HOW THIS ALL STARTED
Back in 2008 I got the bug to own a classic muscle car. I was working in corporate America at the time as a Computer Scientist, so I had plenty of time in front of a computer to search the internet and finally found a 1968 Red Camaro RS. This is the first car that I started "wrenching on", changing the alternator shortly after buying the car. The red Camaro was my daily driver for a couple of years and this is the car that started my restoration obsession. As the years went on, I owned several muscle cars ranging from Camaros, to GTO's, to Firebirds. As my building and fabrication skills advanced I started building race cars and competing nationally in the Optima Batteries Search for the Ultimate Street Car series. This culminated in my ultimate build, my 1970 Firebird racecar. This car made it to the national finals and was on display at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.
Since I obviously could not drive a racecar to work, I decided to purchase a 1980 Mercedes 300SD back in 2011.
After spending years becoming an expert in restoring American muscle cars, I was blown away by the engineering and design of this German W116 diesel. Over a two year period I did a rolling restoration on the 300SD and this car has been my daily driver for the last 10 years. In my personal opinion, from 1978 to 1995 the Germans designed the best cars ever built. The build quality is impeccable, the designs are timeless, and the serviceability and reliability has not been matched since.
Over the last decade I sold all of my American muscle cars and purchased several diesel Mercedes. After a successful 20 year career as a computer scientist and consultant, I decided to leave corporate America. I dove head first into the Mercedes factory service manuals and engine manuals, quickly becoming an expert in restoring these cars. In the spring of 2021 Woods and Barclay Automotive was born and I have dedicated my time to acquiring and restoring these amazing machines. The level of detail and passion that I put into my restorations is second to none. I have also specialized in rebuilding the om617 engine as can be seen in the 25 part video series also found on this site.
Over the last decade I have become a skilled mechanic and classic car restorer. If you are looking for a turn key, classic Mercedes; then look no further. My cars are among the best in the country. Enjoy the videos and thank you for visiting.
Diesel Mercedes
Classic Car Dealer
Classic Mercedes
w126 Mercedes
w123 Mercedes
The Obsession