Brian Skorski – Audi Restoration Expert

Every car-collecting niche has its devout following. Brian Skorski from Suffield, Connecticut is one of the most fanatic and knowledgeable vintage Audi resources in the country. I first connected with Brian via his Instagram account and I was instantly drawn to his attention to detail along with his affinity for older import cars. (Those are attributes that I can very keenly relate to!)

In addition to restoring older Audis, Brian operates a detailing operation called Coat ‘N’ Go.  His website summarizes his craft best: “Specializing in knowledge of all Audi models 1970 – 1991. 2023 marks the 10^th year of efforts to preserve unique examples with extraordinary stories behind them. All Audi restorations are purist-focused and maintained as close to factory-or-better specification as possible.”

The Audi brand has a rich history since first being launched in 1909 in Germany. The interlocked four-ringed Audi logo is representative of four companies that were combined during a merger in the early 1930s, but it wasn’t until four decades later when the Audi brand first came stateside in 1970 as a subsidiary of Volkswagen. The rest, as they say, is history. The 1970s and 1980s were a great era for the Audi brand, building success in rally-car racing and engineering advancements like five-cylinder motors and Quattro all-wheel drive (which came out in 1980). By the early 1990s, Audi had moved upscale and competed head-to-head with BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Today, Audi operates 13 production facilities in 10 countries and its vehicles can be found across the entire globe. Some of the best-preserved surviving vehicles from the brand’s early North American days can be found in and around Brian’s shop in Connecticut. As a testament to his commitment, Brian keeps a permanent collection of six vehicles from that era, as you’ll see in the transcript of our discussion. Following is my Q&A session with Brian when I asked him more about his skillset and passion.

• Where did you grow up, and were you always a car-guy?

I grew up in Suffield, Connecticut on a 55-acre farm. You could always say I was into anything that moves: I was exposed to tractors and other machinery very early on and learned how to drive one of our “lot” cars around age four. My father was a master diesel mechanic so I was always around him observing and learning, and I wasn’t afraid to tear things apart to understand how they worked.

• You have become a trusted resource in vintage Audi expertise and restoration. Can you tell me the backstory on what inspired your love for all-things Audi?

The love for Audi stemmed from an overall love of 1980s cars I would view at the museums and car shows my parents would take me to. There wasn’t much variety for vehicles in my town, except for one Audi 100 that I would pass by in someone’s driveway frequently. I always admired that car from afar, and when I went to purchase my first project car, I set out to find one for myself. From the first test drive I knew that was where I wanted to focus my efforts.

• Which vehicle restoration was most rewarding, and why?

Hands down, my Audi 4000S Quattro. Shortly after I purchased that car, I was in a bad wreck in one of my other cars, and the 4000 was in pieces at the initial stage of restoration. I credit that car for pushing me to work as hard as possible to get my strength and mobility back so I could get it back on the road and finished. There’s just a certain charm about the 4000 that the other cars fail to replicate.

• What vehicles are in your current personal collection, and where do you keep each one?

My “permanent” Audi collection consists of a 1985 5000S Wagon, a 1985 4000S quattro, a 1987 5000CS Turbo, a 1990 V8 quattro, a 1990 100E, and a 1991 100. They all live together at my detail shop, so you can imagine how hard it is to focus sometimes on work when I have a laundry list of maintenance and repairs with the cars staring me down!

• What resources are out there for people looking to get into this niche? i.e. forums, Facebook communities, clubs, or other places to network?

A lot of community members have moved mostly to the various Facebook groups specifically dealing with pre-‘95 Audis. If you’re not keen on social media, thankfully many of the die-hard long-term guys are still active members of Audi Club North America, forums such as QuattroWorld, and if you’re willing to go through the archived posts, your answer is bound to be there. I would also suggest Scott Mockry’s SJM Autotechnik website for quick answers – that was my go-to when I wasn’t very seasoned with these cars.

• What advice would you have for someone looking to restore or preserve a vintage Audi?

“Everything works, but not at the same time” tends to be my running joke: less so to discourage new enthusiasts, but to set realistic expectations of these vehicles. These are not hard cars to figure out with a little patience, but to this day I won’t start a repair without the Bentley service manual in reach, a clear mind, and a fresh cup of coffee. I like to think that irritating adage “buy the best example you can” definitely has some significant weight with an ‘80s Audi with CIS (a continuous injection system). They don’t like to sit, so the barn find cars aren’t usually the best for beginners. There are very few independent shops left that will touch these, so plan to DIY. Also keep in mind the vintage support from Audi is almost nonexistent here in the U.S., so be cautious with little trim bits and pieces because there’s a good chance even Audi’s “Tradition” department in Germany doesn’t have them.  

• Which vehicle did you take to RADwood Philly on June 10?

My new-to-the-fleet ‘85 5000S Wagon (in stock form, with a few fun changes for the show). That car wreck I mentioned? My previous 5000 wagon sacrificed itself, and it’s taken five years to get one back like it, so I’m excited to share this new find with everyone!

• Which car of yours has your favorite “story” behind it?

Brian: The 4000 will take that award, too. I bought a vintage Audi Sport hat on eBay, and there was a note in the box with information leading to that car. It was the car I didn’t know existed, but the car I didn’t know I’d need to be a part of my life!

• What’s next on the horizon for you, for Coat N Go, and for future restorations?

My life feels very “complete” at the moment, which hasn’t always been an easy feeling for me to achieve. However, as many will easily tell you, I’m not happy if I’m not actively making progress or have a project to tend to, so I look forward to what comes next with my business and personal hobbies. I’ve had fun with some non-Audi projects over the past few years, so I’d be willing to dive into something unknown again. I will say that I’ve been happily taking a step back from social media and projects in general to spend more time on self-improvement and with loved ones, and that’s been just as rewarding.

• What’s your favorite period-correct song or album to rock out to in a vintage Audi?

“Harden My Heart” by Quarterflash is one of my favorite songs ever, and there’s a good chance if you’re next to me at a stoplight a track from ‘Til Tuesday or Stevie Nicks may be heard though the speakers.

If you’re a fan of older Audi models, I highly recommend getting connected with Brian. And as always, keep an eye on the classifieds at ClassicCars.com for vintage cars of any era and marque!