WADSWORTH, Ohio — One Tuesday per month, for seven months, the founder of Wingman Garage in Wadsworth encourages automotive lovers from northeast Ohio to get together for a Community Car Build.
“We have guys behind me that are from all different walks of life,” said Aaron Woloszyn, founder of Wingman Garage. “Young, old fathers, sons. Last event, we had a mother and daughter were here and just everybody’s coming together for the love of their automotives.”
Wingman Garage is a place where anybody may rent time in a professional bay to work on their own cars. Woloszyn opened the space last year and focused on building a community around a shared passion.
“There’s an underlying passion we all have for cars, whether it’s cars, trucks, motorcycles, anything really with wheels and an engine, it just brings people together because you can customize these things to really make them your own and part of your own personality,” Woloszyn said. “And that’s what people love about working on cars.”
From generic maintenance, to upgrading brakes and wheels, the intake and exhaust, audio system and even giving a 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse a new exterior, everything on a car can look and feel brand new.
“We’ve touched almost everything we can on the car, aside from the major stuff,” Woloszyn said. “So it’s going to be fun for someone to drive and enjoy. And I think they’re really going to like it.”
The project is self-funded by Woloszyn and free for the entire community.
“I’m the observer right now,” said Aidan O’Donnell, a participant and co-sponsor of the car who has offered to detail the entire car through his business AMO Automotive. “I haven’t really done too much. I helped with the suspension last week. But yeah, you don’t have to participate. You can come just to hang out. It’s a great way to meet some friends and a great way to learn some new things.”
And they’re not fixing up the car just for fun. At the end of the summer, the car will be raffled off for $5 a ticket.
“You do not have to participate in the events to actually win the car, you can just get online, go on the website, wingmangarage.com and you can buy your tickets for you, for your family, for friends.” Woloszyn said. “Anybody can win the car.”
Woloszyn calls it an automotive lover’s dream. Through building a car, he’s aiming to build a stronger community.
There are four more events to go and it’s not too late to get involved in the build. The next event is May 17. The car will be raffled off at the end of August.
For more information on the Wingman Garage Community Car Build, click here.