THE EUROPEAN CONNECTION
We drop in on one of Socal’s leading Porsche restoration specialists
“HENK ALWAYS HAD A CERTAIN FASCINATION FOR PORSCHES…”
Foreigners with an interest in vintage automobiles have been drawn to Southern California for decades, due in part to its amazingly rich car culture. Great weather pretty much all year round doesnʼt hurt either. Ask Carparc USA owner Henk Baars. He grew up in Holland, a country well known for its classic car scene, and came to appreciate Americaʼs West Coast back in the ʼ90s, on one of his numerous business trips.
Henk always had a certain fascination for Porsches, as he explains: ʻI thought they were rather simple, not as romantic as British cars with their walnut dash etc. But I loved working on Porsches – I learned the mechanical ins and outs during my requisite stay in the Dutch army back in the ʼ70s. Everything was easily accessible, unlike British cars that occasionally require removing the bonnet and the complete engine for basic repairs. With a Porsche, you can drop an engine within an hour. The design was far ahead of other manufacturers.ʼ He later remained involved in the automobile industry, owning a couple of firms in his homeland, which restored vintage cars and specialised in parts for British cars – and Porsches soon after. Henk greatly enjoyed his various visits to So-cal to buy vehicles, so he decided to sell his companies as well as his belongings to start a new life under the California sun. The year was 2000.
He quickly became immersed in a business pertaining to the wholesaling of vintage automobiles, using a small shop in Southern California. His work also involved building rally cars, 911s in particular, for clients in Europe; but his passion for Porsches
ultimately led to opening Carparc USA in 2009. By his own account, it wasnʼt the best time for such an endeavour, considering the poor shape of the economy. The exchange rate with the European currency did not help either, hence his decision to concentrate on the local market.
Carparc USA eventually evolved into a classic car dealer (consignment included) that doubles as a restoration shop. ʻWe specialise in early 911s, but also handle some 356s and 912s,ʼ ponders Henk. ʻAbout 80 per cent of our business is restoration, the rest being the sale of cars from our inventory – Iʼm very picky about the vehicles we sell. Porsches represent 95 per cent of our business. We occasionally mix in other rare or good quality European cars, Italian in particular. It seems that quite a few Porsche owners have a weakness for Italian cars.ʼ
Settling in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, appeared to be the right move, being a pleasant area and having a very high concentration of Porsches and classic cars. Henk started on Pomona Avenue in Costa Mesa in a fairly small unit, although he ran out of space shortly after. He therefore moved to the current unit next door, which covers a sizable 4500sqft, not counting the mezzanineʼs 1500sqft used to store parts.
ʻI find this floor space ideal, as I prefer to focus on quality rather than quantity,ʼ he adds. ʻAnd if you work in a quality environment, you can deliver quality products. This is why I purposely made the showroom part of the shop. It is appealing to visitors and clients; they feel engaged, having access to everything.ʼ
The company prides itself in being able to perform almost all restoration tasks in house: bodywork, body prep, welding, mechanical interventions (building race engines included), electrical and even paint, with a booth located next to the building. Upholstery is handled by a renowned shop in
nearby Escondido, though Henkʼs team reinstall every piece in the cars. The proper tooling obviously comes in handy, such as a chassis table with the correct Porsche fixtures from the ʼ60s and ʼ70s.
Walking inside the building, you will first enter an office that also serves as showroom, currently accommodating an unrestored ʼ66 Slate Grey 911 coupé. The large space attached serves to reassemble the vehicles, including one smaller area devoted to engines and transmissions. A separate room is being used for the ʻdirty workʼ, such as taking an old flat-six apart. Finally, a section of the building houses the welding/repair shop. Letʼs not forget the mezzanine converted into a storage space for used parts, as explained by Henk: ʻIʼve saved a lot of them over the years, but I continue buying them. I donʼt sell too many, as I keep them for future projects.ʼ
We should comment on the stylish looks of the interior, with large photos/posters plastered over the walls and a clean work area. The place feels cozy, with even a few sofas to make visitors welcome – having a few Classic Porsche issues at hand doesnʼt hurt, either! There is even an ʻunrestorableʼ 911 displayed as art on the mezzanine.
Henk works with a staff of four, who each have their area of expertise, specifically shop manager Adam Jayne (engine, transmission and tuning), Will Sproule (social media/advertising, mechanic, assembly, interior), Douglas Waxler (shop assistant) and the experienced Jaimie Sanchez (welding and body repairs).
The crew works mainly on 911s, as they represent about 80 per cent of the Porsches visiting these grounds. Race cars occasionally make their way through the shop, in addition to very early 911s, since Carparc USA has gained a reputation in that field. ʻThe 1964 cars are very well known to us – we fully restored two of them,ʼ comments Henk.
With over three decades of Porsche experience, his company has gained quite a reputation in Porsche circles, helped by his dedicated team of talented and passionate specialists. Carparc USA has been known for its excellent open house, hosted during the All Porsche Weekend (see CP #53). But you donʼt need to wait until the winter of 2019 to visit the place. Feel free to stop by anytime to see what the fuss is all about. CP
“911S REPRESENT ABOUT 80 PER CENT OF THE VISITING PORSCHES…”