Presenter of 'Chasing Classic Cars'

Wayne Carini | Biography

Grand Marshal of Klingberg Vintage Motorcar Series

• By Ashna Tamrakar
• Update : September 17, 2021

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Wayne Carini is an American master car restorer and television personality best known for his appearances in the Discovery channel documentary series Chasing Classic Cars.

Who Is Wayne Carini?

Wayne Carini is a vehicle fanatic whose passion for cars began at a very early age after driving a classic Ferrari. He has owned three enterprises in Portland, Connecticut: F40 Motorsports, Continental Auto Ltd., and Carini Carrozzeria, after learning the craft of Ferrari restoration from his master, Francois Sicard—a former racing technician and Ferrari expert from the east coast.

Carini never intended to pursue a career in reality television. But, when producers read about him in an article in The New York Times, they jumped at the chance and launched the series Chasing Classic Cars in 2008. Season after season, the show follows the professional car restorer as he wheels and deals across the country. 

Though Carini has always had a passion for classic cars, he claims that he ended up with an interest in cars by accident. He began sweeping floors at his father's shop for $5 a week during his grade school, then went to college and wanted to become a teacher. Later, he ended up taking over his father's shop in 1973.

He also has a love for getting young people associated with collecting and restoring historic automobiles. The television personality notes on his website that he believes the art of collecting classic automobiles may become extinct without the involvement of young people.

While he enjoys restoring cars, he also prefers to drive unrestored, original vehicles. These increasingly uncommon cars are the centerpiece of Carini's private collection, often displayed in the elite "preservation class" at concourses around the country.

Early Life and Education

Wayne Carini was born on 13 October 1951 in Portland, USA. His father, who owned a car restoration business in Mott Hill Road in Glastonbury, Connecticut, instilled a passion for automobiles from an early age.

He worked at his father's vehicle repair and restoration shop after school and during the summers, fixing Packards, Lincolns, and Duesenbergs. He had begun sweeping floors at his father's shop in grade school for $5 a week. He also used to go to car exhibitions with his father. At the age of nine, he got behind the wheel of a 1960 Rosso Chiaro 250 SWB Ferrari for the first time, which piqued his interest in the cars.

Carini graduated with a degree in art education and aspired to become a teacher. Eventually, in 1973, he followed in his father's footsteps and became one of America's most popular master car restorers.

Learning under Experts

Carini gained enormous experience and developed his skills as a restorer after working with his father. Apart from that, he mastered the concept of Ferrari restoration from his mentor Francois Sicard, a veteran Ferrari racing mechanic widely regarded as the East Coast's foremost Ferrari expert.

He also learned the art from his good friend Luigi Chinetti Jr., whose father Luigi Chinetti Sr. was the winner of the 1949 '24 Hours of Le Mans race for Ferrari' and got introduced to the country's first Ferrari dealership. 

Since then, Carini has owned and operated three businesses in Portland, Connecticut: F40 Motorsports, Continental Auto Ltd., and Carini Carrozzeria.

F40 Motorsports is an enterprise that buys and sells vintage and classic cars. Continental Auto Ltd. is a collision repair facility that specializes in the repair of high-end and exotic vehicles. Carini spends most of his time at Carini Carrozzeria, a restoration shop. 

'Chasing Classic Cars'

Carini never expected to consider a career in reality television, but the opportunity knocked on his doors when producers came across his name in a New York Times article. Jim Astroski, the CEO of Essex Television Group Inc, recognized him and offered to develop a television show based on his daily chase of antique automobiles at his F40 Motorsports auto dealership. 

Soon, he signed the deal, and the television documentary series Chasing Classic Cars was established. Since the first episode aired on 9 September 2008, the television show has been on Discovery Channel, significantly expanding its worldwide recognition. The show initially premiered on Discovery's HD Theater channel in 2008 before transferring to the network's Velocity channel in 2011.

Season after season, the show follows Carini as he travels the country, wheeling, and dealing. The program, which is currently in its 13th season, has earned him a reputation as one of the top auto restorers in the world because of his outstanding restoration abilities.

Carini's Automobile Collection

Being an automobile enthusiast, Carini has several luxury and high-end automobiles that any car lover would swoon over. He has had been reported to have owned a 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SL Roadster, a 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport, a 2002 Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe X50, a 1967 Jaguar XKE Convertible, a 1967 Caterham Super 7, a 2012 Tesla Model S, and many more. 

Although he had worked on and owned countless cars, he grew particularly attached and interested in the two identical 1931 Stutz Bearcats. The Stutz Bearcat is a pre-WWII American sports automobile. He eventually got two 1931 models from a seller in Georgia for $30 each. His all-time favorite vehicle, though, is the Ferrari 250 SWB, which he initially drove at the age of nine.

'Overhaulin''

Overhaulin' was a reality television show about cars that continued for nine seasons till 2015. Between 2004 and 2008, the show was broadcasted on TLC for five seasons. The sixth season premiered on Velocity and Discovery on October 2, 2012, after a four-year break. 

Carini made a special appearance in the episode titled ‘SEMA Special Chrysler 300’ in December 2012. The episode revolved around Chip Foose and his A-Team as they traveled to Las Vegas to overhaul a Chrysler 300 and gave it away to a show guest.

