From rebuilding the engines of hot rods, to custom work, and race engines, Workman Engine Machine still does it all.
Workman Engine Machine has stood for 15 years. Mike Workman, a mechanic of 30 years who’s always liked engines, started it “just because of the love it.”
He recalls how his work initially was only weekends and nights after purchasing the small shop more than a decade ago now.
Over the years, the company has grown – although, still considered a small shop, more focused on detail and customer satisfaction, in the words of Workman.
After buying out another shop in Toronto in recent years, the Brighton shop now shelters “a vast amount of equipment” and expertise with the addition of new staff.
Over the past few years, a number of the automative machine shops have shuttered their doors.
There aren’t as many people doing this – and people do sometimes think of it as a fading business, explains Workman, noting with the newer vehicles how people may opt to replace a whole engine, how the electronics nowadays have an impact, et cetera. With electric vehicles, there’s not as much “machining” happening, either.
In that way, on the day-to-day in terms of repairs, there have been changes. But when it comes to hot rods and antique car collectors, that’s gone “crazy.” The number of people who want to restore an old vehicle from when they were young, or that dad had, those numbers are significantly up, says Workman.
It used to be the “Model A” car, but now it’s more the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and a different age group coming through, explains Workman.
To learn more about Workman Engine Machine, listen to the interview with Workman below.
(Written by: Sarah Hyatt)
