02/01/2026
First, let me frame the why. Then we can get into the what.
I spent 35 years in Technology — started as an engineer, moved into project and program management, then senior ops manager, director, and eventually senior director. The kind of career that teaches you systematic thinking, risk management, and how to build something complex from the ground up.
But my real passion lived in the garage.
Over the past several years, I had the opportunity to build a few of my dreams: a 1970 AMC AMX I named Riotous — Riot for short (she's a riot to drive), a burnt orange 1969 Jeep Wagoneer (Mina), a green 1979 Cherokee Chief (Spunky), and Gladys — a 1963 Kaiser Gladiator (Gladys).
These aren't garage queens. These are restomod builds with fresh paint, modern drivetrains, and every detail obsessed over.
Then a shop managed to damage the paint on one — the beloved.
Riot had a beautiful 40-year-old lacquer paint job. Not perfect, but stunning. I dropped her off for a full suspension swap — new 9" Ford rear end, LT1/T56 drivetrain setup. Months of work. Hours away. I trusted them with the car.
When I finally got her back, the hood and fender tops were covered in scratches. Deep ones. The kind that made my stomach drop every time I looked at the car.
The shop owner shrugged. "These things happen."
Here's the brutal truth about old lacquer: there often isn't enough clear to work with. We tried to correct it. But every pass revealed we were on borrowed time. The rest of the car was brand new — fresh mechanicals, modern power — and those scratches couldn't be fixed.
That disaster taught me something: I would never be that vulnerable again. I couldn't trust other people with my vehicles unless I understood exactly what they should be doing — and could verify they were doing it correctly.
So I learned everything. Paint correction. Ceramic coatings. Decontamination. Protection. I built a system. Eight steps. A protocol that works.
And then I realized — this isn't just about cars.
The same science that protects a 50-year-old lacquer finish protects countertops, showers, glass, marine gel coat, heavy equipment. Preservation is preservation.
That's where this is going:
Riot Garage — Products. The 8-step detailing protocol in a bottle. For people who care too much about their vehicles.
Riotous Car Care — Services. Detailing, paint correction, and ceramic coatings. The protocol applied by hand.
Riot Surfaces — Services. Nano-ceramic coatings for countertops, showers, glass, and commercial surfaces. Same science, different battlefield.
Riotous Fleet Services — Commercial rust prevention and asset preservation for fleets operating in the salt belt. Because a $60,000 truck shouldn't rot from the frame up in five years.
Four verticals. One doctrine: Preservation over replacement.
Veteran-owned. Zero gimmicks. Built on a system.
This is Riotous. Riot Garage is where it starts.
And today — Riot finally came home with fresh paint.
If you're the kind of person who cares too much about your cars, needs your marble or granite reconditioned, or wants your car or truck desalted — follow along. And if you know someone who needs to see this — share it. Let's build something.
