VALT

Words by Vijay Sankar, photos by Aljed Solis for ATB.XO

Victoria Bruno’s penchant for vintage automobiles was sparked at an early age, growing up around the car culture in Los Angeles. In the male dominated sphere of classic car restoration, she is breaking down barriers, and currently pursuing her dream job as a vintage Ferrari mechanic at Patrick Ottis Co in Berkeley. In conversation with her amidst yet another engine rebuild, we delved into her journey and aspirations.

When did you first get interested in cars, and what were your influences?

I think the location I grew up in had a huge influence in my interest in vintage cars and culture. I was raised in Los Angeles where it’s driving season all year round, and I spent hours and hours in traffic every week. I would look out the window, and entertain myself by spotting what kind of cars were driving by. The older ones really caught my eye, and it just sort of stemmed from there. I also spent many weekends at the Petersen Automotive Museum. My grandfather had a ’66 Mustang, which he drove as his daily. I didn’t come from a car-centric family, but I think my main influences were the LA environment and the car culture there.

What path did you follow to become a restoration mechanic?

I grew up in a very traditional family, where girls were girls and boys were boys. Even though I expressed an interest in cars, it wasn’t encouraged. So, I just had a secret hobby on the side wherein I watched YouTube videos, and Googled information about cars. The end goal was always this–to save up a bunch of money doing a separate career, and teach myself how to restore cars, because I didn’t have access to anybody that was in the industry. However, when the pandemic hit, I found out there is a university called McPherson College where they teach you how to restore cars; you get a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Restoration. That’s when I realized I didn’t have to wait and teach myself how to do this–I can actually go and learn the trade. It’s a four-year program, but I transferred in as a junior. Right after graduation, I joined Patrick Ottis Co as a vintage Ferrari mechanic.

What does a day in the office look like? What’s your most challenging project so far?

It changes every day, which is why I think I love it so much. We always have multiple projects going on, on the off chance that we’re waiting for parts for one of them. I like to get here early, and pick up from wherever I left off the last day. We only work on the mechanical side of the restoration in this shop–it’s either something related to the drivetrain, the engine, the brakes etc. So, there isn’t really a normal day, I guess.

Every project is challenging in its own way, and that’s why I love what I do so much–you don’t really repeat the same thing twice. As far as difficulty goes, I think the 365 GTB/4 Daytona engine rebuild that I’m currently doing, which is my first official engine rebuild at work, is a thorough learning process. I’ve done a couple of Ferrari engines before, but not this one. It’s challenging because it’s all new for me, and because this car has been through a hurricane–everything is seized, there was water in the engine all over, and on top of it, there was a water pump failure.

What makes it special to work on vintage Ferraris?

I think passion is the foundation of the Ferrari marque, and there’s so much spontaneity and intricate evolution on the engineering side of things. The passionate foundation and the history involved make every Ferrari special. This makes me appreciate every component, every bore, every little tidbit involved in these cars.

Whom do you look up to the most in this industry?

I look up to hardworking and dedicated individuals who promote kindness, the masters of the craft who are always striving to be the best they can be.

What are some of the most outstanding experiences and opportunities you’ve had working in this field?

Aside from working on incredibly rare cars, because of my position at Patrick Ottis Co., I’ve been able to start judging at concours events. I judged at Cavallino Classic this past year, Pebble Beach as well, and I will be judging at this upcoming Cavallino Classic in January. I think it’s a perk of the job to be able to dive into the history, and really understand the evolution of the marque, and it also makes me appreciate my job more as I have to pay more special attention to the finer details of what components are involved, what plating should be on the throttle linkage, what carburetors the engine should have, what ignition coils–the little details.

Is there any part of your job that you don’t enjoy?

No, I think there’s a nice ebb and flow. If something gets stressful, and the stakes are really high, there’s a counter element to it wherein there’s a step in the process that’s really peaceful and methodical. It all contributes to just a good time.

Your top three Ferraris to own? Favorite Ferrari colors?

The most difficult question!

Ingrid Bergman’s 375MM, 500 TRC, and the 275 4 Cam. I think I have a huge passion for race engines, but at the same time I think the 275 GTB/4 is the perfect road car. So maybe somewhere right in the middle.

Colors: I think red ones definitely have their place, but I like the white and the black and the Grigio Ingrid, the random weird colors.

What is your current daily driver, and what is your dream daily?

My current daily is a 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited diesel, and my dream daily is a Lancia Delta Integrale. Or a Cadillac CTS-V wagon!

What are your future career goals, and goals beyond your career?

I want to be the go-to mechanical restorer in the United States. If you want your vintage Ferrari engine rebuilt, you want me to do it. Beyond that, I would love to contribute to diminishing the male-dominated bias in the industry, and making a safer space in general for all genders. I also want to be able to provide support and opportunities for everybody and anybody pursuing an unconventional career. I’ll be working towards a foundation in the next few years, where I can actually have a platform to do that.

What advice do you have for someone aspiring to follow this career path?

Have confidence in your capabilities, and leave your ego at the door. I’d say there is a plentiful amount of opportunities here, you just have to be willing to work hard and learn.