Summer 2026

160 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 6 skills needed to work in a machine shop of this caliber. So, Henningsen has a culture of appren- ticeship. A worker will come into the company with a certain basic skill set, perhaps learned at another machine or auto shop, and, through mentorship, hone his skills over time and become proficient at various processes. At least two craftsmen who began working at this shop as apprentices are now department managers. That’s an old-school method of training that immerses the worker in the tutelage of a master. And speaking of old school, when Henningsen is asked if he employs 3D printing in his restorations, he pauses before saying, “Everyone asks that. No, we don’t do that.These cars were built by hand, one at a time, just as they originally were. For the most part, when manufactured, every component in them was made right there in the factory they came from. That method requires a huge amount of man hours. And we strive to do the same.” Not sur- prisingly, you can’t just purchase a crankshaft or door handle for a 1930s Cadillac on Amazon or at AutoZone. So, if the team can’t salvage a part, it will be newly made, using roughly the same technology that brought the original into the world.That’s a rare feat, and very few businesses can replicate it, but Henningsen Machine Shop does it all day, every day. Several projects are underway at any given time at Henningsen’s shop. The company can replicate or source virtually any component of a classic car, from the tiniest hardware to drivetrains, bodies and everything in between. Henningsen has amassed an extensive library of original shop repair manuals—such as this book of wiring schematics—to ensure his restorations are period correct. Photos: Kelli Uldall