Words: Robby Pacicco / Photos: courtesy of George T. Clarke of Nick’s Garage
Just north of Montreal, in Canada’s “la belle province” of Quebec, sits the island of Laval. An island Canadian history books and cartographers once scribed “Île Jésus” or Jesus Island. It is on this very island in which the Swiss born world celebrated organ builder Hellmutth Wolff set up shop and for years upon years crafted and tuned his majestic instruments for cathedrals, churches, universities, concert halls and more. For any pipe organ buffs planning a pilgrimage to pay homage to where the late great Monsieur Wolff turned wood and metal into saintly musical devices, the exact location and address for his shop is 1260 rue Tellier. However, these days, there are very different pipes and music to be found and made here. It is now home to Indy Auto, a highly reputable local service garage and repair shop with international recognition. As any first time visitor will attest, the eyes scan the countless photographs, awards, news clippings and magazine articles covering the walls. Gazing up towards the heavens adorn flags sent from all around the planet, hanging from the rafters in the same method championship banners do in sports arenas. Eventually the cars come into view and you question if you’ve entered a museum or something much more spiritual. Truth be told, it’s a little bit of both. Indy Auto sits in an industrial part of town charmingly, considering the family name Panaritis during the 1970s, 80s and 90s in Montreal and surrounding area was synonymous with fast cars and hard work. Thanks to the internet, their passion is now showcased to everyone, everywhere, via the ever growing popular YouTube channel Nick’s Garage.
Hosting Nick’s Garage is the amiable Nick Panaritis, known for his quality work and attention to detail even before he was an internet icon. Which is probably why he is considered the Pope of Performance, the Messiah of Mopar, the Greek God of Horsepower or the Minister of Muscle Cars. Although known for his unconquerable knowledge for classic Chrysler and other Mopar family engines such as the Hemi and Magnum, his familiarity extends to Ford, General Motors and anything that’s graced the internal combustion spectrum. “It all started with my neighbor back in 1969 or 1970, I used to call him the oily man.” says Nick. “Growing up in neighborhood of Outremont, I’d see this man just tinkering away on his Vauxhall and Envoy, always covered in oil. Himself, the cars, floor, you name it. Everything he was touching was covered in oil. He was to me, the oily man!” exclaims Nick. The sight for young Nick left quite an impression, as his curiosity took over and he eventually befriended his mechanical neighbor. “I had to know what he was doing. So I went on over and started asking him questions. There he was, just working away with carburetors, valves, cylinder heads and of course covered in oil. I became very interested in what he was doing, this oily man.” Adolescent Nick would have no way of knowing back then just how fundamental his step on over to his new friend would play in his life. Just an inquisitive Canadian born kid with Greece in his ancestry, meeting grease for his eventual career ascendency. “He would answer every question I threw at him. Everything. Then, one day after installing the engine he’d been working on back into the car,” he reminisces, “he turned the key in the ignition and I stood there, just staring at the fan in the engine bay. I was fascinated, just watching the fan spin, the engine was alive. He then approached me after getting out of the car while the engine was still running and proudly exclaimed how all these pieces were put together to make a motor run on its own. That’s where all this began.” His path was set he was putting all his pieces in motion. Immediately after high school Nick set his sights on mastering his abilities by attending trade school, specifically focussing on auto-mechanics. His admiration for cars was growing and with the help of his father he bought his first car in 1973. It wasn’t much longer until he would actually purchase his first true American muscle machine. “In 1974 I bought my first muscle car which was a 1970 Dodge Challenger with 383ci Magnum. I loved working on that car.” With his growing experience, expertise and overall excitement working on his own car, friends would soon be paying Nick a visit in the same back alleys so he could tinker with theirs.
