5 Minutes With…Mike Wahl of FiTech EFI
If you’ve been by the FiTech Fuel Injection booth at any major car event over the past several years, there’s a good chance that you have talked with Mike Wahl. Mike is FiTech’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing but is ager to work the company’s booth at events for the opportunity to talk to their customers and those curious about making the jump to electronic fuel injection. And if given the chance, there’s a good chance he’s making laps on the autocross course in his Chevy C10 pickup that doubles as a testbed for FiTech’s new products.
As a youngster, Mike found that he tended to take apart nearly anything mechanical to see how it worked. This led to a career starting in automotive garages and on to Pep Boys, where he was fast tracked into service manager duties at a number of different stores. An opportunity came up to do service and repair on CNC machines, which eventually led to FiTech, where’s he’s been working for almost a decade. The fast pace of keeping up with ever-evolving EFI technology and the performance aftermarket fits Mike’s jump-in-and-make-it-happen demeanor, not to mention it being a great industry to work in for any gearhead.
Goodguys: How long have you been with FiTech and what position were you hired for?
Mike Wahl: I have been with FiTech for nine years now. I was hired on as a phone technician to help customers select the right systems for their application and to help troubleshoot. I was moved into sales, where I helped with our accounts and worked with our marketing team. A couple years ago was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
GG: What are some of the most important business lessons you’ve learned?
Mike Wahl: I would say the biggest lesson in terms of business is not to overlook any opportunity that might be presented to you. When I was getting burned out at Pep Boys, an opportunity came up to try something different in the CNC machinery industry. I thought, “why not?” I learned a lot about a new industry and modern computer technology, which eventually led me back to automotive aftermarket performance with FiTech.
GG: What has changed in the overall EFI market in that time?
Mike Wahl: The biggest change I have seen in EFI is the performance application and CPU technology. The technology on our side is more advanced, but we need to make it as easy as possible for our customers to install and for them to be able to set up the EFI for their application. The technology continues to grow and develop, which means we must adapt and improve our product line constantly.
GG: What do you look for when hiring people at FiTech?
Mike Wahl: My rule of thumb is that you only make one first impression, so be sure to get that right. That being said, a positive attitude and willingness to learn is what I look for.
GG: What challenges do you see coming up for the classic car and hot rod industry?
Wahl: Being from California we face all kinds of challenges. I believe that the smog requirements on 30-year-old vehicles is becoming a real issue now, as testing sites do not have the proper equipment to run the state-required tests on these older non-OBDII equipped vehicles.
GG: Where did you get your passion for hot rods and muscle cars?
Wahl: Ever since I was a kid, I have always loved classic cars. In high school I took an auto shop class, and I was hooked. Since then, I’ve always been involved in some form of automotive business.
GG: You’ve participated in a few Careers in Hot Rodding programs with us. What are some common questions you hear from young people about our hobby?
Wahl: When participating as a speaker on the panel at Careers in Hot Rodding, I am speaking from the manufacturing standpoint. I’m commonly asked if we actually work on cars, which is a constant in our research and development department. Another common question is what positions we may have available? At FiTech, we’re always looking for passionate team members for all of our departments, from shipping to social media, and tech assistance to product development.
GG: Any advice for younger people looking to get involved in our fun hot rod industry?
Wahl: DO IT! Most shops want people that come with some sort of experience or education in the trades and have a passion for automotive. Our industry fills the need for new and exciting challenges daily and it can be a very rewarding career path.
GG: What was your first car – and what is a project your’re currently working on?
Wahl: My very first car was a ’71 Volkswagen Bug which I managed to catch on fire twice, including when I was bringing it home for the first time. My current project at the top of the list is a ’51 Chevy 3100 pickup. This one has a 6.2-liter LS with a six-speed, which makes for a very fun ride.
GG: Would you rather autocross or drag race?
Wahl: I love both but would lean toward autocross, as it seems to have a different set of challenges to overcome each time out.
GG: What is a bucket list road trip or event you’d like to participate in – and what would you drive?
Wahl: Being in the industry I have been able to check off a lot of my list, but I would like to revisit the Hot Rod Power Tour in my ’51 when it is completed.
