From Passion to Profession: My Journey as a Car Detailer

Without making too broad a generalization, most true car enthusiasts can trace their passion back to an older family member or mentor from their childhood. Not me. My father is a scientist who doesn't know a spark plug from a lug nut. Bless him. Nope, my love for cars came out of nowhere.

The Spark of Passion

I blame Bo and Luke Duke for what I am today. Remember the original Dukes of Hazzard TV show? As a child I couldn't wait for my weekly fix of that orange Dodge Charger sliding sideways, spitting gravel and jumping broken bridges while blasting Dixie from its air horns. Sure, Daisy was a drawcard too ;)

And then there was Knight Rider. Herbie. Magnum P.I. Gone in 60 Seconds. The real one. With a mustard colored Mach 1 (OG Eleanor), not the shitty remake with Nick Cage and his overly done GT500 (Wannabe Eleanor).

Kid me couldn't get enough cars. From Hot Wheels to plastic models, to radio controlled kits... I was in deep. I was set on a four-wheeled trajectory from a very young age, and it hasn't slowed to this day.

The car that started it all. Bo and Luke's General Lee

The Winding Road

I won't bore you with every car-related step in my life journey (at least not in this post), but just know that I became a mechanic in high school, achieved an ASE certification shortly afterward, and moved overseas to become a semi-professional racing driver. I was around 24 when I realized that to make a small fortune in motorsport you need to start with a big one. So with life savings out the window, I took up a 20-year career in automotive journalism and public relations to make ends meet.

These jobs afforded access to the cars I dreamed of as a child. I was flying around the world to test and review every new model that came to market - from family vans to Lamborghinis and everything in between. And to gain favor with the media, the carmakers would grant some special gifts. No, not the business class plane seats, free booze, opulent hotels or endless branded merch. Actually, those were great too, but I'm talking about classic cars.

I found myself at the wheel of priceless cars such as the famed Mercedes 300SL Gullwing (and Roadster), BMW 507, the 1-millionth Porsche 911, etc. For those interested I'll elaborate in later blog posts. Long story short, my childhood dreams were achieved. By the age of 30 I was driving special cars every week. I was an automotive expert specializing in new cars with a penchant for the old ones.

That time Mercedes trusted me with some of their museum cars

So What?

What does any of this have to do with car detailing? Truthfully, not much. But I think it's important for you, the reader and hopefully customer of my business, to know that I not only clean cars, but I understand them deeply. I've had dinner with the revolutionary i8's designer. I sang happy birthday to the woman who chose the materials for the legendary Carrera GT's interior (I have a funny story about her!) and I drank too much sake with the man in charge of the Civic Type-R's move to turbo engines.

Okay I'm bragging, but seriously, when I'm polishing the hood of your BMW 4-Series, or conditioning the leather in your Porsche Macan, or vacuuming the french fry from the door pocket of your Honda CR-V, I'm reminded of my previous roles in the auto industry. I have a great appreciation, not only for the cleanliness of your car but also every nut, bolt, swage of leather and piece of plastic trim that goes into it.

Discovering Detailing

Yes, I'm one of those weirdos who believe cars have souls. And their souls are happier when they're clean. I swear my grandmother's 1993 Pontiac Bonneville ran smoother after I wiped the dust from its dashboard. Even if my early techniques were rudimentary, I've always put a lot of effort into cleaning cars because they just work and feel (and smell) better when they're taken care of.

I really fell into the rabbit hole around 10 years ago. YouTube's scarily smart algorithms picked up on my car guy tendencies and started feeding me car detailing tutorials. Again, I was in deep. Immersed in a new world of boar's hair-bristled brushes, alkaline versus acidic cleaners, microfiber fabric densities, and glass cleaning methods. Google it, I dare you.

Detailing provided the perfect transition from journalism (it's dead) to a new field in the automotive world. I'm proud of my history fixing, racing and writing about cars, but now I'm commited to my next chapter as the owner of my own business - 33 Detailing.

The Joy of Transformation

Each car tells a story, and I love being part of that narrative. I get great pleasure from witnessing the transformations - be it a thorough refresh of a kid-toting family wagon or rejuvenating the paint on a cherished classic. If you share a love for cars or need detailing services for your vehicle, I’m here to help. Let’s connect and celebrate the magic of cars together. Whether it's a simple wash or a full detail, I’m committed to keeping your vehicle looking its best.

Thank you for being a part of my journey. I hope to see you on the road... or flying over a broken bridge blasting Dixie.

That's me. Jesse Adams, Founder of 33 Detailing in Chatham, NY