Incredible Philadelphia no-kill CAR shelter turns broken-down old rust buckets into Mad Max-style vehicles
The No Kill Car Shelter in Philadelphia has been taking broken-down vehicles normally bound for the trash heap and transforming them into ferocious road demons reminiscent of the dystopian saga Mad Max.
The 'no-kill' shelter has recently gained a rabid following on Instagram, with the revamped speed demons conquering the roads of Port Richmond in eye-catching videos that garner millions of views.
Founder Brian Smith, 42, is pleased with his shop's newfound fame - thanks largely to his business partner and social media manager Sage Binder. But Smith said he's likely to keep pursuing his passion even if the limelight disappeared.
'It's about keeping as many of these cars going as possible,' he told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Out of the shop's many 'mean machines,' the two that have garnered the most attention are what he deems the Nomad Max (originally a 1955 Chevy Nomad) and the Seneca (a 1960 Dodge Dart on top of a 1984 Chevy C30 Dually Dump Truck).
Pictured: The No Kill Car Shelter's Nomad Max, a portmanteau of Chevy Nomad and Mad Max
The Seneca pulls out of the shop's driveway and speeds off a few seconds later
Both of these cars were destined for the scrapyard, but based on the shop's motto 'Keep Old Iron Alive,' there was no way they could let them die.
The crew at the shop also works on vintage cars, such as this 1959 Cadillac Sedan Deville, which Smith is happy to sell for $10,000 to anyone who's interested.
But more often, Smith is taking a clunker into his garage and tinkering it with it until it's unrecognizable.
Smith and Binder are both from South Jersey and have been dating for the last two years. They first met at the now-defunct Hot Rod Hoedown and Rock-N-Roll Rumble, a show that celebrated mid-century cars and the people who couldn't get enough of them.
The cars at these events weren't sparkling sports cars, but rather cobbled together custom vehicles, the exact kinds Smith and Binder were in love with.
The two were inspired to start the Deadbeaters Car Club with several of their friends. They jokingly called it a drinking club with a car problem. The Deadbeaters were bound together by their love of old beat-up cars that didn't have shiny paint jobs.
'We don't do show cars,' Smith said, rather they were more interested in seeing if they could get a jalopy from the junkyard running again so they could stun people on the roads.
Sage Binder, left, and Brian Smith run the No Kill Car Shelter. The two have also been dating for two years after meeting each other car enthusiast events
An example of a no-frills project the No Kill Car Shelter frequently works on. This is a 1961 Buick LeSabre
A standard 1961 Buick LeSabre
Pictured: A 1955 Chevy 210 that's in the process of being restored at the shop
For the other members of the club, it was a hobby, but Smith took it much more seriously.
'Everyone went their own ways, but I kept rolling with it,' he said.
Eight years ago, he opened the car shelter and somewhere along the way, he and Binder developed a romance as they worked on rust buckets together.
'I never met anyone else with the same level of passion for cool old cars,' Binder said.
Now, people buy the resurrected cars, which allows Smith to stay in business and keep gathering parts at scrapyards.
Roberto Perez, 28, bought a 1960 Chevy Bel Air from Smith's shop.
Perez, an auto mechanic and a car enthusiast, first saw the vintage cruiser he now drives to his 9-year-old son's Little League games on Instagram.
'If you're into old cars, and more importantly, keeping old cars on the road, they would be the place to look,' he said. 'They are living my dream.'
Smith finds his passion projects on Facebook Marketplace or through trading vehicles with others.
Inside the garage at the No Kill Car Shelter, which has well over a dozen cars inside and plenty more parked out on the street
A 1959 Cadillac Sedan DeVille that Smith plans to sell for $10,000 once he finishes crucial repairs
Interior of the Deville, which Smith says has power steering, brakes and a working antenna
A 1959 Ford Thunderbird at a car show in Denver. This is the model Binder is working on in the shop
The shop is packed with at least a dozen old cars, with the couple showing off the garage where they're all parked in a recent YouTube video.
The shop, which is open for business from 1pm to 4pm, employs a rotating lineup of mechanics, including Cory McGrath, once a Deadbeater.
Some of the other cars the oddball crew is working on lately include a 1929 Ford Model A pickup truck, a 1955 Pontiac and a 1959 Ford Thunderbird.
The Thunderbird is Binder's favorite and current focus of attention, wanting to restore it to 'just like the one Elvira had' in the 1988 horror comedy Mistress of the Dark.
'It's a bit of a rot bucket, and it needs our love,' she said. 'But that's what we're here for.'
