began with a simple idea: if you look at vintage automobiles as complete expressions of when, why, and by whom they were built—and give that history and intent as much attention as their looks—you can make them function and feel every bit as special as they appear. For owner and founder Philip Reinhardt, that idea has been taking shape since long before the shop opened its doors in 2020.

Phil grew up in St. George, Maine, drawn to anything old and mechanical. A Gravely tractor from his great‑grandfather forced him to learn the fundamentals of antique engines the hard way: by figuring them out himself. Soon after, he was tinkering with a decaying Willys Jeep and spending weekends at the Owls Head Transportation Museum, where World War II, Korea, and Vietnam veterans patiently showed him how things were done—and why the smallest details mattered.

At 14, Phil was given a 1926 Ford Model T that had spent decades in a chicken coop. With help from museum friends, he brought it back to life and drove it all over Maine. That early experience of resurrecting a true barn find set the tone for everything that followed: careful research, patient hands-on work, and deep respect for a car’s story.

When Phil discovered McPherson College’s Antique Automotive Restoration program—the only accredited four‑year degree of its kind—what had seemed like a hobby suddenly became a serious career path. He graduated summa cum laude in 2019, having studied under leading instructors and worked on significant cars across the country. Internships and later employment at a high‑end New England restoration shop put him hands-on with some of the world’s most important European sports cars: Mercedes 300SL Gullwings, Ferraris, Porsches, and more.

In 2020, the opportunity arose to purchase a facility back home in St. George. Phil returned to Maine and founded Mechanical Arts Vintage Auto Specialists with a clear focus: a dedicated, pre‑1980 shop for clients who value thoughtful, technically correct work, intelligent upgrades where appropriate, and long-term stewardship of their cars.

Since then, the shop has more than doubled in size and grown into a five‑person team whose complementary skills span the full breadth of classic car restoration work—mechanical, metalwork, electrical, machining and beyond. Collectively, the staff brings experience preparing and restoring cars for world‑class events such as Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, Cavallino Classic, Goodwood, and other top‑tier concours, rallies, and historic races—along with deep roots in the New England car community.

Today, Mechanical Arts handles everything from meticulous maintenance to full, show‑quality restorations. Our work ranges from early American cars—like a friction-drive 1916 Metz, to a concours‑level 1931 Ford Model A Roadster—to mid‑century British sports cars such as XK Jaguars, Triumphs and a full show-quality restored 1961 MGA. On the more exotic side, we’re particularly proud of the 1962 Jaguar XKE V8 period-built racer we brought back from true barn‑find condition. That car’s story and revival were compelling enough to be featured twice on Tom Cotter’s “Barn Find Hunters” series, and it now drives as impressively as it looks.

Our mission is straightforward: to preserve, restore, and refine historically significant and special-interest automobiles so they are mechanically as good as—or better than—the day they were built, cosmetically repaired and restored with a details-matter approach, and genuinely usable and enjoyable to drive. Some clients want a car returned to as‑delivered specification. Others want discreet improvements in safety, reliability, or performance. Our job is to understand the owner’s goals and intended use, then make smart, well‑executed choices that respect the spirit and character of the car.

That philosophy comes into sharp focus in our competition and rally work. Over four consecutive entries in the Hemmings Motor News Great Race with a 1931 Reo Royale, we have never failed to reach the finish line, including a 2nd‑place Sportsman division result in 2025. We’ve prepared other teams’ cars as well—a 1966 Mercury S‑55 and a 1928 Packard Speeder among them—tailoring each build to the demands of long-distance, time‑speed‑distance competition.

At the highest end of the spectrum, Mechanical Arts has provided rolling support for the American Bugatti Club Fall Rally, helping keep rare and irreplaceable Bugattis performing reliably over challenging New England routes. Members of our team have also prepared cars for premier events such as the Copperstate 1000, Goodwood, and the Colorado Grand. In every case, the standard is the same: thoughtful preparation, respect for the car’s integrity, and an uncompromising focus on reliability and safety.

