Name: Michael Gassman

Company Name: Gassman Automotive Products LTD.

Location: Waynesboro, VA

Years of Experience: 35

Specialty: We are a full-service restoration shop, specializing in British Sports cars but with experience in German, Italian, American and also prewar and Brass era. We are capable of wheeling panels, aluminum bodies, interior, engine and gearbox rebuilding. We’re carburetor specialists and do full assembly and race mods. We also do component building and custom fabrication/machining, as well as award-winning paint and body work.

What sparked your interest in collector vehicles? I restored my first car at 13 and was always exposed to car restoration by my father.

 What do you consider to be the most rewarding part of this career? The people and the challenges. I personally love doing research on the vehicles we restore, and enjoy fabrication work.

How did you get started in your career? I went to college for machine technology and advanced to journeyman as a tool and die maker.

What was your most challenging project, and why? We performed a full restoration on a 1951 Ferrari 212 Vignale prototype, which went on to receive 99.997 points at Cavallino.

What has been the high point of your career so far? Having a car at Pebble beach three times, a car shown at the Quail, and setting multiple world records at auctions are definitely up there. But receiving the first RPM Restorers Award was more personal, and reflective of our shop as a whole.

 What’s your greatest concern regarding this interest and industry? That we can keep the interest up for the next generation.

What advice would you give to someone interested in a vehicle restoration/preservation career? Go for it, and put your whole heart into it. There are any number of mediocre shops, but only a rare handful of super high-quality shops.