Restoring vintage cars drives two locals’ passion

There are as many reasons for restoring or customizing cars as there are cars.

Some people do it to belong to a specific group. Others do it trying to recapture their youth or "glory days." And still, for other people, it's more personal -- sometimes even spiritual.

Such is the case with Kristine Weitz and her 1947 Pontiac. She purchased the Pontiac for $300 from her grandfather when she was in high school.

"He didn't need it any more after he purchased a new one for my grandmother," she said.

Weitz bought the car for transportation, painted it white and drove it to classes. It served her well throughout high school and into her career as a contestant in various beauty pageants.

After winning Miss Tri-Cities and then Miss Washington and eventually becoming a contestant for the Miss America title, she was awarded a new car and decided to store the old Pontiac in a barn on her grandfather's ranch in western Washington.

The '47 rested there for several years, while Weitz pursued her education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she received degrees in television production, marketing and music.

In pursuing a career in entertainment, Weitz never forgot about the old car and eventually had it shipped to Las Vegas. It was painted again, maroon this time for a more traditional look, she said.

Weitz eventually became "Kristine W," an artist with 16 No. 1 Billboard hits.

She is a fourth-generation entertainer and has achieved several milestones in her career besides the 16 hits and headlining her own show at the Las Vegas Hilton.

She received several Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year awards and was officially sanctioned, she said, as the entertainer who performed more live shows at the Las Vegas Hilton than any other performer in history -- including Elvis Presley.

Weitz eventually sent her vintage automobile to a local custom shop, and while they were in the process of restoring it, she was diagnosed with leukemia. After spending a year at UCLA receiving treatment, she returned home to find her beloved Pontiac missing.

Local authorities eventually found it in front of a house on the east side of Las Vegas -- painted green.

Weitz has spent the past 15 years slowly restoring the Pontiac, and now it is white and pink pearl with pink fenders. The interior is gray and white with pink trim and the logo, Power of Music, is displayed throughout the car in honor of her latest musical offering.

Weitz said that restoring the car is cathartic for her.

"Every time I do something new to the car to bring it back, I feel stronger and the power of music helps me get well," she said.

While the Pontiac is a healing experience for Weitz, Denny Nish has a more spiritual tie to restoring and customizing cars, boats, airplanes or any other type of vehicle that requires a trimmer's touch.

Nish grew up with his dad, also named Denny, looking over his shoulder and guiding his hands in the deft art of renewing the seats, headliners and door panels.

Although not a junior in the traditional sense, Nish was frequently referred to as Junior or JR during his early years with his dad. Today, he continues the day-to-day operations at Denny Nish Interiors.

Following in his father's footsteps and using the talents he learned from several world-class trimmers -- including Greg Gregerson, Art Tranifello and Little John Englehart -- Nish continues the quality and attention to detail that he learned from his father before he passed away in 2010.

No obituary was published on the senior Nish, so his death slowly spread throughout the industry.

"People call to speak to my Dad and are so surprised when they find out he is gone. But they still want the same type of work that he provided," Nish said.

Nish believes he can feel the presence of his dad and the other trimmers who taught him his craft, and sometimes he knows his father's presence is in the shop when chairs move or a particular problem piece seems to almost answer itself.

Nish Interiors is not a rush-job production shop, Nish points out.

"We have seen vehicles we built on almost every continent and have a huge list of repeat customers," he said.

All of Nish Interiors' work is by referral and Nish explained that he doesn't do this for the money or the glory.

"My dad said if you can make yourself happy, then 99 percent of the time everyone else will be, too. So I do this to make me happy."

This attitude seems to work because happiness shows in every stitch and staple line and fold of artwork Nish applies to the cars he touches. And through his hands, the talents of some of the greatest trimmers lives on.

Which is why, Nish believes, customers keep coming back.