A Face in the Crowd
MIKE KING, J.D.’s British Cars
How long have you been working in car restoration, and do you prefer the term “restoration” over “repair?” I was actually born into hot rods. My father and my uncles were all racers. At this shop, as long as it’s antique and British, we do restoration and repairs.
Do customers ever get twitterpated about trusting you with their cars and money? We have J.D. at the front door. He’s a really frank kind of guy, so we don’t get a lot of those types of problems. We don’t work on anyone’s transportation, and we’re not getting anyone back and forth from work. The stuff we work on sits in people’s garages most of the time. Basically, if you’re playing with these toys, you’ve got to know it’s an expensive hobby.
What’s the best British car on the market now? Even though it’s not a true import, I’d have to say the TVR, because it’s a pure sports car.
What does your wife think of your occupation? She got me into this mess. She bought an MG, and I had to take care of it.
What would you be doing if you weren’t working on cars? I’d probably be in the electrical business somewhere...or drinking heavily.
What did you think about the car in the Austin Powers movies? Well, it’s a British car, but my favorite car movie would have to be The Love Bug. They had some great cars in that movie, and some beautiful cinematography.
