playground for grown-ups Fidel Jimenez Jr.’s love of hot rods is evident in every square inch of his sprawling garage and auto shop—even the bathroom, where the toilet paper holder is constructed from a gearshift and the vanity lights are hidden behind a shiny silver bumper. This is place where hot rod enthusiasts come to play. Jimenez says his uncle taught him how to fix motors and do body work. About 30 years ago, on a whim, he bought a commercial sewing machine. Now, he’s the go-to guy in Lawrence for upholstery work. “I’m pretty much the only guy in town who knows how to do this old school stuff,” he explains. In his collection, Jimenez has a 1949 Ford, a ’50 Chevy pickup, a ’72 Monte Carlo, a ’36 Ford, a ’67 Dodge and a ’50 Ford. Nearly every day of the week, Jimenez and his friends can be found toiling in the garage. “The coffee’s always on,” he says. “We’re always working on something.”
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