About Us - Shadow Vex Chronicle Auto Repair

How It All Started

Look, I'm not gonna feed you some polished corporate story about how we "disrupted the industry" or whatever. Truth is, this whole thing started in my dad's cramped garage back in 2008.

I was barely 19, rebuilding a beat-up '72 Camaro that most folks would've sent straight to the scrapyard. Spent nights with nothing but a shop light, some rusty tools, and way too much coffee. That car became my obsession - every bolt, every line, every adjustment had to be perfect.

Word got around the neighborhood. Suddenly I had buddies bringing their rides over, then friends of friends. Before I knew it, I was knee-deep in engine swaps and custom builds while still working my day job at a parts warehouse.

The Journey

2008 - The Garage Days

Started with that Camaro and a dream. No business plan, no fancy equipment - just raw passion and determination to bring classics back to life.

2012 - Going Legit

Finally took the leap and opened our first real shop on East Hastings. Small space, but it was ours. Started specializing in performance tuning after a few track day regulars trusted us with their builds.

2016 - Growing the Crew

Brought on Marcus and Sofia - two gearheads who actually knew their stuff. Expanded into custom exhaust work and electrical diagnostics because modern cars aren't getting any simpler.

2019 - Championship Win

One of our builds took first at the Pacific Northwest Classic Car Show. That '68 Mustang fastback we restored from the frame up - still gives me chills thinking about it.

2025 - Still Grinding

Moved into our current location with proper bay space and equipment. We've done everything from resto-mods to full race builds, but we still get excited about every single project that rolls through our doors.

What We're Actually About

Forget the usual shop talk about "customer satisfaction" and "quality service." Yeah, that stuff matters, but here's what really drives us:

Every car that comes through our doors has a story. Maybe it's your grandpa's old pickup that's been sitting in a barn for 20 years. Maybe it's a daily driver that you want to wake up. Whatever it is, we treat it like it's the most important build we've ever touched.

We're not here to upsell you parts you don't need or rush through jobs. We're here because we genuinely love this stuff - the smell of race fuel, the sound of a perfectly tuned exhaust, the look on someone's face when they turn the key on a restored classic for the first time.

Where legends are reborn and power is unleashed isn't just our tagline - it's what happens in our shop every single day.

Meet the Crew

Founder

Jake Thornton

Performance Tuning & Restoration

The guy who started it all. Lives and breathes classic muscle and can diagnose engine problems just by listening. Still gets his hands dirty on every major build that comes through.

Engine Builds Carb Tuning Classics

Lead Tech

Sofia Ramirez

Electrical & Diagnostics Specialist

If it's got wires, Sofia's your person. Trained in modern diagnostics but loves the challenge of rewiring vintage rides. Saved more than a few "impossible" electrical gremlins.

ECU Tuning Wiring Diagnostics

Master Tech

Marcus Chen

Suspension & Custom Fabrication

Former race team mechanic who knows handling inside and out. If you want your ride to corner like it's on rails or need custom fab work, Marcus is the one who makes it happen.

Suspension Fabrication Exhaust

Tech

Tyler Brooks

General Service & Maintenance

The youngest on our crew but don't let that fool you. Tyler's got the hunger and he's learning fast. Handles most of our maintenance work and assists on the bigger builds.

Maintenance Oil Changes Brakes

Shop Manager

Rachel Kim

Operations & Customer Care

Keeps the chaos organized and makes sure everything runs smooth. Rachel's the one who'll keep you updated on your build and make sure we hit our deadlines. Car enthusiast herself with a sweet modded WRX.

Scheduling Parts Customer Service

Apprentice

DeShawn Williams

Apprentice Technician

Fresh out of trade school and eager to learn. DeShawn's soaking up knowledge like a sponge and showing real promise. We all see a lot of potential in this kid.

Learning Assisting Growing

Why We Do This

It's pretty simple, really. We do this because there's nothing else we'd rather be doing.

Could we make more money doing something else? Probably. Would it be easier? For sure. But when you see a car that someone's been dreaming about for years finally come to life, or when you nail that perfect tune and the engine sings... man, that's what it's all about.

We're not just fixing cars here. We're preserving history, building relationships, and yeah - unleashing some serious power along the way.

Let's Talk About Your Build