Stainback travels to desert for all-female build

Oct. 3—Editor's Note: The Dispatch first featured Christy Stainback in January as she became immersed in metal art, a venture stemming from her passion for welding and all things automotive. Stainback's journey, coupled with the personalities she has encountered along the way, is a good example of how a hobby can become a calling, taking on a life of its own.

PHOENIX — Christy Stainback recently had one of those "stars — they're just like us" experiences except Christy's interaction with MotorTrend TV personality Sarah "Bogi" Lateiner didn't involve a chance encounter or brief meeting.

She spent a week at Bogi's Phoenix garage in August working with the automotive industry advocate and others on a Volvo build, part of Bogi's Girl Gang Garage initiative that empowers women to explore skilled trades.

"It was almost like a dream," Stainback said. " 'Is this really happening or am I making all this up in my mind?' It was pretty much like having a week to hang out with Michael Jordan ... And you're just sitting there like, 'Michael Jordan just brought me a Starbucks.' "

An Orange County native, Christy's deep dive into welding started only in recent years as she worked with husband Troy Stainback out of his Carey Chapel Road shop restoring a 1981 Jeep.

From there, Christy's passion for metal art took off — she welds all kinds of artwork out of metal, from Christmas decorations to lawn ornaments and other personalized pieces.

As welding became more than a casual hobby, Christy created the brand Stainback Steel Works, for which her sister-in-law Ali Walker created a logo depicting a ponytail flowing from underneath the back of a welder's mask.

Christy aimed to send a sticker with that logo to Bogi, who Christy has watched on MotorTrend TV's "All Girls Garage" series for the last decade or so.

Christy ended up with more than an address — she got an invitation to help Bogi meld a 1961 Volvo PV544 with a 2019 Volvo, to be unveiled at a Las Vegas car show later this fall.

"It's basically just women from all over the world that come out and volunteer to help her build this car," Christy said.

Christy has been one of dozens of women asked to help. Some are experts and others hobbyists or even newcomers.

"These builds are all female, not to EXCLUDE men," Girl Gang Garage writes on its web site, "but instead create a space that INCLUDES women. Our all-female builds often start as vehicles seemingly destined for the scrapyard who find new life."

Women represent only 9.6% of automotive repair and maintenance employees in the U.S., according to Girl Gang Garage, while accounting for 68% of new care sales.

Christy's biggest takeaway was feeling inspired by Bogi's work ethic and relentlessly positive attitude.

The trip wasn't exactly a vacation for Christy, who stayed with an old friend nearby while visiting the desert. She went to get her hands dirty.

"So we did the formal introductions and we literally walked in the shop and went to work," Christy said. "And we're talking like 14 hour days of up and down off the ground, underneath the car and just cutting, grinding, welding, building dashboards on the car. Just things you never thought you'd be able to do or see."

Bogi worked even longer hours, said Christy, amazed by her endurance,

Lateiner attended the prestigious Oberlin College in Ohio, earning a double major in women's studies and pre-law with a minor in politics before reversing course and choosing to become a mechanic over entering law school.

After obtaining a master's technician degree, she worked as a BMW mechanic before opening her own shop several years later.

"She's doing some amazing stuff with this car," Christy said of the Volvo build. "I'm just getting goosebumps even telling you about it. It's just so freakin' cool. It's the coolest thing I've ever done in my life. And I thought I had done some cool stuff. Until now."

"You see a person for all of these years," Christy added, "and then you just kind of have them in your head a certain way, and they're just as normal as anyone else and down to earth. Just real people."

Beforehand, Christy had worried if she had the right skillset to be able to help on the build, but that never became an issue and she left knowing she had really contributed to the project.

Maybe more important, she took notes on Bogi's confidence, determination and resilience.

"It opened up some doors even in my mind that I would have never known were possible, that I would have never even thought about," Christy said. "Like, 'You can do what? You can do that?' And she's like, 'You can do anything. You can do anything you want to do.' "