Step back in time at Hank’s Garage

Wes Johnson couldn’t help but appreciate fine cars. His parents owned Menlove Dodge/Toyota in Bountiful during his growing up years, so he spent a lot of time around them. Later, he took over the family business. But his passion for them, muscle cars in particular, could be traced back to 1980, when he saw one for sale along the side of the road. 

Wes Johnson has owned his 1970 Dodge Challenger for more than four decades. Photo by Chad Hurst

Born to drive

“My favorite car in the entire world is this 1970 Dodge Challenger,” Johnson said. “I’ve had it for 44 years.” When the then 17-year-old saw the silver machine, he begged his dad to go take a look. The back was “all jacked up” — as they often were at the time — and it had purple shag carpet. 

“It was loud and not that fast,” Johnson said, but it was perfect. “My dad gave it to me. I would never give my kid this car, but he gave it to me and I lived. I lived.” 

The original owner built it for drag racing, and it’s still hard not to push it. “I’ve been pulled over tons and tons of times” in the Challenger, Johnson said, and several friends have received serious citations while driving it. “But,” he proudly added, “I’ve never had a ticket.”

The shag rug and sparkly racing stripes are gone, but it’s still impressive. Check it out, and see more of Johnson’s collection, in Around the Hood With KSL Cars.

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Good grease

In four decades with the car, Johnson said he’s been able to iron out the bugs. “Of any of the cars that I let other people drive, I let them drive this car a lot, just because it’s fast, but it’s gentle and you know what you’re going to get.”

He added, “What I like about it is mostly just the nostalgia. If you think about 44 years, that’s just such a long time; the things that I’ve gone through with the car, the stories that I tell about the car.”

Time traveling

Nostalgia. That’s really what most of Johnson’s massive collection — he owns 65 vehicles — is all about. 

In the past decade, he’s turned an unassuming warehouse in North Salt Lake into a home for his cars and keepsakes. He named it Hank’s Garage in honor of a character he created to entertain his staff at meetings — an anything-goes mechanic with a mop of shaggy hair, greasy overalls and a serious need of orthodontia.

Johnson's collection includes classics and modern models. Photo by Chad Hurst

Inside the 20,000-square-foot garage, the wood-paneled walls are lined with memories: photos of family, signed posters, vintage car advertisements. Wondering what a brand new truck would cost you in 1962? A whopping $2,200. He has a framed invoice from his parents’ dealership to prove it.

There’s also a classic stereo, complete with an 8-track player and a case full of old tapes he’s culled from various sources over the years. A 1960s Coca-Cola vending machine still takes two dimes. And, of course, the cars themselves stir up the past.

“Part of the experience and part of these old ‘60s and ‘70s cars is having that kind of grandma, mildewy smell. There’s nothing like it. It’s something I guess I could clean out if I wanted to,” he said, “but I like it.”

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A rare, 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda is a highlight of Wes Johnson's stunning collection. Photo by Chad Hurst

Wax on

Many of the vehicles need work when Johnson acquires them. His rare 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible, for example, came on a rotisserie — figuratively, of course — although all the parts were included. With the help of Ekins Garage, along with a lot of time and money, the cars are fully restored. It’s been a process.

“I’ve learned how to ask questions, how to research,” he said. “You’d think wheels and transmissions would all come together, but they don’t. I’ve made a lot of mistakes.”

While Johnson loves cars, he’s not necessarily a purist. His have all been converted over to electronic ignitions and they’ve been painted.

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While Hank's Garage looks like a museum, Johnson drives all of his cars on occasion. Photo by Chad Hurst

Dust off

The collection stays in pristine viewing condition thanks to his detailer, Moroni Rios. Twice a week, Rios cleans and buffs the cars, trying to keep them as dust free and fingerprint free as possible. Because the cars are driven regularly, that often means cleaning off tons of bug splatters, too, Rios laughed. And there are always oil puddles to soak up when the cars are moved.

It’s a job Rios relishes — working in the immaculate, quiet space. He also drives the vehicles to various car shows, where he gets to talk about them with other enthusiasts. He’s driven many of the cars in Johnson’s collection, although there’s one he hasn’t had the nerve to try just yet.

“The one I want to drive the most is the red [Dodge] Viper,” Rios said. “I just need to be prepared. I’ve driven a lot of very fast, very expensive cars, and that’s just one of the few cars that you need to build up almost a mutual respect.”

Hank's Garage is filled with dozens of muscle cars. Photo by Chad Hurst

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Cool rides

Johnson said he began collecting cars in earnest in 2006, and it has since become an obsession. In all, he’s owed around 100 personal vehicles. And while he appreciates a fine car, he’s not particular when it comes to makes and models. His main criteria? “Cool.” 