Some people look at our scope—pre‑1980 foreign and domestic cars of all types—and ask, “How can one shop possibly be qualified to work on that many different machines?” The answer lies in the diversity of our staff. Each member of the team brings a different background and skill set: from early brass era cars and pre‑war classics to mid‑century European sports cars, Japanese performance cars and more. That breadth means that, collectively, we’ve seen—and solved—a remarkably wide range of problems across makes, models, and eras.

Equally important, we know what we don’t know. When we encounter something truly unusual or challenging, we draw on a deep network of contacts built through McPherson College, high‑end restoration shops, museums, concours and rally events. We know who to call to track down obscure information, rare parts, specialist subcontractors, and historically correct processes. Our clients aren’t just hiring a single shop; they’re gaining access to a national (and sometimes international) community of experts.





-Quality over volume. We are a small, focused operation, and we intend to stay that way. Every project receives direct senior attention and a level of documentation, communication, and thought appropriate  to a significant asset.

-Intelligent, era‑appropriate solutions. We start by understanding the cars original design goals and              intentions, then decide where a faithful approach is best and where a sensitive improvement will better serve the owner’s goals. When we upgrade, we do so cleanly, reversibly, and in keeping with the car’s character.

-Transparency and trust. From pre‑purchase inspections to multi‑year restorations, we communicate clearly about condition, options, and costs. Many of our clients are managing collections at a distance; we operate with that in mind.

-Long‑term stewardship. Our goal is not just to “finish a job,” but to help you enjoy and preserve your car over years and decades, whether that means regular servicing, event support, or carefully planned upgrades.

Mechanical Arts exists for owners who see their cars as more than investments or showpieces. Our clients tend to be serious enthusiasts and collectors—people who expect museum‑level craftsmanship, but who also want to turn the key and drive. For them, we offer something rare: a dedicated vintage auto workshop in coastal Maine with national‑level expertise, capable of handling everything from a preserved barn find to a fully restored, event‑ready classic, tailored to how they actually use their cars.

In short, this is where history comes back to life—carefully, correctly, and ready to be driven.

Mechanical Arts Vintage Auto Specialists 

the whole story...

-Philip Reinhardt

Our priorities reflect the kind of clients we serve:

began with a simple idea: if you look at vintage automobiles as complete expressions of when, why, and by whom they were built—and give that history and intent as much attention as their looks—you can make them function and feel every bit as special as they appear. For owner and founder Philip Reinhardt, that idea has been taking shape since long before the shop opened its doors in 2020.

Phil grew up in St. George, Maine, drawn to anything old and mechanical. A Gravely tractor from his great‑grandfather forced him to learn the fundamentals of antique engines the hard way: by figuring them out himself. Soon after, he was tinkering with a decaying Willys Jeep and spending weekends at the Owls Head Transportation Museum, where World War II, Korea, and Vietnam veterans patiently showed him how things were done—and why the smallest details mattered.

At 14, Phil was given a 1926 Ford Model T that had spent decades in a chicken coop. With help from museum friends, he brought it back to life and drove it all over Maine. That early experience of resurrecting a true barn find set the tone for everything that followed: careful research, patient hands-on work, and deep respect for a car’s story.

When Phil discovered McPherson College’s Antique Automotive Restoration program—the only accredited four‑year degree of its kind—what had seemed like a hobby suddenly became a serious career path. He graduated summa cum laude in 2019, having studied under leading instructors and worked on significant cars across the country. Internships and later employment at a high‑end New England restoration shop put him hands-on with some of the world’s most important European sports cars: Mercedes 300SL Gullwings, Ferraris, Porsches, and more.

In 2020, the opportunity arose to purchase a facility back home in St. George. Phil returned to Maine and founded Mechanical Arts Vintage Auto Specialists with a clear focus: a dedicated, pre‑1980 shop for clients who value thoughtful, technically correct work, intelligent upgrades where appropriate, and long-term stewardship of their cars.

Since then, the shop has more than doubled in size and grown into a five‑person team whose complementary skills span the full breadth of classic car restoration work—mechanical, metalwork, electrical, machining and beyond. Collectively, the staff brings experience preparing and restoring cars for world‑class events such as Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, Cavallino Classic, Goodwood, and other top‑tier concours, rallies, and historic races—along with deep roots in the New England car community.

