Welden Mechanical Services is no ordinary garage.
Earlier this summer, the shop on High Street in Vankleek Hill looked more like an assembly line as Welden and his three employees were busy restoring old army jeeps for customers from far and wide. Denis’ late father Alva previously owned the garage and Denis’ interest in old vehicles goes back to when he was 12 years old and his father had an old army truck.
“I just got into fixing older cars and trucks,” he said.
The first one he worked on was a 1955 Dodge Power Wagon.
Inside the shop one day earlier this summer, employees were building a new trailer for a 1952 Willys Jeep and were rebuilding a 1943 World War II Jeep formerly owned by the United States Army. A 1950 CJ3A civilian Jeep was also being rebuilt. Welden said it was liking building a completely new vehicle.
“It’s fully new, almost built from scratch,” he said.
The 1943 Jeep was brought to Vankleek Hill by a customer in New Brunswick who had previously attempted to have the vehicle restored, but the job was done poorly. Welden said the Jeep needed a completely new differential and transmission.
“The body wasn’t even bolted to the frame,” he said.
Welden and his employees have also built a trailer for one of the Jeeps.
Welden said customers know where to go when they are looking for specialized, detailed restoration of old vehicles, particularly Jeeps.
Some people in the community may have been confused earlier this summer when an online search of Welden Mechanical Services revealed the business was permanently closed. It is not. Welden said he had the land line telephone number disconnected because no one was calling it for business purposes and only telemarketers were calling.
“I can’t remember the last time I got a call for the business,” he remarked.
In addition to the old army jeeps, trucks and cars of various vintages are a common sight at Welden Mechanical Services. A series of new door panels were installed a few months ago on one of the buildings, changing the appearance of the longtime business on High Street in Vankleek Hill.
Photos by James Morgan
