LUIGI SCALA INTERVIEW

How long have you been working on cars?

Well, I’m 51; I started working on cars when I was 13, so I guess I’ve been doing this now for 38 years. I always liked cars and when I turned 13, I began working for a shop where I learned about cars and fixed them.

Before Universal Autosports, where were you employed and for how long?

I moved to America from Italy to provide a better life for my family. I began working at Wide World of Cars, in 1987. In 1999 I left, and started working at Ferrari of Long Island.

What did you do in Italy before you moved here?

I owned a Peugeot service shop where I worked on cars, in a little town called Pozzallo.

What are your favorite service projects?

Rebuilding engines and fixing problems; I like diagnosing problems and fixing them. There’s something so beautiful about pulling apart an engine, piece by piece, examining and repairing its flaws, and reassembling it to better than new. It brings me great joy to find the problem, and know the solution.

What advice can you give to exotic car owners about ensuring that their vehicles stay well-maintained?

The more you drive, the less problems you have. Stay on top of service maintenance like oil changes. Drive, drive, drive your car; enjoy it. When she sits in the garage, she’s unhappy. Fluids get stale, hoses rot, and tires flat spot. The more you drive her, and for longer periods of time, the better off she’ll be. Just be mindful of regular service intervals.

Who is Count Roffredo Gaetani d’Aragona and what does that name mean to you?

He wasn’t just a boss, he was a friend. Everyone wanted a boss like him. Anything you needed, he was there. And he never pushed; he was a gentleman. With him, family came first, then everything else.