Dale Adams has been involved in cars his entire life. For as far as he can remember he has always had a love and passion for finding out how things work and making them better. The defining moment for Dale was on his 10th birthday when his parents gave him an Oldsmobile V8 engine from a wrecking yard, to most 10 year olds that sounds like a terrible gift but to Dale it was a challenge. Dale stared that challenge in the face and stripped the engine down, built himself a stand and rebuilt the engine and got it running on a stand. When his father’s 49 Chevrolet was in need of a new engine Dale installed his Oldsmobile engine and his Dad used it as a daily driver to get to work and home for several years since Dale wasn’t old enough to drive. 

Dale started working in an automotive shop at the age of 14 learning the basics of how things operated. He enrolled in SAIT and graduated as a licensed automotive service technician at the age of 20. During his first seven or eight years in the auto repair business he worked at a couple of the better shops in Calgary performing everything from tune-ups, oil changes to engine, transmission rebuilding on vehicles ranging from cars to heavy duty trucks. He then went to a local Chrysler dealership where he started as a technician and quickly rose up the ranks to service manager and eventually as a salesman. 

Dale had the knack for selling, but that wasn’t where his true passion lied. In about 1975 he was approached by one of his former service customers while he was still in sales that had recently purchased a service station and was looking for someone to run the service bays. Dale was reluctant at first but the customer was determined and made an offer he couldn’t refuse. In 1977, Dale was given the opportunity to take over the business which was known as Willow Park Texaco. If that wasn’t enough excitement for Dale as he was running his service station he was also touring the Pacific Northwest racing his top alcohol dragster.

Dale stayed at the Willow Park Texaco until 1981 then he left the Texaco station and started another venture with the Macleod Trail Husky station. This ran until 1984 then Dale had enough dealing with the grind of operating the gas station part of the business, so he opened Dale Adams Dyno Tune and Brake on 46th Avenue. and Macleod Trail. 

It wasn’t long after the 46th Avenue location became too small and Dale needed to relocate the business to a bigger building to accommodate his growing client base. In 1990 the move happened and the shop opened up off of 1A Street and 42nd Avenue again close to Macleod trail in an old body shop. The fit was good for a few years but it didn’t fit the need of Dale’s vision for the business so after a short stint in 1995 the business moved to its current location. 

Dale has always been on the leading edge when it comes to his business. He was one of the first shops in western Canada to use a chassis dynamometer, which has adapted and changed with the business over the years and is still used today.

During his career running his small business as an independent automotive service centre and performance shop Dale had to follow his love for racing. From 1988-1998 he was involved in professional drag racing on the NHRA circuit. He worked on the pit-crews and eventually became a crew chief responsible for overseeing the entire operation. He worked with drivers like Terry Cap, Gordie Bonin, Gary Beck, Del Worsham, Rance McDaniel, Bob Vandergriff and was the first crew chief for multiple top fuel world champion Tony Schumacher as he started his racing career.

His vision is simple, Dale wants to continue his business legacy of providing quality service and performance and pass it on to the generations to come. Dale’s son started with the company at a young age and shares the same drive and passion as his dad and wants to see the company continue to grow. Dale is already prepping another generation as his current project is teaching his young grandson Jaxson to work with wrenches!

Derek has always had a passion for performance and vehicles. His earliest memory was working with his Dad at home in the garage sitting on the fender and helping hand over tools while Dale tinkered away. From there Derek remembers going with his Dad on Saturday mornings to the shop, sometimes it was cleaning the shop floor or stocking the pop machine but he was always helping out, it was the home away from home.

Derek worked on and off at the shop while growing up between playing hockey and going to school. Derek finished his schooling where he took the opposite approach to Dale by attending SAIT but focusing on business. He graduated the business diploma program with honours and was going to finish his degree, but started working at the shop and never looked back. Derek figured that his Dad provided all the technical knowledge and experience and he could help develop the business. Derek started out doing whatever needed doing whether it was cleaning, filing, parts pick up, accounting, or payroll until he settled on the front counter interacting with clients.

Derek has been on the front counter for several years now and has been taking on various other roles within the company. Derek’s vision for the company is maintain Dale’s legacy and be known as the premier shop for quality service and performance. Derek wants to see the business expand into a larger facility and offer more services and performance parts to their customers. Derek wants to grow the “Dale Adams” brand into something everyone can identify with. With the Shelby Mod Shop certification and various opportunities in the work Derek is extremely excited for what the future holds.

When did you start at Dale Adams Automotive?
Oct. 6, 2014

What is your dream-car?
1954 ford Crestline 2 door hard top  (my car)

When did you first start working on cars? 
Around 2004, when my professional skateboarding career was fading out

What is your favourite car to work on? 
Anything pre 1970’s really

What is your specialty? / Are you specialized in a particular way?
No specialty.  I like doing fabrication work , mechanical work and I don’t mind doing body work , I just like working on old cars really.

What is the craziest mod you've ever installed?
I put a 472 caddy motor with a GM manual 4 speed in my 1954 ford Crestline

How much horsepower is "too much"?
Never to much if you are comfortable with it.

Is there REALLY no replacement for displacement? 
Not that I have found

Who do you look up to in the industry? 
Big Daddy Roth

Why should customers trust their cars to you?
Because we love cars here

What makes working at Dale Adams great? 
Good people to work with , and good people to work for.  

When did you start at Dale Adams Automotive?
Nov.1 , 2001

What is your dream-car?
1969 Shelby GT 500

When did you first start working on cars?
Around 10 years old

What is your specialty? / Are you specialized in a particular way?
Specialize in electrical and diagnostics

What is the craziest mod you've ever installed?
LS2 Engine Swap in 1995 LT1 Firebird

What makes working at Dale Adams great?
It is a great family base and a well diversified staff to draw off of.

When did you start at Dale Adams Automotive?
Aug. 3, 1999

What is your role?
Automotive Service Technician - Fabricator - Custom Builder

When did you start at Dale Adams Automotive?
Aug. 6 2013

What is your dream-car?
1968 Hurst Hemi Dart

When did you first start working on cars?
When I was 8 years old.

What is your favourite car to work on?
Car’s that aren’t broken

What is your specialty? / Are you specialized in a particular way?
Specialized in engines and tuning

How much horsepower is "too much”?
As much as the person behind the wheel can handle

Is there REALLY no replacement for displacement?
No

When did you start at Dale Adams Automotive?
July 3, 2007

What is your dream-car?
1970 Plymouth Roadrunner

When did you first start working on cars?
When I was a young boy, Working on the farm, helping my dad

What is your specialty? / Are you specialized in a particular way?
Specialize in european cars. Also in the set up, modification, and alignment of all makes and models.

Who do you look up to in the industry?
Both my friend and colleague Darrin Primrose as well as my employer Dale Adams. Both were my mentors as a young apprentice. They have taught me almost everything I know about the automotive world.

Why should customers trust their cars to you?
We, as technicians at Dale Adams Automotive are well rounded, and have extensive knowledge about most makes and models. We are a mom and pop shop and operate as a family. The fact that we as technicians know our customers on a first name basis, and have a good, comfortable relationship with them. We do our best to accommodate everyone no matter make or model, or financial situation. We have a solution.

What makes working at Dale Adams great?
The diversity, The opportunity to learn something new everyday, the joys of having close relationships with your employer and coworkers.