Joe Sabo is a lifelong Michigander, living in Dearborn and Northville before making his way to the quieter city of South Lyon. He has lived in Hidden Lake since 2020. The neighborhood is truly a family affair, with his daughter, Stephanie Green, living in Hidden Lake too. In addition to being with his family, he loves spending time with his neighbors. “I love the community and the people,” he shared. “Everyone is friendly and helps everybody out.”

One thing that makes Joe stand out is his craft for repairing cars. As a lover of cars and all things automotive, there are few places better to reside than near the Motor City itself. Joe’s passion for cars is rooted deep. When asked when his love of cars began, he reminisced on early memories connected to the car models he had as a child. “I remember having model cars at age five.” What started as the simple assembly of a model transitioned into customizing the bodies which evolved into customizing the paint jobs. “One of my model cars won 2nd place at the Autorama.” Time would tell that would be the first of many awards for Joe and his cars.

As Joe grew older, so did his passion for cars. In his teenage years, he street raced exhilarated by the speed. If he broke something in his car, he’d fix it at the gas station. “I was always pushing limits,” he shared. He dreamed of working in Ford labs so he pursued an associate’s degree in automotive technology. Unfortunately, the requirement for that position was a four-year degree so he pivoted, successfully finding his way into Ford as a parts manager.

Ford was the perfect playing field to learn the intricacy of vehicles. He converted gas trucks to diesel and had first-hand experience watching vehicle technology evolve and the industry innovate.

Cars aren’t only a passion for Joe himself; he shares the passion with his family. The love of cars is deeply ingrained in the Sabo household. His wife, Barbara, and son, Brandon, are car people too. His son got into drag cars at the age of 6. He was a runner-up national champion at age 10.

One of his first dates with his wife was on the Ford race track. Years later, he wrecked his wife’s car on Mother’s Day of all days. Joe found himself once again headed back into the garage to rebuild his wife’s car; he hasn’t stopped fixing cars since.

 

Joe’s dedication to cars extended from his family to his workplace. He retired from Ford in 2020, sporting an impressive fifty-two-year career. Although he stepped outside the dealership, he stepped into the garage to tinker on various projects. Joe doesn’t just work on any cars; he is intentional with the projects he chooses. “Early in my career, it was a learning adventure. Now, I use car repairs and rebuilds to breathe.”

Joe has participated in Hidden Lake’s Car Show every year it’s been in existence. The car show connected him with other neighbors such as Sal Vacca. With his eye for detail, he noticed Sal didn’t have tail lights on his 1970 Jaguar XKE. So, true to his nature, Joe offered to fix it for him. Joe and his son looked at it and knew it wasn’t going to be a simple fix. He spent two months rewiring the car. In reference to previous modifications, Joe noted. “You have to figure out why the person before did what they did.” He reviewed the circuits in the car and mapped the circuitry, creating a binder to track his changes and modifications to the vehicle. When Sal came back from his vacation, Joe had the car ready for him. When he turned the keys and the engine roared, the look on Sal’s face was priceless.

That moment describes the heart of Joe Sabo. “I work on cars because I want to. I can do anything so I have to have a reason – it has to make something better for someone.”

Fixing cars for Joe isn’t just a hobby; it’s a gift. When another neighbor, Guido Broche, was preparing to drive their 1968 Camaro to the car show last year, all of a sudden, it didn’t start. No matter what they did, it couldn’t start. They didn’t know why it wouldn’t start but they knew who could fix it. In just minutes, Joe was able to find what was wrong. A quick repair and they were able to drive it to the car show. Joe had great pride in the work he had done over the years in that vehicle, “We worked through electrical problems, replaced a radiator, tires, tubes… if I can help them, I’ll help them,” he shared with pride. One year it took the best car in show. “Every year we make it a little better”.

New technology has changed the way Joe approaches diagnosing issues in a vehicle but he embraces the challenge. “It’s a constant learning experience.”

Fixing cars isn’t as intimidating as it seems. When it comes to tinkering with cars, Joe shared the following words of wisdom, “Just start playing with it. Don’t be afraid.” 

Come see Joe and his 2024 Mustang in person at the 6th Annual Stroll Hidden Lake Car Show on Sunday, August 23rd from 3-6 PM. Strike up a conversation about his career, repairs, or general love of cars. You’re sure to be in for quite the ride.