Paul I. – Product Specialist for more than 2 years

Share an experience you had with one special customer:  I can’t say there is one customer that is more satisfying than another. When it’s all said and done they are all like kids in a candy shop.

Why is restoring old cars important:  Restoration of cars is import to preserve automobile history. I don’t believe we can truly move forward unless we can see where we have come from. Restoration of vehicles is much more than a hobby, it’s a way of life.

What is your dream car: Dream car 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Split window, duh !

 Jake T. is the  latest Product Specialist to join the team. He has been working with Steele Rubber Products since May 2013.

Share one customer interaction:  I helped a guy who was doing his 1^st restoration and like a lot of folks, he said he needed everything.  I wanted to qualify the meaning behind “everything” and he assured me he wanted everything he would need to do the job and he trusted me to sell him all of the parts he would need to do it properly.  He left it to my discretion as to quantity of certain parts, sizes of others, and all of the other details.  He then inquired as to where he might find other types of parts (bright-work, hard-parts, etc.)  I offered some choices for other vendors, and then I sent him a quote via email for the parts we offered.  I did not hear back for quite a while and then he called and gave the go-ahead for the order, (which was substantial) and upon completion of the order, he thanked me for steering him in the direction of the other vendors, and appreciated me going beyond what is normally expected to help him with this project.

 Why is the restoration hobby important to you: In my opinion, the auto restoration hobby is not merely shining up and showing off old cars.  While that is part of it, I believe this hobby is fundamentally about the preservation of memory.  Automotive Restoration helps not only to create a sort of shared nostalgia among its participants; be they spectators, builders, young, old, whatever the case; this hobby helps people to connect in a meaningful way to their past, their present and more importantly each other.

For many of the enthusiasts in this hobby, they may be hoping to recapture their “glory days” through their restorations; To build a time machine of sorts that may transport them to the bygone era when a day’s work for a day’s pay was still a national ethos and you could fill-up your car and cruise all night with just a handful of coins.

While those times are long past, the bright chrome and candy-color memories that idle in the minds of those who spent their youth in white t-shirts or poodle skirts live on.  The patina cast by unreliable (and very often, selective) memory can twist the truths about the decades and years past represented in these automobiles and while the future seems vague and uncertain, these machines make the past grow just a little brighter with every passing year.

What is your dream car?   That question is very loaded so I will answer it with three cars:  If  money is no object, A 1961 Ferrari 250 GT; If money is still kind of an object and I saved for a long time, a 1972  Bill Stroppe Baja Bronco; and finally, something within reason for me in the not-so-distant future, a Toyota FJ-55 “Iron-Pig” Landcruiser.

  Trent P.  - Technical Support Specialist with Steele Rubber Products for the past 10 years.

Best customer support story: I had a customer in Australia with a 1947 Plymouth.  Australian Built 1947 Plymouth with a style code of PS15, not the usual P15 the American built 47 Plymouth had.  After a bit of research and sniffing around, I figured out the 1947 Australian Built Plymouth is a combination of Plymouth & Desoto.  Thus, the “P” for Plymouth and the “S” for Desoto in the PS15.  Are you bored yet ?

Why are classic cars and trucks important to you:  I don’t think they are important, I think they are fun.  If they were important, I probably wouldn’t have anything to do with them.

What is your dream car? Classic Car : Aston Martin DB-5,  Truck : 1946 Dodge Power Wagon,  Hot Rod:  Anything you want to park in my driveway.

Joanna S. -Customer Service Manager. Worked for Steele off and on as a kid during summer breaks to trim parts, putting clips in door weatherstrip, shipping packages, and more.

Share one memorable customer story: I remember helping a customer who had recently purchased a 1975 Pinto.  His timing was perfect because we had just recently started making parts for his vehicle.  He was so excited because previously he couldn’t  find the parts anywhere.  I walked him through the parts he needed for his car and put it together in a package for him.  He was so happy that he wrote a review online!  I told him that we’d love to see a picture of his completed project.

Why is the restoration hobby important to you: There’s so many reasons that the restoration hobby is important.  First of all, I’m a huge history buff.  I really love the idea of bringing these incredible cars from the past back to life.  Cars are also a huge part of American culture.  When you think of the 1950’s, you can’t help but think of a Tri-Five Chevy.  It’s just a given.  I also love the creativity people put into their cars.  Some of the street rod designs are out of this world and yet still give a nod to their classic origin.  It’s a fun hobby that people feel a lot of passion for and I’m glad we help them complete their restoration.

What’s your dream car: I like a lot of cars but a 1970 Olds 442 2dr Hardtop would be a great Christmas present, just saying.