Here to Stay

My parents moved to the states from England. Fortunately for me they brought their beloved Mini with them. Classic British cars are my life, and always will be. As kids, my twin brother and I spent countless weekends riding around in the back of the family Mini Cooper searching out interesting and fun British cars. You wouldn’t believe the hidden gems out there—we’re still finding them. When we spotted something that caught our interest, we’d knock on the door and ask if they thought about selling it. Nine times out of ten, we’d pick it up the next day.

This is my father, Peter Jurgens, in 1980 working on a Rolls-Royce…

My family owns and operates British Sports Cars in San Luis Obispo, California, so I’ve had the rare privilege of growing up surrounded by legendary automobiles and the mechanics that keep them running. Every single day people wander in from the streets, drawn in by a car parked outside that sparks a memory and gets their heart racing.

Honestly, the British built the best cars in the world. They are bold, exciting, and pure fun. There is nothing that beats jumping in my Austin Healey 100/4 with my girlfriend and heading for the coast. Hitting the open road in a piece of timeless automotive history is an enviable pursuit. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy turning a few heads.

…and 30 years later this is me working on the same car in the same shop.

Perhaps the best attribute about British cars is their uncomplicated beauty. It’s a true testament to their engineering that they’re so easy to work on, while at the same time they are powerful, performance machines. These sports cars are here to stay. They’d better be—we still have a lot to learn from them. I for one am determined to keep the tradition of elegance, beauty, power, performance, and fun alive for generations to come. If you know someone—it doesn’t matter how old he or she is—who has yet to experience what it feels like to hit the road in a classic British sports car, what are you waiting for?

By Justin Jurgens Visit Justin’s shop at www.britishsportscars.com