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Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
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Painter/Car Restorer Miguel Perez Produces a Podcast and Creates a Brand Many painters are content when took auto tech classes and worked they’re able to get their work done on one particular vehicle for several on time while keeping the quality years, he said. Gary Wickert “My brother’s 1989 BMW high, but that’swith just the beginning for Miguel Perez, head painter and blew up, so I took it to school and manager at Extreme Paint Shop, a we worked on it there. We thought division of Extreme Performance in that we were doing an awesome job, but when I look at that project now, I South Florida. While running a paint crew have to laugh. It shows how far I’ve and working on some of the world’s come and how much I’ve improved my skills and processes over the yemost unique andwith expensive vehicles, Stacey Phillips Perez has created a large following ars.” of painters, metal shapers/fabrica- After graduating from high tors and other collision repair and school, Perez took a year off to regautomotive restoration professionals roup and figure out his next move. worldwide with podcasts, merchan- Then he enrolled at WyoTech, madising and videos. joring in collision refinishing with Stacey His brand iswith Refinisher PornPhillips (@ a minor in metal fabrication. It was refinisherporn on Instagram) and his a good experience where he learned merchandising company is Refinish more, but he also realized school is only a platform and not just a ticket to employment. “Some people graduate from WyoTech and think with Stacey Phillips they’re going to enter the industry as a tech or a painter,” Perez said. “But the reality is that they’re going to start at an entry level and it might take five to 10 years to get to where with Stacey Phillips you think you want to be. I tell people that school gives you the basics and builds a foundation, but it’s only the beginning.” Miguel Perez, head painter and manager at Extreme Paint Refinisher Porn is a brand Shop in South Florida during the day, hosts a podcast at night with Stacey Phillips that can relate to any refinish technician in the Kulture (@refinishkulture), and cur- world, not only those in North Amerently more than 100,000 followers rica. It’s also not limited to painting have joined the network. automobiles either, Perez said. Perez, 34, began his career in “It can be cars, trucks, boats, paint/restorationwith as a teenager, wheplanes―anything that moves and Victoria Antonelli re he was exposed to working on can be custom painted is on our list. cars and boats. We’re a strong and very connected “My dad retired from the Coast group because we share the same Guard and he started a boat restora- goals and dreams. I use Refinisher tion business called Marine Perfec- Porn to showcase work that has tion,” he said. “I was working the- been done by some of the finest rewith Victoria Antonelli re after school and I learned a lot. finishers on the planet. They value Restoring boats helped me with my the feedback and we often discuss abilities, but working on cars was things like processes, paint, tools where I wanted to be.” and equipment to do a better job While attending Martin Coun- and create an amazing product every ty High School in Stuart, FL, Perez time.”
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Perez is a busy man, as the head of the paint department at Extreme Performance, a huge operation in Palm City, FL, that employs more than 30 people in several buildings equaling in excess of 66,000 square feet. Extreme Performance is known as one of the top custom shops in the U.S., and if you’ve ever attended a SEMA show, you’ve seen more than a few of their game changing creations.
or color matching at the party. We just hang out and get to know each other away from the show, and meeting new members in person is always great!” Perez is like the Bo Jackson of custom paint and body work because he can easily cross over from paint to metal and back, if needed. “I have always been attracted to fabricating and doing metal work, and that’s why I’ve always pursued it and worked to get better. Some painters are happy in the booth, but I have always wanted to play a larger role. I always tell people, especially if they’re new to the industry, be open to new things and don’t be afraid to develop new skills, because that way you will be more appreciated and more sought after.” Perez gives his followers a simple message―never stop When he’s not in a paint booth or doing metal work, Perez learning and don’t be afraid shares ideas, photos and short videos with a huge network to make mistakes along the he created six years ago on @RefinisherPorn way. Perez was on teams that play- “I got better because I had good ed roles in restoring vehicles for teachers and a lot of my mistakes Michael Jordan, Vanilla Ice and led to valuable lessons. New techniactor/comic/podcaster Joe Rogan, ques, better processes, little tricks― who inspired Perez to eventually always be working to improve and produce a series of podcasts himself. you’ll benefit in many ways down But despite all of the work this the road.” busy shop generates, Perez still finds Perez is delighted with what time to manage his popular Instag- he’s done on Instagram with @Reram account while creating mega- finisherPorn. cool T-shirts, hoodies and other pro- “My initial goal was to turn @ ducts emblazoned with his Refinish RefinisherPorn into a network wheKulture logo, available at www.refi- re people would come together, showcase each other’s work, and get nisherporn.bigcartel.com. To interact with his Instagram better as a result,” he said. “I never followers, many of whom are con- imagined that this would turn into sidered top-tier painters and metal what it is today and I’m excited abfabricators, Perez throws an epic out where it’s headed.” bash at SEMA. It didn’t happen last Wherever it’s headed, you year, obviously, and no one really know Perez will be there to help knows what the show will look like other refinishers, metal fabricators, this year, but people are still talking car rebuilders and collision repairers about the party he threw in 2019. from Los Angeles to NYC and ever “We do it at a different restau- ywhere in between. rant every year, and more and more people show up each time,” he said. AUTOBODY “We don’t talk about paint enzymes
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