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Nothing matches cool like cruising the beach in a convertible Mustang on a hot summer's day.
But behind the car's veneer is often a story of extraordinary patience, determination and expense for the owner.
Just ask Morrinsville man Grant Sumner, who works on behalf of owners to restore dozens of sets of wheels to their former glory.
His love for the car is so great that he has set up his family home around his Mustang workshop. His kitchen, dining and bedroom areas are in a mezzanine area that overlooks the factory floor.
And he has even renamed his address - "Mustang Alley".
Mr Sumner, 42, says revolving his family life around his love of the cars gives him peace of mind.
"I've always had a fascination for cars and it's the shape of the Mustang that gives me goose bumps. When I see a nice clean tidy one it's like looking at a Playboy, it just pushes the right buttons for me."
Mr Sumner turned his passion into a business after successfully restoring his own first Mustang, bought in 1990 and finally finished in 2002.
It was then that he decided to throw in his engineering job of 22 years, partly because of health reasons. He also sold his nearby rural property in Waitoa to help set up the business.
The skeletons or bodies of eight Mustangs lie on his factory floor in various stages of repair. Cigarette in hand and a broad smile on his face, he runs his hand over the bonnet of one that is almost complete. "This is what you call a baby blue, three-layer pearl paint job."
He points to one that belongs to a Hamilton nurse, then at a convertible V8 owned by an Auckland tradesman.
"It's been here two and a half years getting restored and will be finished in three weeks. There's a lot of dollars sitting there. He [the owner] is having a big do up in Auckland to debut the car. You could say the car will be the star of the show and I'll be the co-star."
The reunion of owner and car can bring on an emotional high after a long period of heartache and expense, says Mr Sumner.
It is common for people to purchase Mustangs from the US via the internet and have them shipped to New Zealand at huge cost.
But when the car comes out of the container, the owner's anticipation can rapidly turn to disappointment.
Engines can be shot, and widespread rust can render the car useless.
More than $50,000 can be spent bringing an old classic back up to scratch, but the average punter will fork out about $15,000.
Mr Sumner says restoring a classic takes meticulous attention to detail and if he is grumpy or angry he won't go near his workshop.
"You can only do the assembly work in the right frame of mind. You've got to be focused and calm."
Morrinsville man Robert Moore, 24, will not say how much he spent restoring his prize-winning "Resto Mod" car, but he recently turned down an offer of $100,000 for it.
He helped Mr Sumner restore the car to save on labour costs, and estimates he spent 2500 hours over 18 months on his pride and joy.
But it's a labour of love that proves there's substance behind that classical style.
