By BEN CAMERON
A PAKENHAM mechanic’s passion for cars and the mechanically different will see him defend his title at a major Dandenong car show next month.
James Gallaher’s VE Commodore, complete with television, and now with recently added Nintendo Wii in the boot, took out first place in the modified section at last year’s Dandenong Valley All Holden Car Show.
James, who moved to Pakenham seven years ago, is one of those lucky blokes whose passion has become his full-time job.
Between 7am and 7pm each weekday, the 30-year-old is at his Pakenham garage restoring cars from the old school to the more modern.
So how does that go down with his partner?
“She’s improved,” he laughed.
“At the start she had her moments, she said I spend too much time here.”
His love of cars began at 16 years of age after he did work experience with a mechanic in Wantirna.
And, guided by his grandfather and uncle’s love of all things four wheels, who also worked for GMH, there was no chance he was ever going to do something else with his life.
“This is what I do, this is my passion, this is why I’m here seven days a week,” he said.
“My garage isn’t big enough to play with all these cars.
“It was more of a hobby (at the start), I put my heart and soul into this.”
He said some sage advice from his uncle put him on the right road.
“He said do something right the first time, if something is worth doing,” he said.
“Always respect a customer’s car, treat it like it’s your own car.
“I’m fussy, I make sure a customer’s car is right.
“Actually, I’m more of a friend to them, they’re not just customers to me, I make sure their cars are Mickey Mouse.
His two boys have inherited their father’s love of cars.
“They’re eight and six, they’re already starting to learn that you respect what you own,” he said.
“The six-year-old can already strip the inside of a car out, he knows how to undo stuff, make things, pull stuff apart.
“They know how to start a car, check brakes, they help me if cars need to be moved and steer it to where to needs to be.
He’s excited about returning to the Dandenong car show.
“The passion of seeing nice cars out there (gets me excited), it’s all about people showing off what they own,” he said.
“So they’re not just sitting in the garage gathering dust.
“Last year we played DVDs out of the boot of the VE. We couldn’t get rid of the kids, the parents couldn’t pull them away from the car.
“We built that car to be a little different.”
The Dandenong Valley All Holden Car Show is on at Greaves Reserve, Dandenong Showgrounds, on Sunday 12 April.
