I've always been a gearhead at heart, fascinated at an early age with planes, trains, and automobiles (coincidentally, the 1987 John Hughes film, with Steve Martin and John Candy, is a favorite, too). For my fourth grade assignment to write a "book," I chose "From Model Ts to dragsters," which traced the development of the automobile from horseless carriages to the latest technology at the time.
More time than I'd like to admit has elapsed since then, but to cover the additional technology now found in today's vehicles, my fourth grade book today would likely have to be three times as thick.
With ABRN, we continue to bring you the latest technical articles, product information, and training resources. In this month's issue, learn from Hunter Auto Body Manager Kyle Motzkus, who speaks at training events around the country on repair planning, about how to use resources to efficiently research OEM repair information. Jeremy Winters, who was a collision repair/restoration painter for more than 18 years before joining the staff of Accudraft Paint Booths, gives painters tips for succcesfully repairing complex finishes, including tri-coats and quad coats. Veteran Contributing Editor Tim Sramcik guides readers how to determine the ideal solution for subletting their ADAS-calibration needs.
In FenderBender this month, Tiffany Menefee relates how her ADAS strategy has evolved with her shop's experience to include more shop-owned equipment and remote assistance. EV Expert Dirk Fuchs fills us in on shop design considerations for EV repairs. And in my article on increasing booth efficiency, I call upon the expertise of Jeremy Winters and 3M's Jason Garfoot, who help shop owners and operators and painters get the most refinish hours out of their paint department using the latest equipment and techniques.
Whether it's vehicle technology, market consolidation, or billing challenges that keep you up at night, I hope you find assistance within the content of FenderBender and ABRN. And please drop me a line if there is a topic you'd like to see us cover.
