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Here’s Why Actress Sydney Sweeney Says Her Passion for Restoring Vintage Cars Is Empowering

The Hollywood star enjoys a part-time hobby as a mechanic.

Cara O’Bleness

Sydney Sweeney

Sydney Sweeney.

Sydney Sweeney may be best known for her roles on shows like Euphoria and The White Lotus, but the 25-year-old has an incredibly unique passion project: restoring vintage cars.

While you may be familiar with Sweeney’s TikTok account dedicated to her side hustle, the actress has partnered up with Ford to share her appreciation for vintage automobiles with others. 

In a promo clip Sweeney shared to her Instagram account on Wednesday, she stated that she learned how to drive on her great grandfather’s F-100.

The Washington native added that she comes from a long line of mechanics, so it should be no surprise that she refurbished her dream car—a vintage cherry red Ford Bronco—herself.

“I wanted that car so bad,” Sweeney stated in the clip. “I was the only girl in the shop.”

She created her aforementioned TikTok account to share the restoration process with other car junkies as she changed the transmission, added power steering, new brakes and more.

“The whole experience showed me I could do more than I thought I could,” she added. “I hope other women see my passion for cars and want to follow their own passions, too.”

Sweeney spoke to People about the Ford campaign, and noted that she finds it “empowering” to know how to work on her beloved automobiles.

“I just hope that [other women are] empowered to want to follow their dreams. If they want to learn how to work on a car, you can,” she told the outlet. “And I’m hoping that other girls are encouraged to want to learn and want to just try things in what may feel like a male dominated space—and then take over.”

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Cara O’Bleness
CARA O’BLENESS

Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, Cara loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University's School of Journalism.

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