Home of "Sandfather"
ERIC HECKMAN
Eric Heckman has had a natural yearning for tinkering with all things mechanical and electrical since he was old enough to grasp a screwdriver in his hand and stick it into a wall outlet. Even though his parents had protective covers over the electrical outlets, Eric would remove the covers and shove things into the outlets. Since he was about 10 years old he would stop by his father’s shop after school and always seemed interested in whatever Keith and the crew was working on at the time. So after awhile the shop technicians would try to have things for Eric to help with when he came by. Since he naturally had smaller hands than most mechanics, this usually included having him reach some hidden bolt or screw behind a small area like a dashboard or door panel.
At age 12 Eric and his father began completely rebuilding a 1964 Ford Ranchero from the ground up and this became Eric’s first car when he turned 16 and started driving. Eric and his Ranchero were highlighted as the feature car in the Blade Citizen monthly Car Care Edition in April 1993.
Eric excelled in automotive shop classes at Torrey Pines High School and started helping his friends modify their cars. He started working part-time at Keith’s Automotive Electric after school. Eventually he quit and took on a different job that didn’t involve getting his hands dirty or cut up. But he still used the shop facilities to work on special projects now and then, like making his friends’ cars go faster.
After completing high school and a couple years of college, Eric decided that working on cars was his real passion. He then came to work at the shop full time and continues his education with on-the-job training as well as attending the latest automotive training available. He has earned his own reputation as an outstanding mechanic and diagnostician. Eric holds several national automotive certifications, including general repair, automotive electrical systems, truck electrical systems, engine controls, brakes, cooling systems, and more.
Eric is now married with 2 wonderful children, which keeps him pretty busy. In his spare time Eric enjoys many activities including golf, softball, and bowling. In the winter months he heads for the local desert for some off-road fun. In the summer months he switches to water sports such as boating, jet-skiing, and SCUBA diving. Eric, like his father, enjoys just about anything with a motor, so naturally you will often see boats, motorcycles and dune buggies being serviced at the shop.
Battery
Climate Control
Instruments
Transmission
Brakes
Lighting
Trailers
