Auto Obsession has been selling at the Pomona Swap Meet for about 15 years. If you're restoring a classic American car or truck, you'll want to…{"id":5832,"date":"2014-10-06T11:26:34","date_gmt":"2014-10-06T18:26:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/?p=5832"},"modified":"2014-10-06T11:59:53","modified_gmt":"2014-10-06T18:59:53","slug":"do-you-have-an-auto-obsession-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/2014\/10\/06\/do-you-have-an-auto-obsession-too\/","title":{"rendered":"Do You Have An Auto Obsession Too?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Auto Obsession<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0has been selling at the Pomona Swap Meet for about 15 years. \u00a0If you’re restoring a classic American car or truck, you’ll want to visit them on<\/span> Road 27, Spaces 34, 36 and 38<\/a><\/strong>. \u00a0They specialize in restoration parts, and they offer just about every part that is being reproduced for American classics from the ’50 through the ’80s. \u00a0We recently caught up with Trevor Baker, President and CEO of Auto Obsession, Inc., to learn a little more about what makes the company tick.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

“When I was 15 and a half, I sold my coin collection and bought my first car: \u00a0a 1972 Toyota Corolla.”<\/em><\/h4>\n
When and how did you get started in this industry?<\/span><\/strong>
\nI initially started an auto accessories business while still in college. \u00a0I had this first business for about ten years and it really helped me figure out how to run a business… what to do, and what NOT to do!<\/span><\/p>\n
What’s the best part of your job?<\/span><\/strong>
\nDealing with others who share my love and my obsession for classic cars.<\/span><\/p>\n
Have you always been interested in classic cars?<\/span><\/strong>
\nWhen I was 15 and a half, I sold my coin collection and bought my first car: \u00a0a 1972 Toyota Corolla. \u00a0I rebuilt the engine three times and did all kinds of modifications. \u00a0I learned a lot from that car. \u00a0After buying, fixing up and selling several Toyotas, an old friend from high school sold me his 1968 Corvette 427 4-speed Roadster. \u00a0It was pretty rough and was the first car I restored. \u00a0I later bought a 1967 Firebird Convertible. \u00a0It was gold with gold interior, and it looked amazing. \u00a0I owned and restored a 1969 El Camino SS 396. \u00a0I had four other 1969 El Caminos, a 1959 El Camino, a 1969 Chevelle Wagon, and three different MGBs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Do you currently own a classic car?<\/span><\/strong>
\nI\u00a0currently have a 1969 Pontiac Bonneville Station Wagon.<\/span><\/p>\n
Tell us about it. \u00a0How long have you had it? \u00a0What repairs\/modifications have you done?<\/span><\/strong>
\nOne of my customers owned it and he was going to pull out the 428 motor to put it in another car. \u00a0I’ve always loved wagons so I convinced him not to destroy the car by pulling the engine. \u00a0I traded him some parts that he needed for another project for the Bonneville. \u00a0It was out in the desert near Willow Springs. \u00a0The last registration sticker on it was from 1982! \u00a0It’s been about an eight year project, delayed by a couple of disreputable “body men.” \u00a0I finally turned it over to Marcos at Moises Auto Body in Canoga Park and he did a great job on it. \u00a0The interior has just been completed. \u00a0The car has had lots of little issues that needed to be straightened out and it’s nearly complete.<\/span><\/p>\n
Before & After: \u00a0Trevor’s 1969 Pontiac Bonneville Station Wagon<\/strong> $\"Auto$ <\/span><\/h6>\n
If you won the lottery tonight, what’s the first classic car you would buy?<\/span><\/strong>
\nFirst, I’d buy a warehouse to house them all… then a 1960 Cadillac Coupe de Ville or Eldorado, a 1965 Riviera GS, a 1959 Impala and El Camino, a 1962 Thunderbird Sports Roadster, an Aston Martin DB5, a Series 2 Jaguar XKE, a Lamborghini Miura, and a Maserati Bora. \u00a0Oh, and a ’71 or ’72 Toyota Celica or Corolla. \u00a0I still love them, I can’t help it! \u00a0There are more. \u00a0Yeah, how can you just choose one?<\/span><\/p>\n
Wow, that’s a pretty comprehensive list! \u00a0Been thinking about that for a while, huh? \u00a0Well, let’s move on… do you have any favorite memories of the Pomona Swap Meet you could share with us?<\/span><\/strong>
\nI\u00a0think it was about twelve years ago. \u00a0My only employee at the time and I were both suffering from nasty colds and felt terrible, but we had a record setting sales day. \u00a0It was amazing. \u00a0Of course, trying to sell when it’s raining is always interesting too!<\/span><\/p>\n
