Road to Rust: Portsmouth YouTuber James Williams' mission to save cars from the scrapheap
A passion for abandoned cars has seen a YouTuber build an audience of thousands.
James Williams runs the YouTube channel Road to Rust - and has more than 10,000 people following his exploits both documenting and trying to rescue decaying vehicles. What started as a hobby has turn into something bigger - a personal mission to save them.
James, of Hilsea, said: “I started out documenting abandoned cars and the decay you see in them. But then I discovered that I actually like buying them too.”
Over the past few years, that discovery has turned into a steadily growing collection. Some of the vehicles have been sitting on his property for several years, while one restoration project has been ongoing for three years. Another car joined the collection a year ago. Though the number of vehicles continues to rise, James insists he never planned to own “40 cars in a field” even if he admits the idea sometimes feels like a dream.
His motivation goes beyond collecting. James believes enthusiasm for traditional motoring is fading. Modern cars, he says, are increasingly difficult for owners to repair themselves, leading to a loss of hands-on knowledge that was once passed down through generations.
“You don’t get cars that are simple to work on any more,” he said. “People used to fix things themselves. Now if there’s a problem, they call for help straight away. That knowledge is disappearing.”
Determined to preserve that know-how, James has been teaching himself mechanical skills along the way. Each project brings new challenges and new lessons.
He has developed a particular appreciation for classic Citroën models, known for their distinctive hydraulic systems that power the brakes, steering, and suspension. While innovative, the systems can be daunting to repair something Williams sees as all the more reason to keep the expertise alive.
“If you lose that knowledge,” he said, “it disappears with the cars.”
James often sums up his philosophy with a tongue-in-cheek slogan: “Every old car saved is one less Tesla made.”
While partly humorous, the statement reflects his belief that character-filled classics offer something modern vehicles cannot. “There are so many grey SUVs you can buy,” he added. “Why not choose something interesting?”