Whether it’s fixing cars or building houses, Monte Herring, owner of Herring Design and Development, is passionate about driving, designing, and discovering new ways build things. “I want things to work well, be long-lasting, and have a style that is appreciated. I am able to put that stamp on both my cars and houses.”
When did you first become interested in cars?
When I was 16, I convinced my Grandparents to co-sign a loan for a sports car that I had no business buying. It was a rotary engine Mazda RX-7. I worked on it, cleaned it up, sold it, and made a few bucks. Then I did the same thing with my next car and many cars after that.
Do you have a favorite car?
Porches. I like their German engineering because you can drive them to the track, beat them up, and drive them home.
Describe working on vintage race cars at the Indy 500.
I have friends on the professional racing circuit who invite me to help run their cars at the Indy 500. Many of the vintage race cars were hand-built in the ’60s and ’70s. It’s a whole orchestra of events to get the cars running. And they breakdown every time you run them. My favorite part is when a car breaks down. There’s so much excitement around getting it fixed and back out there. I love to take a challenge, fix it, and see the results.
Can you compare your passion for working on cars to your passion for building houses?
In 100 years from now, I want the houses I built to still be standing and to still have a unique style that’s appreciated, just like vintage cars.