'Monterey Week'

Carini previously starred in two hour-long television special documentary Monterey Week for Discovery's HD Theater Channel in 2006.

Monterey Week is an event where thousands of people travel from all over the world to Monterey, California, every year to witness the world's largest and most famous vehicle spectacle. Hundreds of luxury automobiles are auctioned off at multiple car auctions, and the surrounding streets are filled with the world's most valuable vehicles.

Carini provided an insider's look at the automobiles, finances, and deals that make this event a must-see for anybody interested in the automotive industry. He was also one of the judges in the 2019 Monterey Week.

'Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics Volume 1'

According to his official website, Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics helps clients to make informed decisions about automobiles, based on his years of experience purchasing and selling cars all over the world. The book was released in March 2021.

Volume 1 features 25 rare classics from around the world for this first edition, each with a full and illustrated description that includes the car's history, driving experience, and what to look for in the market. The book includes full-colored photographs, hot advice, and extensive specification tables of all the cars.

Roger Barr 'Chasing Classic Car'

Carini hosted the TV show Chasing Classic Cars, while his auto mechanic, Roger Barr, handled the expert technician role from 2008 to 2020.

However, when Barr abruptly exited the broadcast in 2020, fans were curious about what had happened. Carini was the one who broke the stillness, notifying the audience that Barr had taken a break from the show to seek medical attention for a leg injury he had gained in the workshop. 

Barr later recovered but he didn't return to presenting the show with Carini in season 15 (2019-2020). Barr didn't even work full-time at his own store at Glastonbury, Connecticut.

Coolest Vehicles On 'Chasing Classic Cars'

According to a 2020 article from Hotcars, some of the best cars that appeared on the show are:

1964 Shelby Cobra USRRC Roadster

The vehicle is the only vehicle with six cut-back door racers that is available throughout the world. The 1964 Shelby Cobra USRRC Roadster was previously sold for $1,450,000 at Amelia Island. Cobras are so valuable that even replicas are very expensive.

1921 Stutz Bearcat

Carini was taken aback when he discovered his favorite 1921 Stutz Bearcat. With barely 10,000 miles on the clock, the classic car had not been restored and was in excellent condition. He merely had to replace the spark plugs as the only "repair" he needed to do. At the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the Bearcat received a FIVA prize and was subsequently auctioned for $594,000.

1937 Bugatti 57S

The 1937 Bugatti 57S made its television debut in season 15 of The Classic Cars. When the automobile arrived at F-40 Motorsports, the team immediately got to work restoring the car to its factory-fresh condition.
There are only 42 of these handcrafted aluminum-bodied Bugattis that were constructed, similar to its predecessor, the Bugatti 50S. 

1938 Aston Martin Speed Model C Type

There are only six C-types left in the world, and the one shown on the show is only one of those with a split V-windshield. They can cost over a million dollars, and given that this one-of-a-kind Aston Martin is in excellent shape with the original motor and body, the price is likely to be significant. However, this classic piece was not bought by Carini on the show.

1935 MG PA Airline Coupe

Just twenty-five PA coupes were manufactured at first, and presently there are even fewer available in the market. There are only 11 of these cars left, and the team got one of the last pieces from the final year of manufacturing.

This 1935 MG PA Airline Coupe received a remarkable restoration after Carini brought the vehicle to the store. The crew restored the car to its original dual-tone color palette of orange and black. They also re-chromed the plated elements, fine-tuned the engine, and installed. Blockley tires.

Other On-screen Appearances

Aside from featuring in Chasing Classic Cars, he has been in several other television shows, including Overhaulin', My Classic Car, and The Art Of The Automobile.

He, along with his father, served as grand marshal at the Klingberg Vintage Motorcar Series in New Britain until his father died in 2016.

According to the official website of the Klingberg Vintage Motorcar Series, Carini shared the title for the first five years with his father, Bob Carini. Bob is now honored at each event with an award named after him, awarded by Carini. 

Carini's family has accompanied him for the motorcar series for the past six years. 

Personal Life 

Carini has been happily married to his wife Laurie since 1980. The two have spent over four decades together and have not only shared their happy times but have also been strong supporters for one another throughout tough times.

The couple is blessed with two daughters, Lindsay Carini and Kimberly Carini. Lindsay works in the family business, while Kimberly was diagnosed with autism and requires full-time personal care. They have two grandkids as well. The family lives in a log home, which Wayne had built 33 years ago in rural Connecticut.

Carini helps to arrange and sponsor automotive events to benefit children and people with autism, and he is a firm supporter of autism research groups. Carini's youngest daughter, diagnosed with autism at a young age, is his motivation to discover a cure or treatment.

Net Worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Carini’s estimated net worth is projected to be approximately $20 million as of March 2020. While the large portion of his self-made fortune comes from the selling of classic vehicles, his television programs have also contributed to it.

Did You Know?

Some of the classic automobiles in his showroom include several Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwings, a Lamborghini Gallardo, a 1932 Ford Deluxe 3 Window Coupe, a 1960 Ferrari LWB California Spyder, and a Porsche DP 930 Turbo.