Classic cars are classified as a lucrative market. The financial technology company, Smart Asset, even reported classic cars as a good investment in 2021.
HighLine Classics (@highlineclassics), a Ford Bronco restoration and build shop, is globally ranked among the top five Bronco shops. This title isn't a statement the team takes lightly, as the company's reputation speaks for itself. Founder, Josh Dougherty says he’s proud to say that his clients don't even visit the showrooms before ordering a vehicle. They’re so familiar with the care and craftsmanship the company is known for that they have complete trust in the final product. But what sets HighLine Classics product apart from other classic car builders? Let’s find out.
Knowledgeable Leadership
The HighLine Classics story starts with Josh Dougherty, who started his automotive career as a marketing executive in the tech industry. Dougherty says he’s always been an avid fan of collecting and restoring classic cars. After working in the corporate world for the first half of his career, Dougherty realised he enjoyed his restoration hobby more than his day job and made the move to start his own business – HighLine Classics. Dougherty set up the company with a business model of collecting and restoring classic Broncos, and building them to the highest standards in the world. “The Bronco craze was really heating up around the time they got into the business,” he says, and they wanted to capitalise on it. Dougherty’s expertise in the market alongside his team’s mechanical knowledge proved to be a winning combination as they started building Broncos. In no time, HighLine Classics was ranked as one of the best global shops for Bronco restoration.
Skilled Staff
HighLine Classics says their mechanical team that works on restoring Broncos has a passion for classic cars that shows in their work. Their attention to detail reflects Dougherty’s own care for classic car design and his team’s desire to build the best product possible. These guys don't do restoration as a hobby. For the HighLine Classics team, it's about building a Bronco that leaves their shop as a brand-new Bronco. This dedication is apparent in their work. The classic lines of an original Bronco alongside the modern-day comforts of a versatile vehicle can't be found anywhere else. The team says their primary goal for 2021 is to attract more of this passionate talent to their shop in order to continue growing, so they can increase the volume of vehicles they can restore in a year.
Technology Inside, Classic Look Outside
For some, a classic car's biggest drawback is how much mechanical technology has advanced since it was produced, and how outdated the classics are. Because of this, buying a classic car is a turn-off for some. But HighLine Classics works around this by giving their buyers the classic body of a Bronco with an engine and transmission that uses today's technology. One of the more exciting developments HighLine Classics says it has in the works is the introduction of an Electric Bronco. The exterior will still have the classic look, but under the hood will be a powerful electric motor, marketed towards those environmentally conscious collectors.
A Dedicated Facility
With so many amateur collectors flipping classic cars these days, it’s hard to know who to trust and where to buy a classic or have one restored. However, HighLine Classics isn't some fly-by-night organisation. Dougherty and his team have set the business up in rural Oregon, taking advantage of the wide-open spaces available for commercial enterprises. The shop currently covers 11,000 square feet, allowing HighLine Classics to build multiple vehicles at once and create more of an assembly line style process. Dougherty says he intends to expand the facility to 20,000 square feet within the next year.
A World-Class Reputation
If you've ever heard of HighLine Classics, either through the news or on Instagram, their reputation stands out as one of the best classic Ford Bronco shops worldwide. Dougherty believes they developed this reputation partly by putting their heart and soul into each Bronco they manufacture, but also just by doing the right thing and taking care of the customer. The entire operation focuses on quality product, says Dougherty. Every aspect of every Bronco they produce is held to a high standard of quality, with employees wanting to bring their creations to life, he says. Buyers benefit from this dedication to the craft and the high production value of the finished product. HighLine Classics is one of the few places in the world you can get a classic Ford Bronco that's restored to a significant level higher than the original product.
Choosing Quality For a Build
Rebuilding a classic car isn't a job for an everyday mechanic. It requires professionals that have dedicated their lives to the art of recreating a classic look and feel. Combine that with the technology upgrades that HighLine Classics offers, and it's apparent what you get with their products is a cut above the rest. Quality doesn't come overnight from someone who designs and rebuilds classics in their garage. It comes from a shop that's dedicated its entire purpose to creating a high-quality product that's second to none.