Big-time boxes: Romero Olzabal

April 1, 2011
Stylin' in blue

Romero Olazabal is the lead tech and owner of Taylormade Automotive in South San Francisco. Taylormade first opened in 1996, and today the family-owned business has five ASE-certified techs (two are Masters). They offer full service for domestic and import cars and light trucks. Romero described everyone there as “people who really love our jobs.”

In 2003, the year before he bought the business, Romero bought a brand-new blue Matco tool box. It was just the beginning. Today the 16.5' storage system consists of the two bottom boxes (6231RX and 6331R), a hutch (6331HU) and a top box (6231TC), two side lockers (6031SL) and two horizontal lockers (6410HL and 6219HL). Not shown is a matching mobile workstation. Romero says his distributor, Frank Occhipinti, “made it easy for me” to build the system over several years, and Frank says it would cost about $44,000 to build it all at once today.

In addition to the color, Romero says he likes the size (of course) and the way the boxes are laid out, which makes it easy to keep things organized. That includes two of Romero’s favorite tools, a new set of ratcheting wrenches and his Matco Determinator scan tool.

Evidently the job of organizing isn’t finished yet, because Romero plans to add two more lockers. At 21', that would make the whole system two inches longer than a 1972 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. Now that’s style.

About the Author

Jacques Gordon

Jacques Gordon is the former editor-in-chief of PTEN and Professional Distributor magazines. His background includes 10 years as an automotive technician and 10 years in Tier 1 suppliers’ engineering labs testing gaskets, fuel injection systems and emission control systems.

He continues to stay abreast of the latest technical developments through editorial research and technician training seminars. He holds an ASE Master Technician with L1 Certification and a Master Hybrid Technician certification from ACDC.

Jacques has been writing for aftermarket magazines since 1998, and he has earned a reputation as one of the best technical writers in the business. He is a winner of two American Society of Business Press Editor awards and several company editorial awards.

He is currently the video script writer for the CARS Training Network in Ontario, Canada.

Connect with him on LinkedIn.

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