4 minute read
SATA Dan-Am Company
by Autobody News Staff
When Connie Manjavinos finds a tool or piece of equipment she truly believes in, she isn’t afraid to stick to her guns.
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In this case, the guns we’re referring to are the ones in her collection of 10 SATA spray guns. They have helped her to move up the ranks and enabled her to land her dream job at Kiddy’s Classics.
Manjavinos is 29, but she’s already used up her 15 minutes of fame several times over, as a mentor for other women in the industry and a world-class painter. She also worked with a team to inspire the creation of a paint suit designed for female painters, distributed by Dan-Am Company, the exclusive distributor for SATA in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
From the top of her head to the bottom of her feet, Manjavinos is 100% onboard when it comes to SATA. In addition to her large cache of SATA guns and the signature paint suit she wears, she also uses the SATA air vision™ 5000 full-face respirator, and even wears SATA socks too.
Manjavinos is the head painter at Kiddy’s Classics in Jensen Beach, FL, and the person behind "Girls Behind the Gun," an organization with a mission of connecting to other women in the automotive industry.
It all began when Manjavinos created an outlet on social media and named it Girls Behind the Gun.
“It’s a place of appreciation and recognition for all women in the automotive and refinishing trades,” she said. “I’m now connected with thousands of other female refinishers and technicians.”
The movement started six years ago and has already reached an impressive 55,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram.
Kiddy’s Classics is a nationally acclaimed vehicle restoration and fabrication shop that has created award-winning vehicles while building a reputation for being the go-to shop for people who want only the best. They specialize in doing full restorations on primarily pre-1980 classic cars, averaging from $20,000 to six figures.
Owner Shaun Kiddy and welder Madison Ervin at Kiddy’s Classics have nothing but great things to share about Manjavinos, focusing on her drive, an eye for detail and a true passion for getting better every day.
Ervin credits Manjavinos for helping her and encouraging her along the way.
“Connie is an inspiration for all of us in this industry because she knows what women in this industry are going through and she isn’t afraid to help,” Ervin said. “I am her No. 1 fan and her work speaks for itself.”
Kiddy is also a huge Manjavinos fan and happy to have a crew that includes two amazing women.
“Connie is one of a kind because she loves what she is doing and it shows every day,” he said. “She is an absolute force here and her attitude affects all of us in such a positive way. In this business, the hours can add up, especially when we are working on a tight deadline, but Connie hangs in there when we work all night or until three in the morning. In addition, having Madison here is huge because she is just as dedicated to her job as Connie is.”
Manjavinos hopes to have a long and healthy career and that’s why she also uses the SATA air vision™ 5000 full-face respirator to provide clean air supplied from outside the spray booth. She appreciates the 5000, because it isn’t heavy and fits her head correctly.
“I won the 5000 when I finished second in the SATA design contest and it changed my life,” she said. “Before I started using it, I would get really bad headaches that would prevent me from sleeping, and I had no appetite either. After using the 5000 for a few days, my headaches stopped! We don’t realize how much our bodies soak in through our skin, our eyes—it’s crazy.”
When Manjavinos talks about her SATA guns, she focuses on the main three things that she wants from a spray gun.
“First, it has to be a quality product,” she said. “I need them to work right and they need to be durable. I need to work efficiently and I don’t want them slowing me down. And last, but maybe most important, I need to be comfortable when I am spraying.”
Whether she’s working on a 1972 International Scout or a 1963 Studebaker Avanti, Manjavinos knows she’s got the perfect SATA gun to do the job.
“I use a different SATA gun for everything I do,” she said. “I use one to apply clear, another for basecoat, one for black and one for white, as well as a different one for solids or metallics. I love my Sailor Lady, and I keep adding more guns when I have the opportunity. I know some painters have 30 SATA guns, and I don’t think I’ll ever have that many, but I figure if I’m going to invest, why not put the money into my equipment?”
The all-star team at Kiddy’s Classics includes (from left) Liam Martin, Connie Manjavinos, Madison Ervin, Mike Zumbo, owner Shaun Kiddy, Alex Saffron and Sam Kalb.
Kiddy’s Classics
Location: Jensen Beach, FL
(772) 334-2041 www.kiddysclassics.com
Company At A Glance...
Type: Collision Repair Facility Employees: 10 In Business Since: 2012 Number of Locations: One
Production Space:
18,000 square feet
Connie is all-in with SATA and has an arsenal of 10 SATA guns (and even wears SATA socks.)
Kiddy’s Classics is a nationally acclaimed vehicle restoration and fabrication shop that creates award-winning vehicles year after year.
Dan-Am Company
One Sata Drive P.O. Box 46 Spring Valley, MN 55975 (800) 533-8016
