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By Chrysa Smith
It’s a British Invasion. MG’s, Triumphs, Jaguars, Lotus. I’m talking classic ones; from the ’50s and ’60s. If you remember them, you’ll remember their sleek good looks and sporty performance. And, if you’re lucky enough to still own one, you may just know a little about Ragtops & Roadsters.
Located in a hundred-year-old garage-style building in Perkasie, everything about this company is vintage. I walked through the door to find something reminiscent of an English country mechanic shop. Wood floors and brick walls lay the background for what goes on in this 6,000 square foot building. A ragtop here; roadster there, this is one of two locations where needy classics come for restoration and preservation. Period music played in the background as several of their six experienced mechanics worked underneath hoods and bodies.
So, as a classic car novice, I asked the obvious. What’s the difference between a ragtop and roadster? “Ragtop is slang for a convertible car with a soft top—typically cloth (canvas) but often vinyl these days,” says Bryan Joslin, Managing Director of the company. “Roadster is also a somewhat loose definition but is typically reserved for open sports cars. Typically, a two-seater, which may have a crude rudimentary top assembly, if at all.” These Great Britains are standard issue here. For the company, it’s their sweet spot. That’s where their founder and crew of technicians got their start. “The business has been around in one form or another for 30 years.
Located in a two-story building in Perkasie, the founder, Michael Engard, had serviced many British sports cars. According to Bryan, “In 2008, he purchased Pollock Auto Restoration in Pottstown, which he largely ran as a separate business that focused primarily on classic American vehicles. The business was most noted for its prize-winning work restoring American Brass Era vehicles.” As time went on, changes and expansion led to what is fast becoming a more united company, with the Perkasie location transitioning into a multi-use space, with mechanical work still being done, and a showroom/gathering space added. Bryan describes it as a customer engagement facility, where he says. “We’re hoping to hold additional automotive-themed social activities—a place for select car enthusiasts to mingle with other car enthusiasts, without the traditional limitations of a single-interest car club.” And with the addition of a dealer’s license, it may soon become the place where you may select one of these beauties as your own
Then there’s the 26,000 square foot Pottstown ‘shop.’ It is here where they do the paint work, interiors and rehaul major portions of these classics. So, you may ask what exactly is a vintage car? Bryan says, “It’s debatable. 25 years and older is classic vintage. The realm is pre-1990’s.” That’s now. But it’s a moving target. As the calendar turns, vintage becomes newer and newer, as client’s ages and their ‘automotive babes’ don’t seem that very old. Bryan says, “There’s a 30 year bubble the follows close to empty nester stage. Our clients may go back to being interested in their original car and have the means to now restore or purchase one.” Or perhaps, something else they might covet. “Because the definition of ‘classic’ changes with the times and demographics, we’re seeing more interest in cars from the ’70s and ’80s.” Other European cars like BMS, Mercedes, Porsche and Alfa Romeo have made their way onto the scene; even Japanese classics like the Datsun 240Z and Toyota Land Cruiser. “We’re evolving with clients’ interests to stay relevant to these enthusiast communities,” Bryan notes.
“The starting point in restoration is an evaluation,” says Bryan. “We assess whether the car is a candidate. Some cars look good externally, but inside, there’s rust, questionable repairs, layers of body filler. We have an eye toward what the end will be. This is in line with the customer’s needs. How often will the car be driven? To a Sunday picnic? Or to a prestigious competition?” Restoration means rebuilding cars by hand. “It involves all mechanical systems, paint and body work, trim and upholstery,” says Bryan. “Every component gets touched again.” So, what’s the oldest car they’ve got in their shop now? A 1915 Pierce Arrow. Bryan jokingly says, “Think Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang.” And so, it is. They replaced an old cast bronze carburetor, without a repair manual. Fellow-Pierce-Arrow owners helped them get through that project.
As for preservation, it’s all about retaining that original look—character of the car. “The reality is that specialized cars require unique paint colors or hardware,” Bryan says. “Replacement parts are our biggest challenge. Some brands like Jaguar, MG and a few others have a good supply, but sometimes, quality and options are thinner these days. The difference between older model cars and those of today comes down to the electronics. “Most cars from the ’50s and ’60s were hand-built. The lack of complicated systems makes them easier to work on. It was all accessible by hand, Bryan adds. “Now, it’s all pre-assembled.”
But one of Bryan’s favorite projects that he’s got going on is a BMW507 from the 1950s. “It’s a rare, two seat roadster,” he says. “Only 253 were hand built with an aluminum body.” They’re working on rebodying it from scratch. The body is being replicated and hand-body forming is time-consuming. The car, worth a few million dollars when it goes up for sale, has been in their shop for six months. This has been an unusually long job. They try to complete work as soon as possible for cost efficiency, getting that owner back behind the wheel for optimal driving seasons, and ushering in the next beauty that lies waiting in storage. There’s no shortage of work.
Ragtops and Roadsters will also do pre-inspections for vintage cars before being purchased—offering peace of mind for their would-be owners. And they will seek out classics for those in the market. All of this is done through their involvement in car communities and clubs. “We invite clubs in for meetings/gatherings,” Bryan says. “It’s important to be integral to the communities.” While located in Bucks, their reach is extensive, stretching up and down the east coast.
When asked if there is a typical profile of their customer, Bryan says, it’s mostly sentimental car enthusiasts. “The nature of the hobby is that people can do this once their kids are out of the house—usually early retirement.” It’s an interest that brings all sorts of enthusiasts together—from execs to blue collar folks. The one common thread is that most cars are sentimental for their owners. As Bryan points out, this is a labor of love. “The cost doesn’t always make sense from an analytical standpoint,” he says. One of his customer’s is having a Porsche 911 restored. A longer than average project, the car holds great sentimental value as the owner’s grandfather took him for ice cream in it when he was a boy.” Memories come to life.
Many of their cars have won awards at prestigious shows like the Concours d’Elegance—a most critically judged show where well-versed judges look for imperfections. Others are for simple enjoyment. As Ragtops and Roadsters looks toward the future, the bubble will move with them—working with cars from the ’70s, ’80s and beyond.
Like to know more? Visit them during their annual open house on May 14th, when the entire block in front of the store will become a classic car show. Ragtops & Roadsters is located at 203 S. 4th St. Perkasie, PA. For more information, call 215-257-1202; email info@ragtops.com or visit www.ragtops.com.