For many car enthusiasts, the act of restoration is one of the greatest parts of owning an antique car.  The ability to connect with your vehicle on an almost molecular level can create a bond between person and machine as well as imbue you with a terrific sense of pride.  To be able to take a car that has been long forgotten or neglected and return it to the road is one of the greatest feelings in the hobby.  Knowing your hand directly or indirectly lead to it getting back on the road is, in itself, empowering.  That’s right, you don’t need to be the artisan who performs every bit of work.  Working hard at your day job and using that money to pay the right people, that is also fulfilling because you are doing your best work so they can do their best work.

The factory only put out about 20,000 American Austins and 6,000 American Bantams.  You’ve probably heard about how many of these cars survived the WWII scrap drives and were pressed into hard service.  You’ve probably also heard about how many of these cars that have been squirreled away in dimly lit corners and forgotten.  While a few Bantams change hands every now and again, most of those cars have already been restored to some degree.  Beside having most of the fun work done, they also carry a heavy price tag.  So, those cars lurking in the dark are the beautiful dream of many car enthusiasts.

Several months ago, a wonderful person reached out to me to discuss a few such cars.  Cars which were pulled inside a basement over 60 years ago and sheltered from the harshness of the world for all of that time.  A pair of cars which became almost time capsules of the late 1940’s lurked beneath decades of accumulated items, shielding them from wars, high scrap prices, and prying eyes.

Last Friday, these cars got to see light for the first time in a very long time and made a trip from their basement to a new home.  A 1930 American Austin coupe and a 1939 American Bantam Roadster were carefully preserved so that they could be enjoyed in the future.  The future is now.

These cars join the projects I’d like to help breathe new life into and they should give hope to those of you seeking a project that they are out there.  Somewhere, there is a car waiting for you to bring it back.  If you’re looking for a project, head over to the Contact page and let me know what you’re looking for.  Hopefully I can help.