Hennessy Industries has announced the winners of “The Search for the Oldest COATS Direct Drive Balancer” contest. Jim and Abe Torro, co-owners of Orange Auto Center in Orange, CA, were named the grand-prize winners after entering their 30-year-old direct drive balancer into the contest. The brothers will receive a trip to Las Vegas and a new COATS 1250-3DV balancer.
 
“Our balancer was manufactured in July of 1981. It was one of the earliest direct drive models manufactured, so I knew that we had a chance to win,” Abe Torro said. “Although it’s old enough to be an antique, it’s still very reliable, accurate and quick.”
 
The contest, which ran from October to December, gave COATS direct drive balancer owners a chance to win one of three prizes, including new COATS 1250-3DV balancers for the runner-up and random drawing winners. COATS received more than 200 contest entries from across the U.S., with many of the balancers dating back to the 1980s.
 
To view photos and testimonials submitted by contestants, or to learn more about “The Search for the Oldest COATS Direct Drive Balancer,” visit www.coatsdirectdrive.com.
 
“We hoped the contest would emphasize the longevity and reliability of COATS’ direct drive balancers,” said Kevin Keefe, Hennessy Industries’ vice president of marketing. “With more than 200 balancers entered into the contest, many of which have been used on a daily basis since the early ’80s, we think it did just that.”
 
COATS’ patented direct drive technology features an integrated motor and spindle assembly that is pre-balanced at the factory, eliminating the need for pulleys and belts that can cause troublesome “noise” and interfere with balancing accuracy. It is also an extremely robust and durable design, which is why many original direct drive models are still being used to balance tires in high-volume shops.
 
Jerry Maxwell and Pat Carter, co-owners of Carter-Maxwell Auto Service in Bethany, OK, were identified as the runners-up. Their direct drive balancer was manufactured in October of 1981, only three months after the Torro’s. Mike McCarthy, a high school shop teacher at Nogales High School in LaPuente, CA, was selected as the winner of the random drawing.
 
“I was glad to see that they gave all COATS direct drive owners a chance to win,” said McCarthy. “I assumed our school’s balancer probably wouldn’t be the oldest entered into the contest, but figured it was worth entering for the random drawing. We really needed a new balancer for shop class, and the 1250-3DV is perfect for training students with no experience.”
 
About Hennessy Industries
Hennessy Industries manufactures COATS, AMMCO and BADA products, and is the largest full-line wheel-service equipment manufacturer in North America. Hennessy is recognized for its state-of-the-art technology in the manufacturing of COATS tire changers and wheel balancers, AMMCO brake lathes and lifts, and BADA wheel-balancing weights.
 
Hennessy is headquartered in La Vergne, TN, with manufacturing facilities in Tennessee and Kentucky. To learn more about Hennessy and COATS, visit www.ammcoats.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ammcoats.