Lenny Schaeffer used to manage a Ford dealership for quite some time, until he recently went back to his roots of restoring cars.  About three years ago, Lenny opened his own shop, Chop-Shop Customs, in Woburn, Mass., and explains that he found himself fulfilling his passion for building.

“That’s what I do,” says Lenny.  “It’s what I’ve always wanted to do.”

And, really, it’s what he has always done.

Lenny says that he has always been interested in the automotive hobby, claiming that the interest has been with him for his entire life.  But it wasn’t until he received his license, in the 1970’s, that his car frenzy really took off.

He says that as soon as he could drive, he bought “a bunch of Mustangs” and between 5 to 7 Chevys… before they were even considered collector items.  By the time he was 18-years-old, Lenny purchased the pictured 1956 Chevy, which was his first true collector vehicle.  That was in 1981…

Since then, he’s owned, built, and restored about 20 of his own collector cars, and has immersed himself in the hobby.  Lenny says that he used to go to numerous car shows each year, and, now, even with his own business, he still attends at least 10 large shows, on a yearly basis.  Along with a display for his Chop-Shop, he brings the ’56 Chevy, which he has maintained for the past 26 years. 

The next show he will attend is Right Coast Association’s Laconia Nationals, which will be held in late May, in Gilford, N.H. 

At car shows, like Laconia, the Chevy surely does not go unnoticed.  When asked how many awards this beauty has won, Lenny says that to say “over 100” might be exaggerating.

“But, still, there are too many to list,” he adds. 

While the list may be too long, Lenny says it would include 15 Best of Show awards.

In addition to his ’56 Chevy, Lenny also owns a 1966 Chevy Pick-Up and is currently building a 1960 Olds.

Story by: Becky McLaughlin