

I knew what I was getting myself into by starting to work on a car. Ever since I can remember, though, I didn’t like the fact that there were gender stereotypes, and I did my best to break every barrier that was set in front of me. I remember questioning why girls had to prefer pink over blue, when I really liked blue, too. Being a girl fixing up a car actually makes me feel pretty powerful.

What is your favorite part about fixing Carl up?

( You used his name! ) I love being able to know what is going on with my car. I didn’t know anything about cars before I started this project, but now I can listen to Carl’s engine and both appreciate the sound and recognize when there are problems.

I also like the fact that this project pushes me to my breaking point and then rewards me greatly when I am able to overcome whatever issue I am having with my car. Fixing the toeboard was the worst process and I did not want to do it, but once I got through the frustrations of meticulously bending the metal and welding it in place, I was able to see what I had accomplished and keep going know that I had done a good job that would hold up.

If you had to pick a favorite tool, what tool would it be?

My favorite tool is any kind of wrench. I find them fascinating – ratcheting, open-faced, socket wrenches, specialty wrenches – they’re all amazing! Recently, I was so grateful to have a WaveDrive Pro combination wrenches to be able to remove a rounded-off bolt. Wrenches are fantastic!

What is the best advice you have received during your ongoing project? What advice would you give another female looking in to breaking out in the automotive industry?

The best advice I have received is, “Keep going.” My dad tells me that whenever we hit a rough patch and he motivates me to not give up. He is able to see the big picture and what Carl is going to be someday, and it is the most helpful thing that he could say to me in the hardest moments.

How did your friends react to you rebuilding a car?

My friends thought it was cool, but they don’t have any particular interest in cars. They support me in everything that I do, though. It’s funny to have them commenting on Instagram or my YouTube channel, when we had completely different conversations earlier in the day. And though I know that they are being supportive, I will never be comfortable when we show up somewhere together and they are wearing my merch.

How do you balance school, social life, and Carl?

My parents are really good with helping me balance everything. Because I homeschool, my schedule is a little bit flexible, so if I don’t have schoolwork to do on a Monday morning, I can get in the garage. I keep up with my friends through extracurricular activities like theater. And my dad and I try to use any other free time to work on the latest project that we are doing on Carl.

Do you have any advice for first timer repairing cars?

Since I am a first timer, I’m not sure if my advice is any good. But, from what I’ve learned so far, I would tell them to keep going, even when it gets tough. When it comes to cars, some things will just be hard, but all of these projects are doable. Keep going!

Check out Ellie's YouTube Channel

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