Best friends Charlie Narwald and Jason Doornick, who call themselves free spirits, took different paths and co-founded Motoriot.
However, both of them came from artistic backgrounds, and they discovered that there was a market for vintage custom vehicles, so they joined forces and started “importing and customizing classic cars'' in “downtown'' Kent. I started my own business, Motoriot.
The pair have traveled to multiple continents in search of vehicles that can be fully restored, and have repaired them to their customers' tastes.
“The cars we build are amazing,” Narwald said. “We want to look our best, and it's a little sexy…”
“For us, this is a luxury experience,” he added. “We're aiming for people who still want a 4×4 adventure-based vehicle. We like that aspect of adventure. We're trying to cater to that customer.”
But Narwald and Doornick also said they pride themselves on keeping costs low and offering prices ranging from $80,000 to $100,000 and up to $160,000. Narwald said similar companies start at closer to $250,000.
The company collects Land Rovers, some older than the two owners, and other models and makes.
“This has now grown into a full-fledged business, with offices in major countries around the world, and we help source, restore and import new Land Rovers, Land Cruisers, Mercedes G Wagons and other vintage cars. “We'll help you,” Doornick said. He said.
traveling men
The two became friends in 2008. Doornick, 35, grew up in Kent. He is a graduate of Housatonic Regional College and eventually headed to California to earn a degree in composition and sound design from California Institute of the Arts.
“I grew up with two parents who are artists. My father is a robotics engineer and my mother is a painter.I traveled a lot from a young age and my experience in California made it a part of my life. But later on, I realized that studying music wasn't for me. But I quickly realized who I was,” Doornick said. .
Cars became his passion, which grew even stronger when he had the opportunity to work with actor Paul Walker of Fast and Furious fame.
After returning to the East Coast, he took over the family business, International Robotics, from his father. He moved it from Larchmont, New York to Stamford. During that time, he started his Doornick Driven Car Restoration at the same location.
“I lived on my office floor for a couple of years to save money,” Doornick said. “I went from a difficult two-and-a-half years to managing 30 customers and payroll. I learned how to run a business. My experience at Driven was instrumental in building Motoriot in the early days. A year and a half later, I was able to afford to set up my own base in Kent.”
“Charlie and I share an endless love of adventure and new experiences, and we don't give up on the unknown,” Doornick said. “Hot or cold, we get into the water. We prepare to cross the oceans of exploration to connect the rest of the world and the United States with the history and passion of our work.” I am happy to work on it.”
Narwald, 36, grew up in West Hartford and now lives in New York City. He graduated from Kingswood Oxford University in 2006 and attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
Narwald spent his 20s as a drum guitarist in an indie rock band. His experience allowed him to tour the world, but his fame came at a price.
“We were in a place we never expected to be,” Narwald said. “At the end of the day. I was a complete mess inside. Every time I went back to my hotel room after the show. I was alone with my thoughts and that's not great. was.”
“Seven years ago, I got completely sober from drugs and alcohol,” Narwald said. “I was an addict all through my 20s. 2017 was like starting my life all over again. I was 29 years old, sober, and didn't know who I was anymore. I started laying it down brick by brick.”
Narwald turned to real estate and spent much of his time investing, developing, designing, and operating investment properties in New York City and Los Angeles. Eventually he teamed up with Doornik.
“I've been able to commit to Motoriot over the last few years. It's given me a new feeling in life and it's so fulfilling to be able to do this with my best friends,” Narwald said.
“I've toured the world with my music and never thought something like this would happen again,” he said. “Now we've traveled together to Guatemala, Ecuador, England, Spain, and many other places. It's like being on tour without drugs or alcohol. We've come full circle.”
Globetrotters, especially Land Rovers, are looking for diamonds in the rough, and Spain is fertile ground for them.
The friends first traveled to Spain in 2021. Doornick was heading to Spain to find a car to buy and ship to the United States for a profit. He was looking for an old farm truck with low mileage. Spain has less water and humidity than other climates.
“I was thinking about how I could fit in, so I said I'd like to come and film him as two friends who travel around the world in search of classic cars.” Narwald said. “Once we got to Spain, we ended up buying three or four cars. Then we had to figure out the logistics of getting the cars back home.”
“I shot a pilot for a TV show, and it was terrible. But the great thing is, even though the pilot probably didn't work, there was still a business opportunity here.” he said. “We can customize these cars and provide unique experiences that no one else has done.”
The two officially became an LLC this October.
Doornick said the goal is to educate potential customers about what the company offers and to be completely transparent about its services.
“We love traveling and immersing ourselves in different cultures, and we want to create a brand that encompasses all of that,” Doornick said. “We want to make something more affordable. A lot of people think that he's offering what we do for three times the price, so people are getting scammed. I don’t want you to think that.”
After starting in Kent, the goal is to open stores in every major city in the country. The plan is to house one car in a 600- to 800-square-foot building. Narwald said most buyers research cars they're interested in online and don't need a large piece of real estate.
“Many of our competitors came in with the backing of hedge funds, and it was difficult for us to climb that ladder,” Doornick said. “But we are creating competition for them. We are putting our toe in the water, but it is possible. We want to achieve this and make it more affordable for our customers. We're going to do that at a reasonable price point. We're saving money by doing the restoration overseas.”
Doornick said there are three other similar companies in the state and about a dozen recognized brands nationwide.
“I slept on the floor for three years, but it brought me to the point where my dream came true,” Doornick said. “If it wasn't for Charlie, I wouldn't have been able to do this. He brought the brand image to life. He wanted to launch the brand and support what we do. is a dream to work with, and I couldn't have asked for a better partner.”
Kent is open Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Otherwise, reservations only. The store is located at 21 Bridge St. Or visit https://motoriot.io/.
