OUR TEAM.
Steve Day
It was 1969 when I started working on British cars. My girlfriend in high school had a TR3, so I had to learn the British slant on mechanics. I enlisted in The Marine Corps and continued my mechanical education as a motor transport mechanic and upon an honorable discharge, I went to work for a British Car dealer in South Carolina. It was there that I got to rotate through jobs in the parts room, and then out on the floor as a mechanic, where I received the BMC factory training, eventually becoming the service manager.
Years later, we moved back home to Wenatchee, and I went to work for NAPA, salesman during the day and British car mechanic at nights and on weekends. It was during those NAPA years that I rounded out my mechanic skills by attending dozens of specialized courses put on by the manufacturers of the auto repair parts. I then completed several business managements courses for automotive repair shops and had a 6-year volunteer position with Tony Robbins, helping to put on his 5-day personal development seminars, eventually becoming assistant crew director.
Both proved crucial in developing my skills to own and run a successful shop and make me both an effective public speaker and a competent one on one communicator.
It has now been 53 years, and I am still in love with my high school sweetheart Laurie, and we have 5 British Classics of our own, (4 for her and 1 for me), and we have built a 7000 square foot shop specifically designed for British classics. In 2008 we started BCR, a full time Classic British car restoration and maintenance business, where I get to immerse myself every day in my passion for making client`s dreams come true, through the repair and restoration of Healey`s, Triumph`s and MG`s.
Christohper Day
BIG NEWS AT THE RANCH!
We have a new addition to the team in the shop, our son Christopher.
Thanks to your overwhelming support and loyalty, I can`t accommodate all the folks that want to have us work on their LBC (Little British Car). The problem is finding the right person to join the team. He/she has to be as passionate about the cars, the owners, and the attention to detail as I am. He/she must have the desire to communicate effectively with the clients, and then also must have the mechanical ability to do the job right. Also, I have to be able to work all day with them, happily.
Winner, winner, tofu dinner! Christopher gets an A+ on each requirement! I know, I’m his dad, what else would I say, but he has been working with me for over 6 years now, every day, and I can still say it`s working even better than hoped for.
Christopher was in the Marines for 13 years, his specialty was aircraft maintenance/supply, he did 2 tours in the war zones. He settled in North Carolina and met and married a wonderful girl, worked for NAPA, enrolled in a 2-year course on automotive mechanics, aced that and moved to Wenatchee with Dana, he to join my team as an apprentice and Dana as our daughter. We couldn`t be happier or more proud!
NEW UPDATE FOR 2022!!!!!!
For the past 6 years we have been talking in very vague terms about how Christopher is the succession plan and that “one day” he would be taking over the business.
Well “one day” has finally arrived and we have decided that as of December 31, 2022 Christopher will become the official owner/operator of the British Car Ranch. Steve will continue on as General Manager until he is ready to fully “retire”… in about 15 to 20 years!! We are very excited for this next chapter in our story!
Laurie Day
MORE BIG NEWS AT THE RANCH!!
My wife Laurie retired from her career as company controller for a produce brokerage Jan 1, 2018. She took 8 months off to relax and clean up her-to-do-list, while still remaining the full charge bookkeeper for BCR, and keeping her 4 side job bookkeeping clients.
She has now joined our in shop team!!
She brings with her 52 years of passion for British cars starting in 1969 with a TR3.
She is the one responsible for getting me hooked on the British cars. She has also spent those 52 years listening carefully to me describe the challenges of the car-de-juer, and then how it was to be fixed. I call that a Masters degree in theory!!
She has always been deeply involved in all of the upholster work that got done, and totally in charge of anything to do with choosing color choices for the car work to be done, Now, in addition to all that before, she is also actively "turning wrenches" on the work in the shop. Wow, we are lucky and happy!!
Chasen Peart
Another Big Announcement for the British Car Ranch!!!!
With the demand for maintenance, refresh and restorations continuing to increase we had to go on a search to find a third British Car mechanic. But not just any mechanic, this person had to fit into our shop family chemistry, be self disciplined, a person of integrity, that wanted to learn British Car care and most importantly help us continue to earn and keep your trust.
Meet Chasen Peart, he checks every box with a solid checkmark!
Chasen is a 25 year mature young man. He has completed a 2 year college course in computer design, graduated top in his class in the local 2 year Auto Tech program and joined us full time in 2020. A Perfect fit!!
Under our mentorship he has become a fine British Car mechanic and is well on his way to his dream of being a restoration specialist.
Welcome Aboard Chasen!!
We have some very exciting news about the team here at British Car Ranch!
We have two new wonderful people to introduce you to as new members of our Family, Sulley Tomchick and Mike Riley.
First up is Sulley. Now, he is not really all that “new”, he first had contact with us in October of 2021 when we were doing a presentation to the College Auto Tech program in Wenatchee. He was a brand-new student just starting on his pathway to become a mechanic and sitting way in the back of the room. Besides delivering a talk on what shop owners expect from new workers, we were also there to do some recruiting of our own. The College has an apprentice program whereby the student gets to work in a local shop, gain first-hand experience and the shop benefits by having an extra set of hands to clean and help out.
Sulley was interested and we both agreed to try it out for the 200-hour apprenticeship. It was obvious to us after those 200 hours, that he would be a good fit in our shop and all he needed was some mentoring and he could eventually become our 3rd mechanic. It came about so smoothly and quietly, that suddenly, here we are 3 years later and he is indeed our 3rd mechanic and rolling along excellently, and a delight to have with us!
He is fearless, as long as he has a guide close by to ask questions about the nuances of British car repair, and has a careful, methodical approach, that is perfect for our business. He loves the small detail carburetor work, and Chasen is grooming him to be our second expert on general electrical diagnosis and tune up diagnosis with our oscilloscope. An important additional fact about Sulley, he is the perfect size to reach into the crowded under-dash area and work effectively!
Welcome aboard Sully!
Some may remember the name Mike Riley, 7 years ago, we restored a TR6 for Mike. It was during that time that Mike started making weekly visits to the shop. Every Friday, at about 10am, he would show up and check in on the progress on his TR. He was also getting to know us, our shop and how we did things. Immediately after completing the restoration on the TR, we helped him buy an Austin Healey as a project car that we would do a restoration on. And so, the Friday visits continued uninterrupted!
It just so happened that as the Healey reached the ¾ point in progress, that he decided to retire from his position at Schmitt Electric here in Wenatchee, and we needed to add an apprentice/cleaner to our shop family. We all knew and got along great with Mike, and he was intrigued with our shop environment, so we did the obvious, offered him the position!
Mike has always been interested in British Classics and is mechanically inclined, not to mention a licensed electrician! He has been working 2 days a week for us doing the basic shop cleaning and adding on maintenance projects for the shop, like wiring in lights for all of the parts stalls, converting all of the shop lights to LED`s and creating 2 new parts storerooms with shelves. Starting Jan 2nd 2024, he has joined us for 4 days a week and his duties will expand to include helping on the floor with mechanical duties. In other words, becoming an apprentice mechanic while also keeping the shop orderly and clean!
Welcome aboard Mike!
