Owner Tom Vagi’s love for European cars started young, with a $500 Saab 99 Turbo he rescued and restored, setting the stage for a lifelong passion for all things automotive. Unlike many car enthusiasts who revel in speed or flash, Tom was captivated by what lay beneath the surface—the quality, craftsmanship, and engineering that made these vehicles special.
That curiosity led him to his first professional job as an apprentice technician at Mercedes-Benz. There, amidst meticulously designed machines, Tom refined his appreciation for precision and detail. But it was during his time at Audi in the early 2000s, while navigating the snowy streets of Plattsburgh, NY, that he experienced the thrill of performance and handling—qualities epitomized by Audi’s quattro AWD system.
Tom’s career trajectory shifted when he decided to escape the constraints of dealership life. He founded his own European repair business, which he ran successfully for 16 years before moving to Southern New Hampshire. There, he honed his expertise further at Porsche Stratham, deepening his connection to one of the world’s most iconic brands.
In 2022, Tom took a leap and established Seacoast Specialist Cars, earning a reputation for excellence in Porsche repair. By 2024, sharing space and vision with Historic Motor Sports presented a unique opportunity. Tom’s passion for European cars and his entrepreneurial spirit came full circle when Seacoast Specialist Cars acquired Historic Motor Sports, uniting two respected names under his leadership.
Today, for Tom, it’s still all about the cars—whether appreciating the timeless design of a Mercedes, the groundbreaking engineering of an Audi, or the performance pedigree of a Porsche. Every vehicle tells a story, and Tom’s journey is proof of where passion and precision can take you.
In the 1980’s Clarke gained the majority of his experience restoring “T” series MG’s at the Boston MG Shop. In the early 1990’s he worked for the National Science Foundation as a mechanic in the Antarctic. In the mid to late 90’s working for Solectria Corp., he designed and developed a composite bodied electric vehicle prototype called the Sunrise.
In 2001 Clarke founded Historic Motor Sports and soon developed a reputation for delivering high quality restorations with great attention to detail. Now with that same level of commitment to detail he lends his expertise to buying and selling some of the market’s finest example sports and collectible cars on behalf of his clients.