How Rebel Road Hot Rod Garage Thrives in Auto Restoration with Joalda Lopez | S2 E2 Artwork

Gearheads n' Gasoline

The Gearheads n’ Gasoline Podcast will be bringing you engaging, lighthearted yet informative conversations with market-leading Shop Owners, Shop Employees, and Automotive Enthusiasts from the Aftermarket, Restoration, Performance, and Racing Industries.

Our hosts are Barry Alt with Motorhead Digital and Annette Bauer with Annette Bauer Creative.

We’ll be exploring the journey of our guests, uncovering their achievements, challenges, and even failures, that were the driving forces behind their success!

Whether you’re joining us as a shop owner, an aspiring shop owner, racer, professional, creative or hardcore enthusiast - this podcast will be your pit stop for insightful discussions with influential figures from the automotive industry.

Our goal is to entertain and educate listeners with real-life stories, lessons learned, and practical advice you can use.

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How Rebel Road Hot Rod Garage Thrives in Auto Restoration with Joalda Lopez | S2 E2

March 07, 2025 • Barry Alt & Annette Bauer with Joalda Lopez • Season 2 • Episode 2

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➡️ Sponsored by Red Line Synthetic Oil

In this episode, Barry Alt and Annette Bauer sit down with Joalda Lopez, the powerhouse behind Rebel Road Hot Rod Garage, the only female-owned classic automotive restoration shop in her state.

Joalda shares her incredible journey of launching her business during the challenges of the pandemic and how she’s built a thriving restoration shop alongside her fiancé. She opens up about her SEMA show experiences, the power of networking in the automotive industry, and the grit it takes to succeed as a female entrepreneur in a traditionally male-dominated field.

This conversation dives into:
🚗 Building and restoring classic cars – the approach, quality control, and customer vetting that set Rebel Road apart.
📣 The role of marketing and word-of-mouth – how Joalda has grown a national clientele.
🛠 Training the next generation – why hands-on education and setting professional standards for interns are crucial.
👥 Teamwork, humility, and leadership – the values that drive her business forward.
⚠️ Customer expectations & safety – what car owners should know before bringing in a restoration project.
💡 The future of Rebel Road – goals, challenges, and the evolving role of women in the industry.

And, to wrap things up, a fun speed round where Joalda shares personal insights and industry wisdom!

If you love classic cars, entrepreneurial stories, and real talk about what it takes to run a successful restoration shop, this is an episode you don’t want to miss! 🚘🔥

Guest Bio:
Joalda is the proud owner and founder of Rebel Road Hot Rod Garage, the only female-owned classic automotive restoration shop in her state. Alongside her fiancé, she built the business through resilience and determination, navigating the challenges of a global pandemic.

Her journey into entrepreneurship began long before opening the shop—becoming a mother at just 16 gave her the grit and perseverance needed to thrive in business ownership. With a deep passion for restoring classic cars, Joalda is dedicated to keeping automotive history alive, one restoration at a time. She embraces the daily challenges of the industry and takes pride in the work her team does to bring more classic cars back to the road.

Guest

Hosts:
Barry Alt, Motorhead Digital