Many people don’t realize how painstakingly detailed a concours level restoration is. For example, one car owner’s score was lowered because the second-hand in the analog clock in his car moved with a “tick, tick, tick” motion instead of a constant sweep. That’s the kind of mistake that’s simply impermissible at level of the world’s most prestigious concours events.
David Grainger, president and owner of The Guild of Automotive Restorers, says that getting a car from a rusty heap to a Pebble Beach star takes 2,000 to 3,000 man hours of labour. The Guild recently completed the restoration of a stunning 1946 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500SS and has become famous for building a Bugatti Aerolithe, one of the rarest and most beautiful cars in the world. Watch the video above to find out how The Guild began and what the most rewarding part of restoring a car is for David.
The Guild is the subject of the History Television show, Restoration Garage. New episodes premiere tonight (Sept. 8) at 9 p.m. EST.
