Philadelphia’s No Kill Car Shelter has been taking broken-down vehicles that would normally be headed for the dump and transforming them into ferocious road demons reminiscent of the dystopian Mad Max franchise.
The “no-sacrifice” retreat has recently gained a huge following on Instagram, with the revamped speed demons conquering the roads of Port Richmond in eye-catching videos that garner millions of views.
Founder Brian Smith, 42, is pleased with his shop’s newfound fame, thanks in large part to his business partner and social media manager, Sage Binder. But Smith said he’ll likely continue to pursue his passion even if the fame fades.
“It’s about keeping as many of these cars running as possible,” he said. The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Of the shop’s many “bad machines,” the two that have attracted the most attention are what he considers the Nomad Max (originally a 1955 Chevy Nomad) and the Seneca (a 1960 Dodge Dart atop a 1984 Chevy C30 Dually dump truck).
Pictured: Nomad Max from No Kill Car Shelter, a combination of Chevy Nomad and Mad Max
The Seneca pulls out of the store’s driveway and accelerates a few seconds later.
Both cars were destined for the scrapyard, but according to the shop’s motto “Keep Old Iron Alive,” there was no way they could let them die.
The workshop team also works with vintage cars, such as This 1959 Cadillac Sedan Devillewhich Smith is happy to sell for $10,000 to anyone who is interested.
But more often, Smith takes a jalopy to his garage and tinkers with it until it’s unrecognizable.
Smith and Binder are from southern New Jersey and have been dating for the past two years. They met at the now-defunct Hot Rod Hoedown and Rock-N-Roll Rumble, a show that celebrated mid-century cars and the people who couldn’t get enough of them.
The cars at these events were not shiny sports cars, but rather makeshift custom vehicles, exactly the kinds of vehicles Smith and Binder loved.
The two were inspired to found the Deadbeaters Car Club with several of their friends. They jokingly called it a drinking club with a car problem. The Deadbeaters were united by their love of old, beat-up cars that didn’t have a shiny paint job.
“We don’t do show cars,” Smith said, but were more interested in seeing if they could get a junkyard jalopy running again so they could wow people on the roads.
Sage Binder, left, and Brian Smith run the No Kill Car Shelter. The two have also been dating for two years after meeting.
An example of a simple project that No Kill Car Shelter frequently works on. It’s a 1961 Buick LeSabre.
A standard 1961 Buick LeSabre
Pictured: A 1955 Chevy 210 undergoing restoration in the shop.
For the other members of the club, it was a hobby, but Smith took it much more seriously.
“Everyone went their own way, but I kept going,” he said.
Eight years ago, he opened the car shelter and somewhere along the way, he and Binder developed a romance while working together on rust buckets.
“I’ve never met anyone else with the same level of passion for cool, vintage cars,” Binder said.
Now, people buy the resurrected cars, allowing Smith to stay in business and continue collecting parts from junkyards.
Roberto Perez, 28, bought a 1960 Chevy Bel Air from Smith’s shop.
Perez, an auto mechanic and car enthusiast, first spotted the classic cruiser he now drives to his 9-year-old son’s Little League games on Instagram.
“If you love vintage cars and, more importantly, keeping them on the road, this is the place to go,” he says. “They are making my dream come true.”
Smith finds his passion projects on Facebook Marketplace or by trading vehicles with others.
Inside the No Kill Car Shelter garage, which has more than a dozen cars inside and many more parked on the street.
A 1959 Cadillac Sedan DeVille that Smith plans to sell for $10,000 once he finishes crucial repairs.
Interior of the Deville, which Smith says has power steering, brakes and a working antenna
A 1959 Ford Thunderbird at a car show in Denver. This is the model Binder is working on in the shop.
The shop is packed with at least a dozen old cars, and the couple shows off the garage where they are all parked in a recent model. Youtube video.
The shop, which is open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., employs a rotating staff of mechanics, including Cory McGrath, a one-time late payer.
Some of the other cars the eccentric team has been working on lately include a 1929 Ford Model A pickup truck, a 1955 Pontiac, and a 1959 Ford Thunderbird.
The Thunderbird is Binder’s favorite and current focus, as he wants to restore it “just like the one Elvira had” in the 1988 horror comedy Mistress of the Dark.
“It’s a bit shabby and needs our love,” she said. “But that’s what we’re here for.”
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