Tucked away on an inconspicuous industrial block in Costa Mesa, Historic Race Engineering is easy to miss. The shop was founded by our old friend and true mechanical genius, Greg Armstrong. Revered by his fellow mechanics and restoration specialists, Greg is one of the last of a dying breed.
Today's visit was more of a casual check up on our old R5 being serviced. It was once owned by Greg himself. Constantly busy, he has grown his business strictly by word of mouth.
The best thing about visiting Historic Race is that you never know what you will stumble upon in the garage. It could be the winning Ferrari 166MM/195s Berlinetta Le Mans car, a Lotus Cortina, an Abarth Monomille, or a pair of R5 turbos. The shop can tackle anything, ranging from a normal service to dramatic restoration work, or even race prep for the Mille Miglia.
While we appreciate the quality work Historic Race offers, we appreciate the way the shop is operated even more. Greg is as humble and honest as they come. The most difficult part about visiting this amazing shop is pulling ourselves away from great stories and vehicles.