Update: Riley Schlick, Now in College, Hasn’t Kicked Her Carburetor Habit
When we last left Riley Schlick—back in August of 2022, to be precise—the 17-year-old was basking in the florescent-lit garage of her family’s home in a Tampa suburb, rebuilding carburetors. Lots of carburetors. So many that she enlisted her four best friends to work on them for her booming business, Riley’s Rebuilds.
Plenty has happened since then, including her graduation from high school and college enrollment in Connecticut. Those life changes have effectively put an end to her daily habit of surfing before classes, along with another notable lifestyle change: “I have never driven in snow before.” She had to leave her beloved Jurassic Park-themed Jeep YJ at home for now, so she’s making do with her grandmother’s minivan.
Pretty soon, Riley will have something more interesting to drive: A 1966 Ford Fairlane, in which she and her dad are preparing to install a 500-horspower, 390-cubic-inch V-8 with, of course, an Edelbrock carburetor. By now, Riley says she knows that carb “like the back of my hand.” While home for Thanksgiving, she spent as much time as she could wrenching on the engine. Hopefully it will be ready for a dyno run during Christmas break.
Riley’s carburetor-rebuilding business is still flourishing, for the moment handled mostly by her brother and a friend of his, though Riley still rebuilds the occasional carb in her dorm room. Her quartet of carb-building buddies back home—Dagny, Katie, Amelia, and Elaine—also left for college, necessitating the changes, but Riley says she hopes to have access to a shop in Connecticut soon.
She’s already paid visits to nearby Moroso, the performance parts business based in Connecticut, and to TV personality (Chasing Classic Cars) and Hagerty columnist Wayne Carini, whose F40 Motorsports shop is close to campus.
Right now, Riley’s concentration is on coursework—“Finals are coming up soon”—and soccer. She’s a goalkeeper for Connecticut College.
Even amid her recent break from daily carburetor business, Riley’s profile in the automotive aftermarket has grown considerably in the 15 months since Hagerty profiled her. Perhaps the most notable achievement her scholarship award, presented by the Jessi Combs Foundation; Combs was the 39-year-old racer, mechanic, and TV personality (Overhaulin’) who died in 2019 when the jet car she was driving at over 500 mph crashed in Oregon. “Riley Schlick has been a force to be reckoned with juggling college, her small business, and teaching others that you can do it, too,” said the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network, which presented the award.
Combs “has been an idol of mine for so long,” Riley says. “I was so honored to win.”
She’s been all around the country, this week showing up in Indianapolis for the three-day Performance Racing Industry show, and before that, she was in Las Vegas for the Specialty Equipment Market Association gathering, better known as the SEMA Show, where she was asked to put on a seminar on rebuilding carburetors. SEMA also hosted her first autograph signing.
She’s also appeared on the TV shows All Girls Garage and Gearz, went drifting with Tanner Foust, and was heard on Sirius/XM’s Road Dog Trucking channel. She’s been profiled in Popular Science and Scholastic Science World magazines, and she’ll be appearing on an upcoming episode of the Caffeine and Octane TV series.
Riley says she’ll never abandon carburetors, but she does want to take full advantage of the experience of being a college freshman. The vast majority of her fellow students have no idea what she does in her spare time: “I’ve been living a very Hannah Montana life,” she says, referring to the Disney sitcom that had Miley Cyrus playing a pop star by night, average teen by day.
“But I’m loving it.”
You can keep up with Riley on her Facebook page.
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Completely fake.
This is a piece of work,
Shows what you know. Been following this young lady since she first became a story and she’s out there living the car life. We need more like her to keep the hobby alive.
wonder what she’s studying at college. Most all colleges are meant to teach people how to be good employees. For the most part, unless you are going doctor/lawyer type of route, college is an expensive waste imo. She already has a booming business apparently, but now having to put it on hold will be interesting to see what the next chapter holds for her.
Regardless, I’m sure she’ll excel at whatever she chooses to do next.
Rod,
I have a 1957 Chevrolet I bought in 1966 so you have me beat in longevity.
Wonderful story, it’s always great to hear about young people getting involved in the car hobby industry. It seems like mostly older folks wrenching on hot rods and classics…stay with it Riley, you’ll do well!
I first saw Riley on All Girls Garage and was very surprised to see she lives close to me. Since all of my vehicles are injected I have no need for her skills but realize she is certainly special. I wish her the best of luck in all of her endeavors.
Riley is in a tough place. On one hand, she has a growing business that would likely set her for life. Tremendous runway for the next 50+ years. On the other hand she likely wants to expand horizons with something else after college. But doing so is easier said than done and she already has built a more successful business than most can dream of. Hopefully she can build upon the core carb business while meeting other goals.
A good problem to have I suppose.
We’ve been following her since she first became an item and watched her turn a carb building business with school friends into what some may call celebrity. She’s doing everything right, working hard, and earning her place, and the boys and I look forward to meeting her one day. Hopefully we’ll see that Galaxie, her and her dad at Cruisin’ the Coast this year. Would love to chat for a bit about car stuff.
Fantastic work ethic, Riley!! I have also have two daughters who are “gearheads”. Keep focused young lady!!
Enjoy life!!
Good for Riley. It’s always nice to read about the future.
But the past is still with us. I’d love an article on someone like Davey Lang. Davey is probably the best carb man to ever walk the earth. He’s a pioneer that is still with us. We need to hear about these people too before it’s to late.
That’s awesome
God continue to bless her initiative and timing! Outstanding young lady creating her own celebrity.