The New England Classic Car Company

The New England Classic Car Company is a Stratford, Connecticut dealer focused on small classic sports cars, mostly British. It sells MGs, Triumphs, Lotuses, Austin-Healeys and Morgans, with Alfa Romeo, Fiat and the occasional oddity mixed in. The company says it has been dealing in classic sports, vintage and historic racing cars for more than 50 years, with sales across the United States, Canada and overseas.

History and ownership

The Better Business Bureau lists the business as starting in 1974 and names Marc F. Evans as president. The company's own site refers to "Marc" as its owner and carries customer letters addressed to him, including a buyer in Dallas who had an MGA delivered to his home and another who praised an MGB that had its chrome bumpers converted. Those testimonials are published by the company itself, so they are best read as the dealer's own account rather than independent reviews.

What it sells

The business plan, as the company puts it, is selling smaller cars for fun driving. Its motto is "Never buy a classic sports car you can't push by yourself." When we checked the showroom page it featured a 1947 MG TC, a 1959 MGA 1500, a 1965 Morgan Plus 4, a 1967 Triumph TR4A IRS, a 1979 MG BV6 and a 1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. The site also mentions Morris Minors, Minis and an occasional older Volvo.

The company says most of its cars get a fair amount of preparation before they reach the showroom. It describes upgrades such as electronic ignition, an electric cooling fan and a backup fuel pump on 1960s and 1970s British cars, along with chrome bumper conversions on some MGBs.

Services

The services page lists more than sales. According to the company, it offers:

• Restoration, including engine and transmission rebuilding, welding and fabrication, paint, interior, wiring and wood refinishing.
• Storage in a secure, heated and dry facility, with periodic care available for stored cars.
• Pre-purchase examinations for local customers, done by its mechanics.
• Transport locally, nationwide, to Canada and worldwide.
• Trades, appraisals for insurance and estate purposes, and financing at competitive rates through a finance manager.

Buying and consigning

Most of what the company sells is its own inventory, kept in a protected showroom. It also says it runs a consignment program with worldwide advertising and a location convenient to the New York to Boston corridor. Owners weighing that route can read about consigning a classic to see how fees and responsibilities usually work. Buyers who live far away should ask for documentation, extra photos and, where possible, an independent inspection, since the company's own pre-purchase exams are offered to local customers. Connecticut shoppers who want to compare what else is out there can look at classic cars for sale around the state.

Reputation

The BBB lists the company as not accredited and not rated, with no customer reviews on file there, so the BBB page offers no signal in either direction. What can be verified is longevity: the BBB dates the business to 1974, and the company still runs an active website with current inventory. We did not find independent review totals to cite.

Visiting and contact

The showroom and shop are at 1483 Stratford Ave, Stratford, CT 06615. The company lists hours of Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Saturday 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, with Sundays and evenings by appointment. The phone number is 203-377-6746, and the company says calling during business hours is the best way to reach it. Its site also notes that it was looking to hire an experienced technician for older British cars.