Go back to your school days with me for a moment — do you recall a time when you were told to write a letter to a company for class? Personally, I remember writing a letter to the President when I was in third grade. I kept the letter I received in return for at least a year, convinced that the signature was just for me.
Amber, however, wasn't motivated by a school assignment, but by an '89 Chevy Blazer.
Amber at her local Advance store | Advance Auto Parts
"Being a high school student and busy fulfilling my requirements needed for college like volunteer hours and homework has not allowed me much free time to earn extra money to start my own tool collection. While I try to always earn everything I receive, I am writing to you to humbly request a little assistance… I can promise that even the smallest gesture of support would be very exciting, not only for me, but for my mom who has done everything she can to make sure I can build this truck into something awesome."
Bet she wasn't expecting a $1,000 Advance Auto Parts gift card, huh? But what can we say — her story is nothing short of inspiring.
Amber attributes her love of wrenching to her family, specifically her uncle and her mother. "I became interested in wrenching when my mom bought me my first car and planned a complete rebuild on it for my 15th birthday," Amber wrote. "It's a 1989 Chevy Blazer and came with a blown up 262ci."
With her uncle and mother's help, Amber has successfully taken everything off the frame, powder-coated and lowered it, and has completed a full engine rebuild — even though some repairs took a few tries.
"I can't begin to say how thankful I am for those who are teaching me and providing me with tools needed to get into wrenching... my uncle has been kind enough to let me use all his tools from the start, but I think it's time to try and create my own collection of tools and show him how much I want to do this."
Her uncle was the one who insisted she write the letter, even though Amber doesn't like asking for things for free. "I do as much as I can do to be helpful at the shop to repay them for letting me learn from them. Everything from sweeping the floors and organizing the nuts and bolts wall to the repairs I'm confident in making on my own."
Amber's uncle and mother | Advance Auto Parts
It's been a long journey, but she's had help the entire way. "I can't begin to even figure out how to stop bragging about her — I'm just so proud," Amber's mother told us.
“I have had my hand on every step of the build and have learned so much," Amber said. “Even when this truck gets on the road, I plan to keep wrenching and building."
Watch this video of Amber and her mom at their local Advance store to hear more about their story:
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About the Author(s)
Emma Ransom is a content creator for Advance by day and a fiction writer by night. She grew up going to car and boat shows, but never knew much about how to take care of her own beloved Hyundai Elantra GT besides filling up the gas and adding air to her tires. As she discovers more about maintaining her own vehicle, she is excited to help other beginners learn the ropes.
