Classic restorations drive firm's growth in Yerington

When people admire classic and vintage cars, the flash is in the paint and the chrome. But the dash is under the hood.

That's where the work of Moses Ludel, owner of Moses Ludel.com, LLC begins. His specialty is blueprint engine, transmission, steering and axle rebuilding.

Theses cars are stars. Such as the 1958 Plymouth Tornado that Ludel worked on in preparation for its sale this month at the premier Atlanta auction house, Red Baron's. The owner invested $150,000 to restore the one-of-a-kind space age concept car.

For two years, along with his wife and business partner Donna, Ludel has operated from a 2,400-square-foot facility near Yerington. The rural location isn't a problem, says Ludel, because it's primarily a mail-order business.

That's right: 350-pound engines come to him, shipped by common carriers such as Viking Freight. It's not unusual to find 700 pounds in the daily mail.

Not only are true classic car collectors willing to ship their prize components; Ludel takes work only by appointment. A few days ago, he told a Packard owner that the earliest appointment wasn't until next year.

Would additional employees shorten the waiting list?

"I'm reticent to expand and take on others because of quality control," says Ludel. He's got a long history and reputation in the industry that he wants to preserve.

"Like most people who grew up in the '60s, I had an interest in cars," he says. As a teen he worked at service stations in Minden and Gardnerville. Years later, married with children, he attended college and graduated with honors and a focus on professional writing. Automotive journalism was a natural.

Ludel worked as feature writer and technical editor for specialty publications such as Popular Hot Rodding, Guide to Muscle Cars, Fabulous Mustangs and Dobbs' Corvette Fever. And wrote eight automotive technical books. And taught automotive, welding and diesel mechanics courses at the adult education level.

Hence, the claim on his Web site, www.mosesludal.com that he offers 38 years of authoritative mechanical expertise available to restorers and collectors of 1928-1971 American classic and muscle cars.

The academic bent is evident in his shop, which houses four bookcases of reference books. "I'm meticulous about research and detail."

However, that expert work isn't cheap. It can take up to 60 hours to turn around a restoration, says Ludel. An engine assembly can cost $7,500 to $18,000. The restoration of a vintage Dynaflow, like the 1953 Buick transmission he recently rebuilt, ranges in cost from $6,500 to $7,200.

Collectors are willing to invest however, because at auction, that restored classic can bring $160,000.

The challenge in this business, he says, comes in providing a correct estimate of the time that will be involved in a restoration project. It's challenging because of the sometimes-difficult task of getting the right parts. After all, these cars have been out of production for decades.

And it's got to be authentic. The work, he stresses, is restorative, not rebuilding. The reason: These autos are owned by true collectors, not hobbyists.

And collectors converge on the area for classic car shows: Hot August Nights in Reno, Fun Days in Wellington (Smith Valley), and Spring Fling in Yerington.

All that, says Ludel, makes Yerington a strategic place to be.

"Hot August Nights provides business access to the swap meet, ideal for tracking down parts," he says.