Cars Are Like Fine Wine

Building a car can take time...money....work...a few surprises...then more work and more money...and convincing the wife that you seriously need the extra horsepower...more money...more work...maturing it or finishing it...like vintners maturing their grapes for that perfect glass of wine.

This 1930 Tudor belongs to one of the areas finest wineries...and has been aged to perfection here at HSL.

Perfect wine takes time as does a perfect restoration...such as Jagged...he has his healthy V-12 Jag motor working just fine thank you very much...but...we had to build and fabricate headers...manifolds...and lots of things that make him work right.

We are  getting close though...real close...Grand National Roadster Show we are coming soon,

Does the song "Wild thing" run through your mind? I can hear it loud and clear...yeah baby...bang a gong...and the ba-bump of the cam...I am in heaven...love that sound...hot time in the city...boom ba boom...kind of a 60's-70's-80's girl here...but I love some serious country twang too.

My man "Wild Bill" built this car...he is an inventor...he is a genius...he is a Holton.

"Wild Bill' and "Flame" are smirking at me as I walked in with my new camera. Well...I will show them...they think they can get away with this...this smirking tee-hee-ha-ha...I have red hair...and I have eyes in the back of my head...heck I have eyes everywhere...ask my kids...I see you "Flame".

So back to what I was saying...before I got sidetracked with pesky "Wild Bill" and "Flame"...jeez such pains. Just look at them..they are planning to buy more parts...I know it...they already have them ordered..."no honey...what...no that charge on the visa was for "cost of goods"...what...no not for me...no it was a customer car"...come on WB...I was not born yesterday...silly.

WB is still trying to justify the nitrous system and and and he says it will help him get in better touch with his man feelings if he has MORE horsepower...yeah right...sure...uh-huh...I need another horse to ride.

Often a customer will ask us how long and how much money and what does it cost....well in honestly how can we give you an honest answer...can you see through paint and rust and tell us how much damage we have to fix when you bring us your car? If you could you would not ask us.

Here is a case in point. This Willy's Jeep belongs to a family that has had it since way back...in fact the man who bought this Willy's was my husband's teacher in High School...we are restoring it for both Bob and his son Bob Jr. But we did not know for sure when we picked it up that the bed was rusted out and the cab was too...once it was stripped we knew...so we had to find a new cab and order a new bed.

And it will look like this Willy's that HSL built..."Flame" is having fun here...he is such a "Wild Bill" clone it is scary...I am wondering if he is up to something...hmmmm...red hair and all...loves flames...and loves cars...hmmmm...a long lost child of ours?

Back to customers asking us how much will it cost? I have horses as you know...I send my young horses to trainers as I do not want to risk getting hurt now and besides let someone who is an "expert" train them...I  grew up riding and herding cattle but I am not a horse trainer. I do not ask how much as to me my horse is my life...I want this horse to know that all is well and no I am not a monster who will eat them for dinner...so yes I will pay what it takes...and I do...always amazes even me...a girl...that guys say to my hubby "Well how much will this cost?" All i can say is "Huh...hello...what planet did you fall off today...how can my man give you an answer?"

However if you just say do it...this is what we can do...and no we are not expensive or ripping you off...we are trying as hard as we can to do the best job we can for you...to bring your dream to reality...so you can drive it and have fun!!! That is what it is all about:)

And yes we can tell you that if you want us to do your car...

You will be with us at the Portland Roadster Show with your restored vehicle.

Portland trusts us to deliver perfect restored or built vehicles...when Holton Secret Lab calls Portland and says we have this customer car to bring...they say OK as they know that Holton Secret Lab does it right...even though we are "Secret." They know our work...potential customers looking at my blog for the first time ever...we are honest and good with what we do...we care about you and your vehicle...we are not an autobody shop...we are a custom restoration shop.

Before

After

In The Process

After

Before

After

Both Vehicles Went To The Portland Roadster Show And Won Best Of Class

To sum up this HSL post...we are worth your investment...your money...your time...call us. We want to build your vehicle and see you enjoy it. We are not in it just for the money folks...yes that is good...but...we mostly care about your dream...after all we would not have built a shop here in a field of dreams.

We strive to do the best job we can with your vehicle and dream...and if the vehicle has been in your family a long time...we understand heritage.

We would not have built our shop here in Juniper Canyon if not for heritage and history. Holton Secret Lab is not your usual restoration shop...we are a shop built with history, heritage and dreams.