When you see what Ian Holgate started with, and what he finished with, its no surprise that his skills are being sought the world over.
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The passion for bringing cars back to their former glory, and even sometimes eclipsing that, has been a lifelong passion.
“I just took a liking to them. I guess it’s the car I grew up with, or cars I grew up with, as Dad had a garage,” Mr Holgate said.
The 1926 Oldsmobile 30-D sedan took five years to restore, including a world-wide search for original parts to bring the car back to mint condition.
Founded in the United States of America by Ransom E. Olds in 1897, the Olds Motor Vehicle Company was renowned for its quality, engineering and style.
In its 107-year history, it produced over 35 million vehicles, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory. When it was phased out in 2004, Oldsmobile was the oldest surviving American automobile marque, and one of the oldest in the world, after Daimler, Peugeot and Tatra.
When Mr Holgate found his Oldsmobile it was a rusted wreck in Batlow. Years before, the car was used as a mail delivery car, ’in its dying days’, until it seemingly couldn’t be saved. That is, until it was found by Mr Holgate.
Now rescued and restored, Mr Holgate’s Oldsmobile has crossed the country; travelling to Brisbane, Melbourne, Tasmania, central Australia and Uluru, and has people around the world seeking his expertise.
Mr Holgate has restored other cars, and his passion isn't limited to vintage machines.
“I’ve got a late model V-8 Falcon too. I don’t know I guess I took a liking to them,” Mr Holgate said.
Just don’t ask him to lend it out for weddings.
“I try to avoid using it for weddings,” he said.