“Al” in a day’s work

POSTED BY , 07 June 2007

So who was that mechanic, weighted down with the daunting task of prepping the lovingly beaten 2002 Z06 for One Lap of America? That’d be Al Dashto of Brakes Plus in Des Plaines, Illinois. Al has been busting his knuckles on cars for over twenty years now. He vividly recalls how a certain Buick Grand National put his hunger for horsepower into motion. From that turbocharged sleeper, to the current Chicago brawling 1991 Corvette ZR1, Al has dusted off all speculation about his “guru” status which covers everything between a wrench and a welder.

Al sure had his hands full with a laundry list of parts that were making strange noises and causing diagnostic warnings to light up the dash. Placing the '02 Z06, also known as the "DC Z" of the DigitalCorvettes.com fleet, up on the lift for an initial inspection turned out to be more promising than was first expected. However, Al did have to replace the rotors that had been severely cracked, the emergency brake pad that had been converted to dust, readjust the alignment, service ABS and change the oil and fluids.

Another important task that Al stressed was thoroughly inspecting the exhaust pipes, sensor connections, and bolts to all main components under the car. This is something Al says cannot be overlooked, especially after the level of stress that an extensive trip and track time place on a vehicle. Needing to torque down any loose bolts could make the difference between running smooth and a “get well” card from your buddies.

There just isn’t any room for that type of error on Al’s watch.

Al Dashto
Brakes Plus
Des Plaines, Illinois
847.827.9900

by Daniel Bowler