Hard Luck Auto fixes cars for cost of parts; helps students

With new car prices always increasing, many folks want to keep their old cars on the road. Hard Luck Auto has been helping do just that since 2017.

“We help anybody that comes through the door,” said Adam Ely, Army veteran and co-founder of Hard Luck Auto, located in Choctaw at 14002 SE 29th St.

He went from working on Chinook helicopters in the U.S. Army to providing charity automotive work.

“We’re an automotive nonprofit,” he explained. 

“We never imagined it getting this big and have no idea what to expect in the future, but it brings us joy and we get to meet some pretty amazing people,” said Toni Ely, partner in both life and work to Adam. 

They “focus on the simple stuff, brakes, shocks, struts, CV joints, stuff like that,” Adam said, and can get your car “in and out in under 3 hours.”

One big thing about Hard Luck is that “labor will always be free,” he said. 

“I help you source the parts,” he said, so customers do not have to worry about finding parts themselves. Additionally, NAPA Auto Parts teamed up with the nonprofit in 2019, offering parts at a discounted rate to customers of Hard Luck Auto.

“But that doesn’t mean he can’t build a mean hot rod,” said Jay Shanker, owner of ListenUpOKC, a local vinyl bar. 

Hard Luck Auto is open Mon-Thurs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The staff suggests getting there as early as possible to ensure you are seen that day. 

They are closed Friday through Sunday and holidays. To avoid scheduling conflicts, they advise checking their Facebook page for any updates. 

More information can be found at hardluckauto.org. Email questions to hardluckautoservices@gmail.com.