Joe Preca is more commonly referred to as ‘the perfect Preca’. He has deservedly earned this nickname owing to the thorough, comprehensive and competent way in which he undertakes nut-and-bolt restoration projects on old vehicles that had given up their ghost a long time ago, and bringing them back to pristine condition.

Looking at the list of restored classic cars and the extensive work carried out on them, one may think that he has had intensive training in this field.

But he immediately dismisses any such notion. “I am completely self-taught. Moreover, in my youth, I never had any inclination for manual work. As a student, I went to the Trade School in Marsa, but I did not finish my studies there.”

The decisive turning point came in his adolescence, and he attributes this milestone to his then future mother-in-law Maggie Muscat.

“I used to go to her house in Lija. One day, she asked me to cover her dining room table with plastic laminate. She was delighted with the result – and so was I. From then on, I became her official handyman, doing anything under the sun.”

His technical and mechanical expertise was enhanced by a long working career in three countries including Malta. In Canada, he was employed with Bell Telecommunications, and with a brake pad factory for six years.

A five-year stint in Libya with an oil company provided him with experience in various positions. In Malta he spent eight years as a policeman and 25 years as a storekeeper for a sales marketing company.

Mr Preca has always had a soft spot for classic cars. In fact, one of his first vehicles was a 1960 metallic brown and gold Vauxhall Victor station wagon, which he kept for 10 years. Hot on its heels came a 1968 dark green Vauxhall Viva, which eventually also went away. Over the years, the thought of getting another classic often crossed his mind. But at the last moment, he persistently developed cold feet, mainly because his dream vehicle had always been an MG Midget – something which common sense told him would be totally inappropriate for his large frame!

A few years ago, he could no longer keep his desire under tabs, and decided it was high time to live his dream. Meticulous as ever, he went to the horse’s mouth. One evening, he dropped in at the headquarters of the Old Motors Club in Lija and asked who could help him acquire an old motor. Subsequently, he was regaled with a short list.

Going through the information, his eyes immediately fell on a familiar name – George Fenech. It rang more than the proverbial bell, for the two of them had been bosom buddies and school mates since childhood. Unfortunately, contact between them was lost when in his early adult years, Mr Preca began his working sojourns abroad. Their friendship was renewed in no time at all, and soon regained the intensity of the past, despite all the water that had gone under the bridge.

In the intervening years, Mr Fenech had been building up a small collection of classic cars, in all kinds of condition, some of which he would keep for himself, and others he would sell. He offered Mr Preca a 1968 royal blue Triumph Spitfire Mark III. “The vehicle, which had been bought from a dealer in Britain and had been shipped to Malta, was in a very good shape and needed very little attention. The major alteration that I did to it was changing the upholstery from white to a more appropriate black, which went better with the overall colour of the car,” Mr Preca recalled.

Satisfied his hands were now at long last on a classic, one would have expected Mr Preca to enjoy it at every available opportunity in his spare time – of which he had plenty, since by now he had retired.

However, having again bonded with Mr Fenech, he now started going to his friend’s big garage on a daily basis, discussing and drafting plans and details for restoration projects on old motors that had long been gathering dust there.

The first crusade was on a 1965 Morris Traveller 1000, which was in such a bad condition that Mr Fenech had to buy three other Morris models for parts.

Patiently, Mr Preca dismantled the original car and eventually put it together again. He also looked after the electrical components as well as the upholstery. A similar campaign was carried out on a 1966 green Triumph Spitfire, which had been bought from England.

Mr Fenech has many classic cars in his garage, but his favourite is a 1970 Jaguar E Type Series III, which he acquired personally after negotiations in Ireland.

Although the primrose-coloured car was in a very good condition, with a perfect engine, it was soon lying on the operating theatre bed and rejuvenated by Mr Preca, who worked on the electrical system, the bonnet, the booth and the upholstery, before the iconic classic emerged in new British racing green colours. So pleased were Mr Fenech and Mr Preca with the result that they invited a mutual friend, a priest, to come over and conduct a blessing ceremony prior to the car hitting the road again.

Mr Preca recently completed another nut-and-bolt restoration project for Mr Fenech, this time working on a 1969 MG Midget. In this case Mr Preca went the whole hog, dismantling and assembling the engine, doing the electrics, the suspension, the hood, the upholstery and even painting the car in its original yellow colour.

Yet for all his efforts, Mr Preca insists he remains a volunteer in this work, thriving on the job satisfaction and consolidating his friendship with Mr Fenech, as well as a few other close friends who come every evening to the garage in Naxxar, which also acts as a mini-club house. Mr Fenech admits he is a little embarrassed by Mr Preca’s stand, and tries to compensate by taking him on visits to Beaulieu, the classic car mecca in England.

Mr Preca is truly impressed by the growing interest and appreciation of the local public, as well as the authorities, in the old motors area. He says this is evident from the crowds that throng classic car shows and events and the amount of photos taken by spectators to keep a memory of these unusual vehicles. In a way, he is also proud that through his skills, he is also making a small contribution to this significant development.

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