BT-Performance

Matt Wells works on a Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

BT-Performance is an auto shop located in Parkersburg, West Virginia. However, BT-Performance is a little bit different from your average repair shop. While they still can do an oil change or replace a set of breaks, they can also specialize in high performance modification and tuning. High-performance auto shops, like BT-Performance, work on cars to squeeze as much performance out of a car as possible. This is done in many different ways including turbocharging, tuning, engine swaps and upgrading individual parts such as suspension, exhaust, intake, or wheels. BT-Performance was founded by Bill Tanzey and currently there are three other mechanics that work there, Josh Springston, Jarrod Brown, and Matt Wells.

Josh Springston (right) smiles at a joke made my Jarrod Brown.

Bill Tanzey welds a bracket to hold the intercooler of his turbocharged GMC Suburban in place. Often the mechanics stay after hours to work on their own project cars.

Josh Springston (center) watches as Bill Tanzey (left) tunes a turbocharged Acura RSX. When tuning a car, the mechanic puts the car on what is called a dynamometer, or a dyno, which is essentially a treadmill for a car. A dyno measures the car’s horsepower and torque form the car’s wheels. Tuning consists of adjusting the fuel to air ratio, or how much gasoline is delivered into the cylinders, and adjusting the timing of the engine, how often the spark plugs fire in order to make sure the spark plug fires right when the air is the most compressed.

Bill Tanzey drives the RSX on the dyno while tuning the engine to find peak power.

Bill Tanzey (left) tests and adjusts the tune on a Chevrolet truck while Josh Springston (right) watches and shares his thoughts. It is important to test a tune on the street to make sure the car runs smoothly and make any adjustments necessary.

Bill Tanzey, Jarrod Brown, Josh Springston and David Gleason (left to right) laugh while having lunch at Texas Road House. David Gleason often comes down on Wednesdays to film videos of testing and tuning cars on the dyno.

Bill Tanzey looks at the transmission of the BMW that Jerrod Brown is working on.

Top: Matt Wells cuts a wire while working on a Volkswagen Jetta TDI. Left: Jarrod Brown shovels up a pile of degreaser powder. Right Josh Springston attaches a lambda sensor in order to measure the air to fuel ratio while tuning a car.

Hunter Fortney speaks with Josh Springston about his silver Mustang.

The outside of BT-Performance pictured on Monday, Nov. 21, 2022.

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