Maybe\u00a0it was karma… the universe was paying you back, literally, for the nasty cold! \u00a0Alright, so now the big question. \u00a0Ford or Chevy?<\/span><\/strong>
\nSince my 1968 Corvette, I’ve always been more of a GM guy. \u00a0Chevys and Pontiacs. \u00a0But, I appreciate Fords, Mopars, and many other cars.<\/span><\/p>\n
How can customers contact you?<\/span><\/strong>
\nYou can visit our\u00a0website at<\/span>\u00a0AutoObsession.com<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0like us on<\/span> Facebook<\/a><\/strong>. \u00a0Our phone number is 805-306-0795, and\u00a0we’re located at:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
679 E. Easy Street, Unit A<\/span>
Simi Valley, CA 93065<\/span><\/p>\n
How long has Auto Obsession been in business? \u00a0Tell a little bit about the company’s history.<\/span><\/strong>
\nAuto Obsession officially started about fifteen years ago. \u00a0Before that, I was working out of my garage. \u00a0I was restoring cars as a hobby. \u00a0When I restored my 1967 Firebird Convertible, it was so rough that I bought a Firebird Coupe as a parts car. \u00a0After I got all of the parts that I needed from the coupe, I sold off the rest of the parts and the shell and more than recouped my investment! \u00a0I started buying wrecked or rusted cars and parting them out. \u00a0Eventually I moved into a building and transitioned to new restoration parts. \u00a0The proliferation of available restoration parts has really been amazing in the past fifteen years. \u00a0We phased out the used parts segment of the business a few years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n
So what exactly do you sell?<\/span><\/strong>
\nAuto Obsession sells restoration parts for classic American cars and trucks from the ’50s through the ’80s. \u00a0Body panels, moldings, weather stripping, emblems, interior parts, glass, suspension parts, disc brake conversions. \u00a0Generally, if someone makes it, we have it or can get it!<\/span><\/p>\n
What sets you apart from the competition? \u00a0What makes you so special?<\/span><\/strong>
\nWe really know the cars and the parts that we sell for them! \u00a0You don’t need to know the part number to place an order with us! \u00a0We have the experience, knowledge and expertise to advise you about what parts are available and, just as important, not<\/em> available for your car.<\/span><\/p>\n
“If there’s anything in particular that you need, you can call us about a week before the Swap Meet and we’ll bring it out for you.”<\/em><\/h4>\n
Where do you get all of the parts that you sell?<\/span><\/strong>
\nWe have a wide variety of suppliers. \u00a0We try to buy direct from the manufacturers so we can offer the best deal to our customers.<\/span><\/p>\n
What’s your most popular item? \u00a0What make\/model do you sell the most parts for?<\/span><\/strong>
\nNo one item really stands out. \u00a0We sell a lot\u00a0of different parts. \u00a0If I had to say one item, I think it would likely be side view mirrors. \u00a0We sell a LOT of those at the Swap Meet! \u00a0Our most popular applications are Chevelles, El Caminos, Camaros, Impalas, Novas, Mustangs, Monte Carlos, and pickups.<\/span><\/p>\n
Any new or different product offerings that we should know about?<\/span><\/strong>
\nWe have 1964-1965 Chevelle Hardtop headliner moldings and trim, mid-60s Impala steel fan shrouds, 1971-1974 Chevelle\/El Camino\/Nova\/Camaro SS steering wheels, 1968-1972 Chevelle\/GTO\/Skylark\/Cutlass convertible top frames, and 1965-1970 GM full-size (Impala, Bonneville, LeSabre, 88, etc.) four-door sill plates.<\/span><\/p>\n
Do you offer any special swap meet deals or discounts in Pomona?<\/span><\/strong>
\nYes! \u00a0Our swap meet deal is, if you pay cash, we pay your sales tax! \u00a0Of course, we’ll accept your credit or debit card at our booth too!<\/span><\/p>\n
Anything else customers should know about Auto Obsessions?<\/span><\/strong>
\nWe can’t stock nor bring everything to the Pomona Swap Meet. \u00a0But, if there’s anything in particular that you need, you can call us about a week before the Swap Meet and we’ll bring it out for you. \u00a0Even if it’s something big like a hood or a quarter panel! \u00a0Many of our regular customers will fax or e-mail a parts list and we’ll have their order set aside for them at our booth waiting for them when they arrive.<\/span><\/p>\n
For more information, visit<\/span> AutoObsession.com<\/strong><\/a>… then\u00a0get your wish list together and come down to<\/span> Road 27, Spaces 34, 36 and 38<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>at the Pomona Swap Meet!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t