From Weekend Garage to Restoration Career: Greg Sonders’ Story

Greg Sonders knew how to repair and restore classic cars. What he did not have was a résumé, a recruiting contact or a clear way into the restoration industry.

During the week, Greg worked in body and paint for an insurance-focused collision shop. On weekends, he repaired older cars from a single garage.

He had the skills. Specialty shops needed those skills. Yet the two sides had no reliable way to find each other.

That gap became the reason Classic Car Jobs was created.

A damaged Fiat led to a bigger discovery

The story began when Classic Car Jobs founder Jeff Nowak hit a deer while driving his 1972 Fiat 500 near Philadelphia.

The deer ran away, but the Fiat needed bodywork and paint. Jeff began asking people at local car events who could repair the small Italian classic with the right level of care.

That search led him to Greg.

Greg completed the repair, but something about the situation did not make sense. He was clearly capable of working on classic cars. Why was he only doing that work on weekends?

Greg’s answer revealed a problem that reaches far beyond one mechanic.

As Greg later explained in an interview reported by Hagerty:

“I’ve never had a resume. I wouldn’t even know where to begin to make the switch.”

Almost all of Greg’s work had come through word of mouth. He had years of practical experience, but no easy way to present that experience to restoration shops.

Jeff began researching where someone like Greg could find a career working on classic cars. He found general automotive job sites, recruiters and scattered industry resources. What he did not find was a clear meeting place for specialty shops and the people who wanted to work in them.

So he built one.

Classic Car Jobs launched in 2024 to help mechanics and automotive craftspeople show what they can do—and to help specialty shops find them.

Greg’s experience was valuable, even without a résumé

Greg’s story reflects a common problem in the automotive trades.

Many talented people build their careers through referrals. Their proof is in the cars they have repaired, painted, assembled or fabricated—not in a polished résumé.

They may have:

• Years of body and paint experience
• Photos of completed projects
• Fabrication or welding skills
• Knowledge of older mechanical systems
• Experience correcting poor previous repairs
• References from customers and other technicians
• A reputation within a local car community

Those qualifications matter. But they can remain invisible if the person does not know how to turn them into a job application.

Classic Car Jobs gives candidates a place to organize their experience, upload a résumé and connect with employers that value specialty automotive work.

Candidates can create a free profile, add their skills and manage their résumé. They can also search classic car jobs without needing to know the right shop owner first.

JDS Auto Restoration needed someone like Greg

While Greg was looking for a better path, JDS Auto Restoration was facing the other side of the same problem.

Located in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, JDS handles restoration, repair and performance work. Its projects can involve mechanical work, bodywork, paint, welding, fabrication and careful vehicle assembly.

Shop owner Joe Dutkiewicz needed experienced help. He had tried general employment websites for months and had previously relied on word of mouth.

Neither approach produced the person he needed.

The challenge was not simply finding a general mechanic. Restoration work requires a different mindset.

Replacement panels may not fit correctly out of the box. Parts may need to be adjusted or rebuilt. A panel might need to be fitted several times before it can be welded. The person doing the work needs patience, judgment and respect for the vehicle.

Greg understood that kind of work.

Classic Car Jobs made the connection between Greg and JDS Auto Restoration. The shop hired him as an auto body restoration mechanic.

Joe later gave Hagerty a direct assessment of the hire:

“He’s a good worker.”

It is a simple statement, but it represents exactly what Classic Car Jobs is meant to accomplish: helping a busy specialty shop find a skilled person who was already capable of doing the work.

Today, candidates can learn more about JDS Auto Restoration, see the kind of work the shop performs and review its current openings in one place.

What mechanics can learn from Greg’s story

Greg did not need to become a different person before pursuing restoration work. He needed a better way to show the right employers what he could already do.

That is important for mechanics, body technicians, painters and fabricators who want to work on classic cars but are unsure how to make the move.

Your current skills may transfer

You do not always need years of experience with one rare marque.

Skills from collision repair, general automotive service, fabrication, welding, paint, racing, marine repair and other trades may transfer into restoration work.

The key is explaining how your experience applies.

Instead of writing “body technician,” describe the work:

• Repaired and aligned damaged panels
• Prepared vehicles for paint
• Mixed and matched automotive finishes
• Welded and fabricated replacement sections
• Disassembled and reassembled vehicle interiors
• Corrected previous body repairs
• Protected finished surfaces during assembly

Specific examples help a shop understand what you can contribute.

Your work can help tell your story

If you do not have a traditional résumé, begin with the projects you have completed.

Collect clear photos and write down:

• The vehicle
• The original problem
• Your responsibility
• The tools or process you used
• The final result
• Whether another person can verify your work

You do not need to pretend that you completed an entire restoration alone. Be clear about which parts of the project were yours.

Honesty builds trust.

You do not need to know every shop personally

Word of mouth remains important in the classic car industry, but it should not be the only way to find work.

A candidate profile allows shops outside your immediate network to discover your experience. It can also help you find opportunities that use skills you may not have considered valuable.

If you are ready to explore the field, browse current classic car and restoration jobs.

What shops can learn from this hire

Greg’s story also offers several lessons for restoration businesses.

Skilled candidates may be working outside the restoration industry

Some qualified candidates are currently working at collision centers, dealerships or general repair shops. Others may be doing restoration projects at home or on weekends.

They may want to enter the specialty industry but do not know which shops are hiring.

A focused job listing can reach people who would never learn about the opening through your existing network.

Look at the work, not only the résumé

A résumé is useful, but it is not the only measure of ability.

For hands-on restoration positions, ask candidates to explain previous projects. Review photos when available. Ask what they personally completed, what problems they encountered and how they judged the quality of the finished work.

That conversation may reveal more than a list of past employers.

Explain what makes your opportunity different

Many experienced technicians already have jobs. Your listing needs to explain why they should consider yours.

Include:

• The vehicles they will work on
• The work they will perform
• The pay range
• The schedule
• Benefits
• Shop equipment
• Training or mentorship
• Opportunities to learn new skills
• Photos of the shop and current projects

A candidate should be able to imagine working there.

Our classic car mechanic job description template can help you create a stronger listing. Shops can also use our eight-step hiring guide to plan the full process.

Why Classic Car Jobs exists

Classic Car Jobs did not begin as an idea for a general employment website.

It began with one skilled person who wanted to work on classic cars and one industry that had no simple way to see him.

Greg was not unqualified. JDS Auto Restoration was not unwilling to hire. They were disconnected.

That is the problem Classic Car Jobs is working to solve.

Mechanics deserve to know that careers working on classic, collector and exotic cars are real. Shops deserve a better way to reach people who understand the work and want to build their lives around it.

Not every candidate will be the right match for every shop. No job board can replace a careful interview, reference check or skills evaluation.

But the right introduction can open a door that word of mouth and general job sites never did.

For Greg Sonders and JDS Auto Restoration, that introduction led to a hire.

For Classic Car Jobs, it proved that the idea could work.

Find your next opportunity—or your next employee

If you are a mechanic, painter, body technician, fabricator or automotive professional, search current opportunities and create a profile that shows employers what you can do.

If your shop needs another skilled set of hands, post a job on Classic Car Jobs.

The right person may already be out there. They may simply need a way to find you.