The Old Stillwater Garage – Traveling Back in Time Without a Flux Capacitor
Lou Calasibetta owns a little slice of hot rod heaven in the rolling hills of northwest New Jersey. As the proprietor of the Old Stillwater Garage in the township of Stillwater, Lou (or Louie to many of his friends and peers) has built a nationwide clientele base over his 40-plus years in operation and has seen his work garner the highest acclaim and top-tier awards from the avid enthusiasts who populate this great classic car hobby of ours.
However, at the Old Stillwater Garage, work is more than a popularity contest. For them, it’s not about social media “likes” or acquiring a copious number of followers on the web. With Lou, it’s more about human interaction and that classic “one-on-one” mentality, the tried-and-true concept that has driven the shop for the last four decades.
Lou is one of those car guys that just gets it…and his infectious attitude comes through in his sincere good nature and the genuine persona he exudes to everyone he meets. His love for his work and the classic car hobby can be seen in his boyish enthusiasm and witnessed daily in both his work ethic and through the garage’s finished masterpieces.
Moving on Out
The history of Old Stillwater Garage starts back in 1976 when Lou moved from his childhood hometown of Montclair, New Jersey out to the bucolic town of Stillwater, which many call the “Mayberry of New Jersey.” “We used to come out here to vacation,” Lou says. “I moved out here because I always loved the location. It’s wide open, there’s plenty of space, and it was as quiet as it was when I first started coming out here in the ’50s. I felt it was a great place to start my own automotive restoration shop,”
Lou opened his first shop at his house in Stillwater, working on his favorite cars, namely Pontiacs, in his backyard garage. “In the beginning I was picking up work from the local clientele, and I basically just keyed on the one brand,” Lou says. “You see, growing up my dad had a ’57 Safari wagon. I quickly fell in love with the car and the Pontiac brand in general. I found that I enjoyed spending my days elbow deep in a Poncho engine bay. What was also enamoring about Pontiacs was the fact that I could score them at very reasonable prices back then. Back in the early-’60s everybody wanted Chevys and usually looked past the other GM brands. And that was just fine with me.”
After working out of the home shop for a few years, Lou’s then-girlfriend (and future wife) Paulette told him she felt that the business needed to leave the house. “She told me there were too many people hanging around and that there needed to be a separation of work and home life.” With that decree, Lou struck out to find a suitable place nearby in which to build his brand. He found that perfect place right there in the center of “downtown” Stillwater and purchased it. That building is the same location that OSG occupies today.
The main structure has a long history in the local community. Word has it the historic building was a working blacksmith shop at the turn of the 20th century, helping maintain horse-drawn travel in the pre-Model T era. When gas-powered forms of travel flourished, past proprietors opened a mechanic’s shop and a gas station to cater to the town’s two- and four-wheeled driven customers. Lou moved into the empty shop at the dawn of the 1980s and opened Old Stillwater Garage to the growing number of local auto enthusiasts who wanted expert restorations and mechanical maintenance on their vintage rides.
Shop Till You Drop
As far as the shop goes, Old Stillwater Garage is set up with everything Lou needs to do full-blown restorations on any ride that comes through the doors. That includes a paint booth, mechanic shop, and plenty of assembly rooms. Though the original building has ample space, the business also has several other buildings on location, some for storage and others chock full of machinery to help get the job done. “I have 12 acres here at OSG and the extra space comes in handy,” Lou says. “It’s great for the business, as we can handle many cars at one time and even have enough space to throw a big car show the Saturday before Mother’s Day every year.”
Though he is a Poncho lover through and through, Lou and Old Stillwater Garage take on cars and trucks of all makes and styles. As we rolled through the shop, we saw an eclectic mix of brands and models. There was a sweet ’65 Tri-power GTO in for some maintenance on its induction system, a stunning ’70 International Scout brought in by its original owner for a full makeover, a suicide-door ’66 Lincoln drop top, and several other needy Pontiacs in different stages of restoration. “We’ve got a steady stream of work ahead,” Lou says. “There are several cars awaiting their turn, which is a great feeling.”
It’s obvious that Lou wears his love for Pontiacs on his sleeve. His main squeeze these days is his bagged custom ’57 Pontiac Trans Continental wagon which he frequently drives to work and to local car shows. He’s also owner of the vaunted ’60 Pontiac Golden Indian custom, originally built by the famed Alexander Brothers, along with the A-Brothers’ Golden Chariot ’56 Chevy. Other rides include a ’51 Mercury woodie, a ’58 Bonneville convertible, and his well-known ’32 Ford coupe. “There are a lot more,” Lou says. “I’ve been building and collecting them for the last 50 years.”
With the surplus of cars ready for restoration and customization, Lou has plenty of hands on deck to help with the work. At his side is his son, John, who has taken to the classic car hobby just like dad. The shop’s technicians include George Merker, Jess Morgan, James McCarthy, Robert Scagnelli, and Brandi Braico. “We’ve assembled an amazing, skilled crew,” Lou says. “Each member is versed in an array of hot rod mechanics and can handle any job that arises.”
When it comes to day-to-day work, we asked Lou what he loved most, doing exact restorations, or building customs? “I have to say even though I love doing both, I like being creative and building customs and doing modifications. When it comes down to it, a car’s a car. The bottom line is, we do what we have to, to please the client.”
Words and Photos: Scotty Lachenauer