COLLECTIBLE CLASSICS

lsewhere in this issue, Classic Porsche devotes several pages to Southern Californiaʼs All Porsche Weekend, which has turned into a canʼtmiss series of events. Part of the festivities revolves around 18 open houses, hosted by prominent specialised shops and companies. One of the most popular stop-overs includes European Collectibles in Costa Mesa.

Looking at the pictures presented here, you will likely understand why. The brick building offers a great vibe, with literally dozens of desirable 356s, 911s and 912s, neatly lined up and ready to sell. Porsche outlets donʼt come much nicer than this place.

The saga of European Collectibles started in 1986, thanks to the vision of Nick Clemence. Growing up in New Zealand, he came to appreciate vintage cars and Porsches in particular at an early age. ʻI began familiarising myself with German engineering as a teenager, by rebuilding any VW I could affordʼ, he adds.

He moved to the USA in the ʼ80s, becoming immersed in a career in the tool and die industry, although he embarked on buying/selling vintage vehicles as well. Back then, trading often entailed local ad papers, such as the Recycler, in which Nick would advertise for ʻAny European Classic Cars: Dead or Aliveʼ. This side business picked up; so much so that he decided to quit his day job and concentrate on developing his car-oriented endeavour full time in ʼ86. By the end of the decade, Nick had already built a faithful clientele including Australia, the UK, Europe and Japan, all helped by the strong overseas economies at the time.

The 1990s truly put European Collectibles on the map, as 1950s and ʼ60s sports cars were once again being appreciated. Many transactions would still be done thanks to the weekly Recycler paper. Sales Manager Chris Casler, who has been with the company for over two decades, ponders: ʻBack then, the Recycler didnʼt list one 911S or 356SC Sunroof coupé, but 10 of them. They would range from $15,000 to $25,000. It was the good old days and fun times. Todayʼs business is much more challenging as we have to figure out where weʼll find your next car.ʼ

The bulk of European Collectiblesʼ sales in the ʼ90s involved British cars, mostly Jaguars, along with a handful of Austin Healeys, MGS, Triumphs and Aston Martins – not forgetting the odd Porsche here and there. Some of these vehicles required work, hence Nick and his crew embarked on an increasing number of light restorations. To get the cars up and running after being parked for five or ten years made them more valuable – many of them landed overseas.

In 1996, Chris Casler approached Nick for a sales position. Chrisʼs expertise was with Porsche 356s, as he grew up with them. He was also involved with the 356 Club and had been carrying out restorations for several years prior to coming to European Collectibles. ʻJust before the internet, Hemmings

“THE 1990S TRULY PUT EUROPEAN COLLECTIBLES ON THE MAP…”

Motor News ads were the most popular for the US marketʼ, he remembers. ʻPhotos were taken with film and had to be developed and sent through the US mail or, what was new back then, Federal Express. I manually printed price lists, advertising the entire inventory internationally and locally. After a few years, more Porsches started to roll into the business and more were being purchased and sold. European Collectiblesʼ focus changed, as domestic US clients began taking notice of our Southern California-based outlet and the economy strengthened in the US.ʼ

Hollywoodʼs movie studios also contacted Nick, as they wanted a Jaguar E-type converted to right-hand drive and painted with the Union Jack flag. Nick thought this was going to be another movie that would come and go, but the ʻShaguar ʼ was born, appearing in the Austin Powers movies. Today, this E-type could be amongst the most valuable in the world.

With Porsches becoming increasingly popular after the turn of the century, European Collectibles began focusing on 356s and 911s, with help from enthusiasts such as Chris Casler and Jeff Trask, who sadly passed away last year. (Jeff was very active in the US Porsche scene as a past president of the 356 Club and founder of the 912 Registry.) In the meantime, the British car market was losing steam, thus concentrating on air-cooled Porsches made sense on a business level.

Todayʼs headquarters are a far cry from Nickʼs first shop. Indeed, he settled in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, in the 1990s – he used a single bay back then. But as trade continued to grow, so did the need for additional space; therefore, the firm has moved twice since. European Collectibles has been on Babcock Street in Costa Mesa, less than two miles from the Pacific Ocean, for 12 years now. The lot housing the facility covers 30,000 square-feet, with a dozen employees attending to daily tasks.

At this point, we should point out that the companyʼs speciality remains buying and selling classic cars, although you might think this is ʻjust another ʼ repair shop by looking at the vehicles receiving attention in the various bays. These cars

“EUROPEAN COLLECTIBLES BEGAN FOCUSING ON 356S AND 911s”

are typically being pampered because European Collectibles has recently purchased them, hence they require some minor maintenance or repairs. It could be changing the seats and carpets, or rebuilding the gearbox and the carburettors… During our visit, the staff was working on a 1964 356C coupé that had been sitting for 10 years, so the fuel and brake systems, distributor and carbs all needed some TLC.

European Collectibles embarks on several complete restorations every year and, though lengthy and less common, these can spread over 18 to 24 months. The crew might spend 350 to 400 hours on 356 bodywork alone. This long process (which involves stripping, prepping, priming, blocking, sanding and painting) takes an average of four months to complete.

The main showroom accommodates over 25 cars, plus an additional five on display under the office building across the way – carports can include another eight vehicles. Moving to the work area, the first two bays equipped with lifts specialise in mechanical interventions, followed by the large assembly area with three more lifts. The next two bays house vehicles requiring bodywork, with the last door hiding the downdraft paint booth.

A separate unit accommodates the Undercarriage Department, which caters for stripping the undercarriage and carrying out rust repairs. The building next to it has a couple of bays devoted to metalwork, in addition to a parts room stacked with bins filled with the most commonly used restoration components. Chris comments: ʻWe do everything in house, except chrome work and interiors. For upholstery, we use multiple local shops, depending on if weʼre working on a Mercedes 300SL, Ferrari 275, Jaguar XKE, Porsche 911 or 356.ʼ

As European Collectibles benefits from a strong reputation, 50 per cent of the inventory for sales comes from repeat customers. Porsches ultimately represent the largest portion of the transactions to this day, although you might see the occasional vintage Jaguar, Mercedes, Ferrari, Aston Martin etc. Still on the Porsche front, 356s remain on top of the sales chart, followed by air-cooled 911s, with 912s in third place. The latter now receive more attention from clients, a far cry from the turn of the century when they were being ignored by many.

From nice turnkey drivers to concours-winning examples, European Collectibles truly has it all. Having a talented staff that can perform most everything on vintage Porsches enhances efficiency, while ensuring the highest level of quality control. But donʼt take our word for it… Next time youʼre in Southern California, just swing by the place to see what the fuss is all about! CP