Car Flipper Turns Rust Buckets Into Gold Mines

May 7, 2024 2 min read
Car Flipper Turns Rust Buckets Into Gold Mines

From rusty clunkers to ultra valuable restomods, here's one enthusiast’s incredible story.


Josh Daugherty was no newcomer to the car flipping world before he found his niche in a specific set of automobiles that would push him toward a massive fortune. In fact, he had a team which sent across the nation the scout resume of America's most highly sought-after classic cars. In particular the earlier generations of the Ford Bronco really got him going with their boxy styling and great engine options. These cars were absolute icons in America from the time that they began production all the way up until today. Likely to remain a folk hero of legendary proportions forever, Josh figured out a way to capitalize upon his own love for these cars and hopefully give some neglected models a chance at a new life.

Now the owner of his very own restoration company in Portland, Oregon, this enthusiast once restored cars as a mere hobby which satisfied his passion for automobiles well enough. However he always knew that there was more to be accomplished out there and eventually he was ready to step into the world of professional automotive restoration. Forming what he considers to be the perfect team of ten similarly ambitious car people, Josh took his side hustle to the next level and started his own company, Highline Classics. Nowadays, rather than restoring just two cars a year, Dougherty and his crew restore about two Ford Broncos per month. Through their process, a Bronco that has been sitting for practically its entire life, ravaged by the creeping hands of time, can be transformed into a beautiful vehicle valued at multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“Why Broncos?” You might ask. Well, to put it simply, Josh fell in love with the Bronco because of its style which is unlike pretty much anything else on the road. Even in its prime there weren't really any competitors outside of possibly the Chevy Blazer. When asked about the Broncos, Josh had this to say “ Broncos are an iconic American vehicle that practically everyone in America knows and loves,” reinforcing his love for the automobiles “They have this incredible look - with the headlights and grill. It's just a beautiful vehicle.” All of this is to say that the man clearly cares about his cars and the company that restores them, which is exactly what you want from somebody who claims to put everything they have into their work. For the time being, that's exactly what Josh seems to be and because of that he has become, and will likely continue to be, extremely successful in doing what he loves.

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