![]() ![]() You have an amazing library of books – how important a reference point is this for you in your work? This aspect will take the longest and, if you’re not prepared, undoubtedly cost the most. ![]() Fast-forward to the completion stages, when it’s vital to plan for the final 10 percent. A plan, paperwork and procedures are essentials. In the event something goes awry, be safe and not sorry. ![]() However, that’s not the case for every car, so we strongly advise everyone to document their projects properly. Restoration itself is surprisingly straightforward, especially these days when most marques have dedicated classic centres and divisions. Unfortunately, many seems to overlook it and those heartfelt on-the-fly decisions, free of a dedicated path, will lead to head scratching and the frantic search for an exit plan. We plan for scenarios as though the vehicle were completed and weighing the profitability and loss behind the process is almost the most important aspect. All restorations begin with a final vision. Restorations are not always about brute force, as many people believe. They drive like trucks! The gritty pre-War Grand Prix experience is hard to duplicate.Ĭould you explain a little more about the restoration process? Pre-War Delages seem to be my go-to, and I love everything from their style to their ultra-futuristic Cotal pre-selector gearboxes. You also have a nice selection of French pre-War cars – which are your favourites? This makes their restorations even more challenging. Dive deeper into the nuances of each car and it’s like reading a diary of Enzo’s personal race-revision notes. Spending much of my time restoring Ferrari GTOs and SWBs, I find the actual mechanical enhancements Enzo Ferrari made to the 6C MM racing cars even more interesting. Pre-War Alfa Romeos are simply amazing, mechanically and aesthetically. You have a special affinity for pre-War Alfa Romeos, especially the 6C – why is this? We pride ourselves on our ability to adapt, hence our logo – call it changing gears gracefully. In this day and age, the ‘criteria’ in all restoration workshops have broadened greatly, from the preservation of grandpa’s aforementioned pride and joy to execution of the most challenging modification, maintenance or value maximisation of your to-be-auctioned vehicle. Thank you! Generations of enthusiasts are becoming more involved in a field that was once just grandpa and his classic. The breadth of cars with which you work is very impressive – what are your criteria? Across the top it had the name ‘Red Line’ – it hit us like the train and made perfect sense! From that point on, our small 1,500-square-foot shop had a name. One night shortly thereafter, my father and I were having our regular dinner feet away from a vintage runaway train poster that he’d purchased many years before. It was then that I realised my little side job had taken on a life of its own. Before I had time to realise, I had vehicles lined up around the block, all waiting for work. We won a few local shows and word quickly spread, so much so that my 60-hour work weeks increased to 100-plus hours. Aside from the car culture, Connecticut was capable of supplying more year-round work.ĭuring the transitional stage, my father and I worked for a well-known car collector. Years later, after working in an area best known as a summer holiday destination, we took the joint decision to relocate to Connecticut. What prompted you to establish Redline and what’s the story behind the name?Īt the ripe age of 15, I was able to officially step into the car world and join my father part time at his restoration shop. After the shows, I’d return home and play with a vintage steel pedal car passed down by two generations of car enthusiasts, a shoelace acting as a go-linkage support. My earliest memories are of attending car shows in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the fields were dominated by pre-War vehicles, turn-of-the-century electric stagecoaches and horseless carriages. What are your earliest automotive memories? During his American odyssey, Rémi Dargegen paid Redline a visit and spoke to Amster about what it takes to make a name for your business in what is now a fiercely contested industry. Founded by Colton Amster, the business has grown to encompass a burgeoning sales department and, thanks to its new, exquisitely renovated 120,000-square-feet premises, a plethora of services surrounding the restoration process, including the in-house fabrication of spare parts and the provision of high-quality maintenance, saddlery, paintwork and storage. ![]() Situated in a magnificent 1930s former Ford and Lincoln dealership in the port town of Black Rock in Connecticut, Redline Automotive Restorations has, over the last 17 years, forged a reputation across North America and beyond for world-class, award-winning blue-chip classic car restorations. ![]()
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