When a Resto Goes Wrong: Saving a Rare Edwards America

The Rescue Mission

Wayne Carini has seen his share of restoration disasters. After decades in the business, he's learned to be selective about taking on projects that other shops have bungled. But when something truly special rolls through the door, it's hard to say no.

Currently sitting in his workshop is one such car: an exceptionally rare Edwards America roadster, one of just two ever built.

The Edwards Story

According to Hagerty, the Edwards Car Company operated out of San Francisco during the 1950s. Founder Sterling Edwards came from serious money—his family manufactured the steel cable used in the Golden Gate Bridge. After a 1948 trip to Europe sparked his passion for sports cars, Edwards returned home determined to build his own.

His vision was ahead of its time. The Edwards America featured a fibreglass body before Chevrolet even launched the Corvette. The design drew heavily from European marques like Ferrari and Cisitalia, reflecting what Edwards had fallen for overseas.

An Unusual Brief

The project began in 2020 when client Gary Edwards approached Carini with a distinctive request: he wanted to show a car at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, but it had to bear his surname.

That left precisely one option: an Edwards America roadster. Given only two were ever made, Carini faced a challenge even before considering the restoration work itself.

Why Take On Problem Projects?

Carini explains that whilst cleaning up another shop's mess is rarely straightforward, interesting cars make the headache worthwhile. The Edwards America certainly qualifies—a piece of fibreglass sports car history that predates the Corvette, built by a San Francisco entrepreneur with bridge-building credentials.

For Australian classic car enthusiasts, it's a reminder that restoration isn't always a clean slate. Sometimes the most rewarding projects are the ones someone else couldn't finish.