A finely tuned machine- Eastwood Employees makes us tick
We want to share the great Eastwood staff with you, our customers! We’ve asked them to fill out the first five questions, and then pick 5 random questions from a “Wildcard” section of questions. We allowed them to answer these however they’d like. You’d be surprised at what some of us have to say!
1. Name and Title at Eastwood?
Nick Capinski – Sr. Content & Engagement Marketing Manager
2. What the heck do you do all day?
The team I work with creates and updates Eastwood’s content (video, tech articles, blogs, Facebook, forums, etc). I also am involved with our online and catalog marketing and overseeing our tech department.
3. Did you come from an automotive background before Eastwood? What did you do before Eastwood?
Growing up, I had a go kart and a mini-bike, so by fixing them, I picked up a knack for using tools. From there, I started on my first VW when I was 13. My 1974 Super Beetle was actually my older brother’s car in high school and college, but the engine blew and the car sat outside. After sitting for a few years accumulating rust, my parents wanted my brother to get rid of the Bug. My brother and the neighborhood kids all had Bugs, so since I can remember, I’ve always wanted a Bug. I was able to convince my parents and brother to let me fix the Bug, rather than send it to the scrap yard. From reading books, magazines and trial/error, my dad and I were able to get this car on the road by the time I was 16. I actually got my first real job in high school, as a result of my Bug. I stopped at a small used car lot/garage that had a Bug sitting in the weeds and the shop owner ended up offering me a job after he checked out my Bug. I did oil changes, brake jobs, and mount/balance tires at this shop, as well as general tune ups.
4. When not talking cars, tools, and restorations all day, what are a few of your hobbies?
Outside cars, I enjoy bowling in league, spending time with my family and going to the shore.
5. What’s your favorite Eastwood product? Why?
My favorite Eastwood product is the powder coat system. When I came to Eastwood (I started out by doing my Penn State internship at Eastwood), I worked with the HotCoat Powder Coating Division. After Mark R. showed me the basics and benefits of powder coating, I was hooked. I’ve powder coated everything from hood hinges, carburetors, VW engine tins, to the gas tank for my ’62 Bug.
6. What’s your favorite thing about working for Eastwood?
Being able to share my automotive passion with others. It is very cool to be able to work with a bunch of gearheads, get to see the cool cars that visit our retail store, and to talk to our customers and learn how they’ve transformed their rides using Eastwood products.
7. Where do you find yourself navigating on the web regularly (other than Eastwood.com) ?
My daily hit list of sites are: Craigslist, eBay, Facebook YouTube and TheSamba.com
8. What’s an interesting factoid about you that we wouldn’t know at first glance?
Although I don’t have a mullet, my speakers are generally cranking 80’s hair metal.
9. Other than bills, what do you find yourself spending your money on?
Tools, car parts, new project cars, and my family.
10. Do you have any projects going right now? What are you building, restoring, or a job you are tackling next?
I always have a project going on. We recently wrapped up the majority of the body-off resto of my dad’s ’69 Corvette. I have my ’66 VW Bus that I am currently working on, plus my back-dated ’75 VW Bug. I also have my extra rusty ’78 Super Beetle Convertible and my long-running project ’62 sliding ragtop Bug. My goals for the year are to get the ’75 Bug on the road this summer and hopefully get the Bus in paint.
