Dodi’s Auto Sales

On a rare wet Friday afternoon in California’s Monterey (home of Laguna Seca Raceway), and close to the gobsmackingly beautiful central coast of California, we spotted a roadside gem in Dodi’s Auto Sales. Anchoring up urgently, we knocked on Dodi’s door without delay.

All images Michael Fordham

Dodi came to live in the USA some forty years ago, as a refugee, from Palestine, in the wake of the 1967 Six Day War. “I’ve always been fascinated by cars, especially classic cars”, he tells me, “but I never understood why, in America, car dealers were always seen as shady characters, people you should mistrust.”

Starting out selling Japanese cars to the mainstream, it wasn’t long until the classic market became the perfect match for his blend of personal passion and effortless showmanship.”The thing is about classic cars is that they reach out to the heart,” he says. ” I have had people come in and trade brand new SUVs for little classic sports cars, because if a car reaches out to the heart, it ultimately reaches out to the soul.”

Amongst the many quiet gems in Dodi’s collection, are a set of Porsche 912 project platforms that had your correspondent in a lather of possibility. There’s a beautiful 1975 Rolls Royce, a smattering of Spitfires and a healthy collection of other bits and pieces any classicist would be intrigued to fetel with.

Good deals, great attitude. Buy a car from Dodi!