Category Interviews

You would have to look hard to find the “Martin Brothers Customs” shop.  It’s hidden just off Highway 290 near Henly, Texas (10 miles west of Dripping Springs).

But, you don’t have to look hard to find the new Velocity TV series featuring principal owner Joe Martin and his wife Amanda.  The series just started, and airs each Wednesday night at 9:00.

In the series, mild-mannered Joe and exuberant Amanda, find cars in serious need of attention, and then bring them back to life, usually with custom touches far exceeding the vehicle’s original design (first time viewers would never guess that Amanda’s other career (and personna) is as a demure and professional banker at a local Dripping Springs bank).

Joe has a lifetime’s experience ...

You may have heard of Jeff’s Resurrections, of Taylor, Texas.  No, this isn’t a business that exhumes bodies from the cemetary.  Rather, Jeff’s is a nationally known and recognized classic car restoration facility. 

However, don’t th...

The societal needs of the early 20th century spawned a new profession: itinerant “tinker”. A tinker would travel from town to town, usually by horse and carriage, offering to repair pots and pans of local residents. Frequently tinkers relied on the generosity of their customers to provide a meal and perhaps overnight accommodations as they practiced their craft across the country.

Barney Gayl...

If you are a regular visitor to this blog, most likely you’re a Car Guy (/Girl).  And, if that’s the case, then almost certainly there have been occasional dreams of having a shop, larger than a residential garage, to house and maintain your mechanical works of art.

Such was th...

It is rare to see a Morgan automobile around Austin.  But when one pops up, almost assuredly the owner will be a passionate Anglophile, at least where automobiles are concerned.  Such is the case for Austinite Duncan Charlton, who has had a long-time love affair with Morgans.  He recently acquired a racing Morgan with a genuine winning provenance.  

The French have always been known for their quirkiness.  There is the unique French cuisine, the cavalier attitude toward sexual relationships, and, not least, the many cars exhibiting that special  je ne sais quoi French attitude.

Of course, there are the to-die-for bespoke coach builders of the 30’s through 50’s.  Stellar houses such as Bugatti (many people don’t know that Italian born Ettore Bugatti were mostly produced in France), Figoni et Falaschi, Delahaye, and Talbot Lago, created some of the most beautiful 4-wheeled creations ever.

Then, there is the “homely but cute” category of French vehicles.  Simca, Renault, Peugot, and not to be outdone: Citroen.

The instantly recognizable Ci...

When Terry Sayther showed up in Austin in 1972, his mind was focused on the UT graduate program he had enrolled in. Terry is from Minnesota but as he puts it he “got to Texas as soon as he could”   Terry had always been mechanically inclined, so to help with school expenses, he started working on friends’ cars in his spare time.

The property at 1606 Fortview Road didn’t always look as it does today.  When Terry first discovered the property for sale back in the 70’s, it was basically just a small old house, situated in a mixed-use residential and light commercial area.  It seemed like a perfect, easily-accessible place to do conduct his automotive repair business.  Initially, work was done under tents set up outside the old house, since the Austin Planning Department was resistant to approving any further permanent structures on the building.

Six years...

Where does the owner of a classic car go for repairs?  If you take your car to most of  the “big-box” franchise repair operations, and you’ll likely be told: “Sorry, we don’t have a listing for that model”.

Not so at L and L Automotive in Dripping Springs.  In fact, owner Larry White actively solicits customers who own classic vehicles.  As Larry puts it: “I had a successful career in sales, but was not really happy with my job.  Every night I’d go home and work on one of my classic cars.. that’s really what I wanted to be doing.  One day a friend at a repair shop near Dripping Springs offered to sell his exhaust/muffler business to me.  I didn’t have to think long about that proposal, and before I knew it, I was in the auto repair business”.

Larry’s first business location was situated in two bays owned by...

He’s an unassuming guy, providing motorcycle maintenance out of a secluded spot in a quiet village just east of San Marcos.  But Mikey Orloff, owner of Martindale Motorcycle Works, is nothing like your average mechanic.

Mikey, a trained archaeologist by education, has had a lifelong love affair with motorcycles.. to be more specific, BMW “airhead” motorcycles.    So, in 1990 Mikey gave up thoughts of a career in archaeology, in favor of perfecting his expertise with these beautiful bikes.

BMW built its ico...

Most of us car guys are just amateur shade tree mechanics, relegated to simple R&R (remove and replace) operations at best.  But then, Scott Reid is no shade tree mechanic.  Scott, founder and President of Miur Essence, has been modifying and enhancing automobiles since he was a kid in high school.  His latest (and likely grandest) achievement has been the design, development, and implementation of a series of major engine enhancements for the Lamborghini Miura.. a car long recognized as the world’s first “Super Car”.  Scott’s engineering achievements for this car would make even the most accomplished Formula One technician team take notice!

Scott’s story begins some 6...