Classic Cars · Das Auto Service · Sofia
Restored and maintained to the standard they were built to.
Air-cooled Porsche, the Volkswagen Group classics and the modern classics that followed. Engine, body, paint, interior and electrics under one roof. Every stage is documented and becomes part of the car's history.
Maintaining a classic is a thousand small decisions. Restoring one, even more. We make each one with the original car as the reference, and we write each one down.
Original first
Factory specifications, period-correct materials and genuine parts wherever they exist. Where they do not, we discuss the alternative with you and why we propose it.
Nothing hidden
Rusted body sections are replaced with new metal, never hidden with filler. Filler is a finishing material, not a repair. You see the car bare before it is painted.
Everything documented
Every part is tagged and photographed as it comes off. Every decision, invoice and photograph goes into the car's digital record.
What we do
Engine and gearbox
An air-cooled flat-six or flat-four is rebuilt on the bench, not in the car. Everything comes apart, everything is measured, and the numbers decide what is reused and what is replaced.
Carburettors and mechanical injection are overhauled and set up to the engine. Gearboxes are rebuilt when needed with new synchros and bearings and shimmed properly.
- Block, cylinders, heads and crankshaft measured against factory tolerances
- Matching-numbers engines and gearboxes kept with the car, always
Body and metalwork
The body goes on the alignment bench and is measured before anything is cut. We record the panel gaps, the fit of the doors and lids and the shape of every curve, so we know what the car looked like before and what it should look like after.
Corroded metal is removed to clean steel and replaced with new panels or hand-made sections. Welds follow the factory pattern.
- Measured and photographed before disassembly, not after
- Original steel preserved wherever it can be saved
- Seams, gaps and drain holes finished the way the factory did them
Paint
Paint only looks flawless when the metal underneath is prepared properly.
Then the original colour, in the period-correct finish. A classic should not look like a new car. It should look like an old car that has been exceptionally well cared for.
- Original colour code, matched to the car's own reference areas
- Underbody, door shuts and engine bay finished with the same care as the outside
- The car is polished by hand, without excessive machine polishing to a mirror finish.
Interior, electrics and diagnostics
Seats, carpets, headliners and dashboards are restored with period materials, matched to the year and specification. Wiring is repaired properly or replaced with a correct loom, not patched.
For the later classics, the 964, 993, Audi quattro and Golf GTI generations, we use genuine Volkswagen Group diagnostic equipment to read what the car is telling us.
- Period-correct materials, stitching and trim details
- Every circuit tested before the interior goes back in
- Genuine diagnostic tools for the first generations of "prehistoric" electronics
Parts
We order through proven sources for classic-car parts: Porsche, Volkswagen Classic Parts and our own supplier in Germany. Not everything is still in production. Porsche Classic alone keeps more than 80,000 parts available and reissues more every year.
- Genuine first, reproduction only with your agreement
- Every part number recorded in the car's file
- Original parts removed from the car are kept and returned to you
How we work
Seven stages. You see the car and the budget at every one of them. A service goes through only the stages it needs; a full restoration goes through all of them.
Inspection
We look at the car together, on the lift, and talk about what you want it to be.
Assessment and plan
A written assessment, a budget by stage and an honest opinion on what is worth doing and what is not.
Disassembly and record
Every part off, tagged, photographed and listed. This is where the real condition of the car shows.
Metal, body and paint
Alignment bench, metalwork, bare metal, primer, colour. We invite you to see the body before the paint goes on.
Mechanical rebuild
Engine, gearbox, brakes, suspension and steering rebuilt to specification and tested.
Interior and electrics
Trim, glass, seals, wiring and instruments, fitted and checked circuit by circuit.
Final checks and handover
We invite you to see the car together, the work that went into it, and to enjoy the result.
What you receive
- Your car, finished the way we agreed
- A digital record in CarPort with every stage, photograph, part and invoice
- The original parts that were taken off
In the workshop
Cars we are working on and have worked on.
Porsche 356 B 1600
Cream, Swedish club sticker still in the window
Mechanical work, service and parts for a 356 that has clearly been loved. Genuine Bosch ignition parts through the official Porsche channel, and the original 1600 engine still in its place.
Porsche 356 Cabriolet
Engine removed and stripped down
The white Porsche 356 Cabriolet is on the lift, with its air-cooled engine removed and positioned underneath. On the workbench, the cylinders, cylinder heads, pushrods and rocker arms are laid out and labelled, while the carburettor body has been dismantled for repair. We use genuine Porsche Classic 20W50 engine oil.
Porsche 911, G-series
Engine out, everything gets measured
An air-cooled 911 in for an engine-out job: the unit on the bench, the engine bay inspected, suspension and brakes checked while the car is on the lift.
Porsche 356 Speedster
The car everyone stops to look at
Service and care for a Speedster, the one car on the floor that makes every mechanic walk a little slower on the way past.
Lamborghini Diablo
A classic that became one because it was the dream of every one of us. A dream that hung on the wall as a poster.
The Volkswagen Group era started later for Lamborghini, but a Diablo is a classic by any definition. Body, mechanics and the V12 looked after with the same attention.
Details
By marque
Each marque has its own owners, its own weak points and its own parts channels. Tell us the model, or talk to a service advisor.
Porsche
356, 911 up to the 993, 912, 914, 924, 944, 968 and 928.
Volkswagen
Beetle, Bus T1 to T3, Karmann Ghia, Golf Mk1 and Mk2, Scirocco and Corrado.
Audi
Ur-quattro, Coupé, 80 and 90, 100 and 200, V8, S2 and RS2.
Buying
Looking for a classic?
Tell us the model, the condition you want and the budget you have in mind. We search in Germany and across Europe, inspect the car on site and send you a written report with photographs before you commit.
If it needs work, the plan and the budget come from the team that will do the work. Import, enclosed transport and registration can all be handled by us.
The team
One team, one standard.
Behind every car are technicians who have spent years on Volkswagen Group engines, gearboxes and electronics, and a body and paint department with genuine, manufacturer-approved equipment. One location in Sofia, one team, one standard.
FAQ
Questions owners ask
How much does a restoration cost?
It depends on the car, its condition and the result you want. After the inspection you get a written assessment and a budget by stage, and we keep to it or tell you early if something changes.
How long does it take?
It depends on the scope and on the parts. Mechanical work takes weeks or months; a full restoration often a year or more. Parts availability sets the pace, and you follow the progress with photographs and reports.
Original or restomod?
Both, done properly. We will tell you honestly how each choice affects the value and the drive of your car before you decide.
What if a part no longer exists?
A reissued genuine part, a reproduction we trust, or a repair of the original. You hear the options and the prices before anything is ordered.
Can you find a car for me?
Yes. We agree the model and budget, search in Germany and across Europe, inspect on site and report in writing. Import and transport can be ours to handle too.
The car is in pieces or does not run. Can you take it?
Yes. Enclosed transport to the workshop, including for cars that have not moved in years. Boxes of parts are welcome; we will inventory them.
Enquiry
Tell us about your car
Whether it needs a service, an engine or a full restoration, start with a conversation. We will discuss the car, its condition and the honest next steps.