We had the good fortune of connecting with Josh Oyler and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Josh, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
For me, starting my own business was about control of the end result. I wanted to decide what type of vehicles to work on, what type of work and quality level I wanted to be known for. I love steering the ship, the knowledge that my employees, shop and my fate is in my hands. Good or bad.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Building Hot Rods you need to be a jack of may trades. You need to understand mechanics of course, a little about engineering and my favorite part is the art of Hot Rodding. We build cars from the ground up very often. We take 50, 60 even now 100 year old cars and make them new, different and wild. Getting to take raw, old metal and see an end result is something of a skill. Figuring out ways to hide structures or making something fit is it’s own art form. We love blending old school cars with new tech while still being respectful of the history of the car. New style brakes, steering and suspension can make a huge difference on how fun a car can be to drive. Getting to custom make parts by hand and on our machinery is what set us apart. Many parts installed at the speed shop are one off, never to be made again parts. Color combinations, use of brushed metal or polished can make something good, to great.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a Colorado native of over 40 years I have seen a small town turn into a huge major city. Some of my favorite places are the little mountain towns. Some right outside the city, some a little further away. Golden is a great place to walk around and home to one of the biggest cruises in the state. Every first Saturday of the summer months you will find some wicked rides at the Super Cruise. Colorado makes perfect sense for Hot Rodding, curving roads, mountain air and a great tradition of outlaws & troublemakers living life the way they choose. Take a trip up to see many of our old mining towns, on the way to Steamboat spring or beautiful Glenwood canyon. Plus you can never beat some of our great Drive-in burger spots. Jim’s Burger Haven is an awesome place to show off your car and grab some food.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I was a troublemaker, making a lot of decisions that would have bad ends. I had many people choose to help me instead of give up on me. From older Hot Rodder neighbors that showed me how cool cars could be. To my parents that let me build an old Chevelle and ‘55 Chevy in their only garage spots. It continued with my now wife, willing to work on cars and cruise on date night. Now I am lucky enough to even have my 16 year old son help at the shop. If I had a hundred years I couldn’t shout-out to all the people that have helped me.
Website: Www.oylerspeedshop.com
Instagram: @oylers_speed_shop
Twitter: @OylerHotRods
Facebook: Oyler’s Speed Shop
Image Credits
All photos taken in the shop are done by Oyler’s Speed Shop staff