Today, Mechanical Arts handles everything from meticulous maintenance to full, show‑quality restorations. Our work ranges from early American cars—like a friction-drive 1916 Metz, to a concours‑level 1931 Ford Model A Roadster—to mid‑century British sports cars such as XK Jaguars, Triumphs and a full show-quality restored 1961 MGA. On the more exotic side, we’re particularly proud of the 1962 Jaguar XKE V8 period-built racer we brought back from true barn‑find condition. That car’s story and revival were compelling enough to be featured twice on Tom Cotter’s “Barn Find Hunters” series, and it now drives as impressively as it looks.

Our mission is straightforward: to preserve, restore, and refine historically significant and special-interest automobiles so they are mechanically as good as—or better than—the day they were built, cosmetically repaired and restored with a details-matter approach, and genuinely usable and enjoyable to drive. Some clients want a car returned to as‑delivered specification. Others want discreet improvements in safety, reliability, or performance. Our job is to understand the owner’s goals and intended use, then make smart, well‑executed choices that respect the spirit and character of the car.

That philosophy comes into sharp focus in our competition and rally work. Over four consecutive entries in the Hemmings Motor News Great Race with a 1931 Reo Royale, we have never failed to reach the finish line, including a 2nd‑place Sportsman division result in 2025. We’ve prepared other teams’ cars as well—a 1966 Mercury S‑55 and a 1928 Packard Speeder among them—tailoring each build to the demands of long-distance, time‑speed‑distance competition.

At the highest end of the spectrum, Mechanical Arts has provided rolling support for the American Bugatti Club Fall Rally, helping keep rare and irreplaceable Bugattis performing reliably over challenging New England routes. Members of our team have also prepared cars for premier events such as the Copperstate 1000, Goodwood, and the Colorado Grand. In every case, the standard is the same: thoughtful preparation, respect for the car’s integrity, and an uncompromising focus on reliability and safety.

Some people look at our scope—pre‑1980 foreign and domestic cars of all types—and ask, “How can one shop possibly be qualified to work on that many different machines?” The answer lies in the diversity of our staff. Each member of the team brings a different background and skill set: from early brass era cars and pre‑war classics to mid‑century European sports cars, Japanese performance cars and more. That breadth means that, collectively, we’ve seen—and solved—a remarkably wide range of problems across makes, models, and eras.

Equally important, we know what we don’t know. When we encounter something truly unusual or challenging, we draw on a deep network of contacts built through McPherson College, high‑end restoration shops, museums, concours and rally events. We know who to call to track down obscure information, rare parts, specialist subcontractors, and historically correct processes. Our clients aren’t just hiring a single shop; they’re gaining access to a national (and sometimes international) community of experts.





-Quality over volume. We are a small, focused operation, and we intend to stay that way. Every project receives direct senior attention and a level of documentation, communication, and thought appropriate  to a significant asset.

-Intelligent, era‑appropriate solutions. We start by understanding the cars original design goals and              intentions, then decide where a faithful approach is best and where a sensitive improvement will better serve the owner’s goals. When we upgrade, we do so cleanly, reversibly, and in keeping with the car’s character.

-Transparency and trust. From pre‑purchase inspections to multi‑year restorations, we communicate clearly about condition, options, and costs. Many of our clients are managing collections at a distance; we operate with that in mind.

-Long‑term stewardship. Our goal is not just to “finish a job,” but to help you enjoy and preserve your car over years and decades, whether that means regular servicing, event support, or carefully planned upgrades.

Mechanical Arts exists for owners who see their cars as more than investments or showpieces. Our clients tend to be serious enthusiasts and collectors—people who expect museum‑level craftsmanship, but who also want to turn the key and drive. For them, we offer something rare: a dedicated vintage auto workshop in coastal Maine with national‑level expertise, capable of handling everything from a preserved barn find to a fully restored, event‑ready classic, tailored to how they actually use their cars.

In short, this is where history comes back to life—carefully, correctly, and ready to be driven.

Our priorities reflect the kind of clients we serve: