Women Owned Small Business Month
October is women owned small business month, and what better way to celebrate than to highlight some of our local area businesses owned and operated by our family, friends, and neighbors! From hair salons to photographers, custom sewing to clothing boutiques, there is a fabulous women-owned business ready and willing to help you. Columbia Auto Repair and Sales will be highlighting some of the local businesses in The Dalles and surrounding areas, both here on this page, as well as on our social media accounts at Facebook and Instagram. Women entrepreneurship is a rapidly growing industry across the nation, featuring women from all walks of life. From Business.com, in…
Trailer Maintenance
Trailer Maintenance You’ve learned about what to look for when buying a new trailer, how to hitch up a trailer to your vehicle, how to load and safely tow your trailer, and now we’re going to talk about that year-round topic….trailer maintenance. Just like you maintain your vehicles and your home, you must also maintain your trailer. From the hitch receiver at the nose of the trailer to the trailer brake lights at the rear, your trailer has many parts and pieces that need to be taken care of. The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers has put out this handy dandy checklist of routine monthly, yearly, and pre-trip maintenance that…
Loading and Towing Safely
Loading and Towing Safely Fantastic! You’ve learned about what to know when buying a new trailer, how to hitch up your trailer, and now we’re on to how to load and safely tow your trailer. The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers has a great video and some helpful tips on how to load and tow safely. Trailer Safety Week runs this year from June 4th thru 10th, so please be sure to check here and on our Facebook page for more information.
Buying a New Trailer
Buying a New Trailer There is more to buying a new trailer than just finding a dealership, determining what kind of trailer you need, and the how much you want to pay. Knowing how trailers are built, knowing what each function or purpose of each piece is, how to properly maintain a trailer, and how to safely tow a trailer are some of the more key factors you need to keep in mind. The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers puts out some good information, and they have put out this video on, “What to Look For When Buying a New Trailer.” Watch for more on our website and on our…
How to Hitch a Trailer
How to Hitch a Trailer Knowing how to hitch a trailer is a key component of owning and using a trailer. Your safety, and the safety of those on the road with you, depends on your skills and competency when you hitch up a trailer to your tow vehicle. By hitching a trailer to your truck or SUV, you are saying to the world that you are knowledgeable and safe when taking your vehicle out on the road. If you aren’t sure how to hitch a trailer or tow a trailer, then you need to get some education BEFORE you ever purchase your first trailer. The National Association of Trailer…
National Trailer Safety Week 2023
National Trailer Safety Week 2023 The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) is rapidly gearing up for its fifth annual National Trailer Safety Week 2023 (TSW) to be held June 4-10. This traffic safety effort aims to close the gap of communication between trailer manufacturers, dealers, and end-users of trailers to make towing safer and raise awareness of safe towing practices. Safe trailering practices save lives, and with millions of trailers—used by businesses, local governments, and individuals—traversing the nation’s roadways every day, it is crucial to ensure that trailers are being towed safely for the sake of everyone on the roads. You are invited to join Columbia Auto Repair…
Cherry Festival Weekend
It’s Cherry Festival Weekend, and we’ve got so much going on, it’s hard to keep it all straight! From a new mechanic to moving forward on projects, there’s always something going on. 1976 AMC Gremlin We’ve got PAINT! This car has been an ongoing WIP and we’ve finally passed the paint hurdle. Now we can move on to getting the engine and transmission re-installed, get the interior dash and wiring done, putting in the upholstery, and adding the final exterior finishing details to make this car shine. 1970 VW Karmann Ghia This blue beauty is nearly done. We had to do some touchup work on the paint, but…
Spring is in the Air
Spring is in the air, and we are almost at the end of February 2023, which means we’re nearly a 1/4 of the way through the year already! Between supply chain issues and roller coaster weather, we’re ready for Spring to make her arrival with warmer temps and longer days. Warmer temps means getting your hot rod ready to get out of the garage and out on the open road. As for here at the shop, we’re making headway on several projects at once. 1976 AMC Gremlin We’re still having to do some repairs to the passenger side door, but the upholsterer finished the seat and door panel upholstery…
1985 VW Westfalia Van Restoration
We have a 1985 VW Westfalia Van restoration in the shop. It was brought to us needing some love and attention for the body and paint. When we started getting into some of the prep work, we noticed that there was some rust going under the rhino texture coating that runs along the bottom kick panels that go around the van’s perimeter. The front hood area looks to be in good condition, so for now that is staying intact. The owner also wanted to see about replacing the pop-up cabin roof, so that is on our list of project to-dos.
1972 Plymouth Scamp Restoration
This 1972 Plymouth Scamp restoration project was finished in 2022. When it was brought to us, it needed some bodywork done, a new vinyl top cover, and a completely new paint job. Phase Two of this project will begin this year with an engine swap to a 360 from the 6 cylinder that is in it now.
