Startups

Here’s how Turn5 souped up a Make-A-Wish teen’s Jeep

At the company’s annual block party, Earl Offenback received the keys to his new ride.

Earl Offenback behind the wheel of his revamped Jeep. (Courtesy photo)

It took three months, over 500 hours of work and $30,000 in parts, but Earl Offenback — an 18-year-old from Bucks County and Make-A-Wish recipient — finally got his ride overhauled by Paoli-based Turn5.

Offenback, who was born with a heart condition called called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), has undergone three open heart surgeries. He’s a fan of The Fast and the Furious and cars overall, so it made sense that his wish was getting his 2002 Jeep Wrangler redone. Turn5 brand ExtremeTerrain.com, which focuses solely on custom parts and services for Wranglers, took on the task.

The transformation was radical. This is Offenback’s ride before the makeover:

A standard jeep wrangler

Before.

And here’s how it looked after:

A tricked-out Jeep with tall wheels, a raised frame, body kit and custom matte paint.

After.

As the company set out to get the ride outfitted with custom wheels and tires, bumpers, suspension lifts, black matte paint and other more aesthetic elements of the overhaul, it also found a rusted frame, which was replaced. The car’s engine and transmission were also rebuilt ahead of the big reveal, which took place Saturday at the company’s yearly block party.

“This year was extra special as it was the first block party in our new office headquarters and a momentous occasion to open our doors to the wider community,” said Steve Voudouris, cofounder and CEO of Turn5. “It also represents our ongoing commitment to Make-A-Wish to fulfill a deserving teenager’s dream. Earl’s passion and can-do attitude is inspiring.”

Offerback opening the door to a Jeep Wrangler with tall tires and black matte paint.

Offerback, 18, heads into his new ride. (Courtesy photo)

Turn5, founded in 2003, opened up its new 90,000-square-feet Chester County HQ in January. The company, which operates two other websites focused on parts for customized rides, looks to build out the new headquarters with 180 employees over the next three years.

Before you go...

Please consider supporting Technical.ly to keep our independent journalism strong. Unlike most business-focused media outlets, we don’t have a paywall. Instead, we count on your personal and organizational support.

3 ways to support our work:
  • Contribute to the Journalism Fund. Charitable giving ensures our information remains free and accessible for residents to discover workforce programs and entrepreneurship pathways. This includes philanthropic grants and individual tax-deductible donations from readers like you.
  • Use our Preferred Partners. Our directory of vetted providers offers high-quality recommendations for services our readers need, and each referral supports our journalism.
  • Use our services. If you need entrepreneurs and tech leaders to buy your services, are seeking technologists to hire or want more professionals to know about your ecosystem, Technical.ly has the biggest and most engaged audience in the mid-Atlantic. We help companies tell their stories and answer big questions to meet and serve our community.
The journalism fund Preferred partners Our services
Engagement

Join our growing Slack community

Join 5,000 tech professionals and entrepreneurs in our community Slack today!

Trending

16 places to responsibly dispose of old electronics in Philadelphia

An interactive timeline of Philly’s tech ecosystem in 2024

How 5 orgs help local businesses achieve success

Expect high-speed internet at 100 Philly rec centers in 2025, Verizon says

Technically Media