What came next solidified the Panaritis name on the streets of Montreal to legendary status, comparable only to the name Lafleur at the time. While the latter was busy winning Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens and celebrating victories on the parade route almost regularly, the former had achieved street racing celebrity. Nick and his brothers became either the guys to beat or better yet, the guys to try to beat on the street racing scene in and around the city. “We became known as the Central Gang with the Hemi,” smiling as he recounts the tale. “My brother and I decided to sell my Challenger and his Mustang so we could get a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda. Which was already known to be a fast car from the factory. We tuned it up and fixed it up with the purpose to take it street racing.” Nick’s eyes light up brighter than the paint of the aforementioned Hemi Cuda, which was the poster worthy eye catching Sassy-Grass Green marketed by Plymouth. The Panaritis boys and their friends gained everyone in that scene’s respect. Only echoes now remain of their famed ’71 Hemi Cuda’s ripping exhaust note off the alleyways and brick building walls of the greater Montreal area. Nick and family have since parted ways with the car. “It’s still out there, I know it is.” Nick says with confidence. Nowadays, an older and much wiser Nick wouldn’t dare consider the thought of street racing. He’d much rather take a trip to a not so distant drag strip and burn rubber there, should he choose to do so. In a controlled setting away from the roads keeping it legal and to a much enhanced degree, a lot safer.
Fast forwarding from the 1970s-80s and skipping the 90s altogether (it’s easier, we had CD players then) we reach the age of the internet, more specifically YouTube. Everyone and their pet goldfish seem to have a YouTube channel or show this day and age. Nevertheless, it’s the truly great ones which stand out, like Nick’s Garage. “For 22 years I had my workshop in the heart of Montreal, in the Plateau area. Then I moved to this location in 2014” explains Nick, “Three years later my good friend and fellow classic car lover George Clarke and I teamed up. George being a film editor and very knowledgeable in his field, wanted to make videos with me. So of course, we partnered up and he would film me as I worked on cars. Then the videos would go online and one thing lead to another and here we are today.” The success of Nick’s Garage in this digital landscape is no coincidence either. Nick’s endless knowledge, magnetic personality and endearing honesty in front of the camera are further complimented by George’s fine positioned filming, well timed commentary and thoroughly put together documentary style editing. Just as important is the appetite both men have for their individual line of expertise. Nick loves what he does, George loves what he does and their growing number of subscribers on YouTube love them for it. It’s no wonder fans of the show often become customers, asking Nick to work his magic. At any given time walking through Indy Auto you might just find a Plymouth Road Runner convertible destined to Australia. Or a Dodge Charger 500 getting ready to go home to Texas, USA. Or even a Ford Mustang hiding a rare Cobra Jet 428 from a few just a few blocks away. No matter where the cars are from they all get the white glove treatment along with tender love and care. “Look at all this” Nick points up to the ceiling, “These flags are all gifts. All gifts I cherish. You know, I started off with three flags, the Canadian flag representing my homeland, the Greek flag representing my heritage and the American flag representing the muscle cars. Then Nick’s Garage was on YouTube and about a year or so later I received a comment from a viewer in Australia. He offered to send me their national flag because of how big of a following muscle cars and my show have there! Then the same thing again, but this time from New Zealand. As you can see, it’s been happening very often ever since! We name every flag, they all get a first name and we are so proud to display them.” The gifts don’t end at flags, adoring supporters mail in or deliver in person presents of all shapes and sizes. “I am always touched. Every single piece here sent and delivered to me including the letters and postcards, everything; they mean something special to me. There are a lot of good people out there.”
Nick’s Garage on YouTube is more than just another web car show for baby boomers or grease monkeys wrenching away. It is an institution for educating the new generation of automotive enthusiasts receiving the torch as well as enlightening even the most seasoned of aficionados. If given the chance, Nick is more than happy to sit down with some fresh coffee to describe in exceptional detail how he and his team created their vehicular version of the Mona Lisa. The meticulously restored and most accurate in existence replica of the white 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T from the film Vanishing Point starring Barry Newman. With his passion fueling him on every day, Nick admits he enjoys what he does too much to call it work, “I work hard and often long days, but I can’t call it work. I love what I do. I absolutely love it. It’s my passion.” Even though he is a successful authority today with the car culture choir singing his praises, Nick Panaritis will never forget the route he got on to be where he is. He may have started off in some back alley eventually gaining street cred to be like Springsteen simply racing in the street, but it’s his venture into where the streets have no name within the obscurity of the internet which has made Nick and his garage one of the bests place to be, literally and virtually.
Click on Nick’s Garage to discover and subscribe to the channel on YouTube
Click on the links to follow Nick’s Garage on Facebook and Instagram
This story is dedicated in memory to Hellmutth Wolff, Barry Newman and the oily man.
