Parke opens auto repair shop in The Dalles with a little help from a friend

Jamie Parke works on ‘29 Chevrolet in his new shop, Parke Auto Repair at 2937 E. Second Street in The Dalles. He said they can get most cars into the shop within a day or two.

Jamie Parke said he first started working on vehicles with his dad Jerry at his shop in Vancouver, Washington. 

Parke was 4 years old. 

“I’ve been doing this forever,” he said on Wednesday, April 12, noting he and Tammerack Knopf just replaced a transmission on a Scion at his new shop.

The 38-year-old opened Parke Auto Repair LLC at 2937 E. Second Street earlier this year, striking out on his own after friend Rod Huante helped him out with some capital.

It’s across the street from Big Jim’s. 

Parke said they work on all makes and models and are able to diagnose problems and make repairs. Some of his services include tune-ups, brakes, clutch replacements engine swaps and transmission replacements.

“We work on just about everything,” he said. 

Tammerack Knopf works on a Scion on April 12th at Parke Auto Repair on East 2nd St. in TD across from Big Jim’s Drive In.

Parke who moved to The Dalles when he was nine said he had jumped between The Dalles and Vancouver but eventually ended up laying down roots here to be close to family.

In the past several years, he has worked at The Dalles Auto Sales and Point S Tires, he said.

You can typically get a car in for a check up or diagnosis within a day or two currently, he said. 

And how do you find the problem with a vehicle?

“Scanners and listening,” Parke said. 

You have a stethoscope?

“I do have one hanging right over there,” he said, noting a stethoscope pressed to the engine block can reveal all sorts of things such as a bad piston rod or valve.

Parke Auto Repair is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 541-980-7560.

For more information, check out their Facebook page.

Jaimie Parke and his 35 Chevrolet hot rod. Sometimes work and play fall into the same category.