THOMPSON FALLS — In Montana, your car is often your lifeline. And if something happens to it, you may be in big trouble.
In Thompson Falls, a new mechanic shop, American Classics Garage, understands this and is trying to provide affordable service to help their community stay on the road.
“I love, like I said, I love helping the community out and I love helping people out,” said Josh Helgert, shop boss at American Classics Garage. “So we figured we do this and help out where we can.”
Helgert, the shop boss at American Classics Garage, said that even though the shop just opened, they are already providing vital services to the community.
“I basically work on everything and it's not just old classic cars. We work on newer vehicles too,” Helgert explained. “We do oil changes, tires, mount and balance tires, small mechanics.”
Wrenching on cars for the community also brings some personal satisfaction for Helgert as he’s a car enthusiast through and through.
“I just love mechanicing and I love working on older vehicles," Helgert said. "I got a 64 and 1/2 Mustang. So that’s what initiated the American classics because, it’s a 64 and 1/2 Mustang.”
Besides the help they provide to the community, they also offer a 30% discount to veterans and first responders. And for veterans, American Classics Garage puts on a car show to help raise money for them.
“You know, they gotta go to VA appointments, doctor’s appointments and everything else," Helgert said. "And if they can’t afford tires or mechanics to fix their car to get them going, that’s what the car shows are gonna do. Is help provide a service for that. They can come in here and say, hey, I need tires or I need my car worked on. I got a doctor’s appointment to get to, I don’t have the money and this program is gonna pay for that."
"To get them on the road to get them to their appointments and keep them doing the things that make them happy. That’s one place I know I can help out because there’s not that much out there for veterans and it’s very hard to get help when, oh, I don’t have no money. Oh, sorry, I can’t help you. You know, that’s why we’re doing this," Helgert continued.
Helgert went on to tell MTN that he’s not in it to make money and said that the help he brings to the community is what’s most important to him.