“This is self proclaimed,” he smiled, “but I think I’m an expert on cool.” In fact, he believes anyone will appreciate his eclectic collection. The tagline for his event venue is “Even if you don’t like cars, you’ll like this place.”

Main event

Oh, did we mention Hank’s Garage is also an event venue? It is. You can rent it for private and corporate functions. Who needs a reception center when you can dance among shimmering cars? Year-end company party? Forget the boring hotel ballroom and small talk, now you have something to really get enthused about.

“It’s fun to share this space and it’s fun to share the cars,” Johnson said. Hank’s has retro tables and chairs for seating and a kitchen and bar for eating. The one-of-a-kind venue even has room for your live band. Actually, this would be a pretty fun place to record a music video, too.

There are also some booths from Pappa’s Steakhouse, a Davis County fixture in the 1960s and ‘70s — and a part of his childhood. When it closed its doors in 2022, Johnson just had to keep a piece of it. Hank’s Garage now has the restaurant’s neon sign and the payphone that was used to take call-in orders.

Johnson takes his favorite car for a spin next to Hank's Garage. Photo by Chad Hurst

Hidden in plain sight

It’s taken nine years to turn Hank’s into the showplace it is today, but the time and effort to bring all the pieces together has been well worth it. “When you have this many nostalgic, heartfelt things to talk about and to discuss and to share with people, it makes it fun.”

The building, itself, is unpretentious. In fact, it fits right in with the industrial area surrounding it. But step inside, it’s a whole different story. Johnson keeps a list of the phrases people say as they walk through the door. “Woah!” “Crazy!” “This is nuts!” “What on Earth?” “This is ridiculous!”

Certainly there aren’t many other places you’ll find a Dodge Viper parked next to a semitruck, or a 1951 pickup alongside a 1989 Chrysler LeBaron-Maserati hybrid. (See “Hank” show off his only European car in Around the Hood.)

Among the more curious vehicles, Johnson's collection includes a mobile command unit. Photo by Chad Hurst

Unusual suspects

And then there’s the mobile command unit once used by Provo City. The huge vehicle takes up much of the back wall of Hank’s Garage. Inside are the remnants of its first purpose, including counters and chairs for planning logistics. The driver’s seat and dash are more akin to a cockpit than a dashboard. Makes sense, as the electronics were designed by Northrop Grumman. 

“It’s a very expensive, well-done piece of machinery,” Johnson said. It comes complete with flashing lights and a siren, which he found on Amazon.

What’s the gas mileage for such a behemoth? “That’s not even on my radar,” Johnson said. Of course, he’s not driving it to the grocery store. But if you’ve been to a tailgating party at the University of Utah, you may have seen the blue and white box. Don’t worry, Ute fans. While the exterior may be another school’s colors, at least the powder room is a vibrant red.

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Slices of local history line the walls of Hank's Garage, including the original neon sign and a booth from Pappas restaurant, a former Bountiful staple. Photo by Chad Hurst

'Hank' and KSL's Jim Harker take a soda break at a booth in Hank's Garage. Photo by Chad Hurst

Not in a museum

All of Johnson’s cars are road worthy, and each gets its share of time on the streets. “That’s the fun thing about Wes. He uses the [cars],” Rios said.

Driving vintage vehicles does have its disadvantages. “Driving these cars is an adventure,” Johnson said. “I am the best at breaking down on the side of the road, ‘cause I’ve had a lot of experience.” It happens so often, in fact, he knows when a vehicle is about to quit.

He said when he starts to smell and taste impending car failure — and he says you can — he turns to his mantra: “Get to the side of the road, find shade and [choose] a place where the tow truck can pick you up.”

He’s also prepared for serious problems. Each vehicle carries a fire extinguisher, just in case. Yes, a fire extinguisher. Remember those stories Johnson referred to when talking about his Challenger?

His beloved Dodge once caught fire while he was “doing burnouts in the front of the house” some 30 years ago. It happened fast, and he feared for a moment the entire car would go up in flames. Fortunately, a buddy ran into the house, grabbed an extinguisher and put the fire out.

A Matchbox toy version of one of Johnson's muscle cars. Photo by Chad Hurst

Start your own engine

Johnson finds his vehicles in all sorts of places, from racetracks to auctions. If you’re interested in owning your own cool car, he has a simpler idea. “Go on KSL.com to find one. There’s always tons” of vintage cars he said. He recommends starting out with a classic GM. “There are lots out there, and the parts are relatively cheap.”

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