Incredible Philadelphia no-kill CAR shelter turns broken-down old rust buckets into Mad Max-style vehicles

At the No Kill Car Shelter in Philadelphia, broken-down vehicles that would normally end up in the landfill are transformed into rampaging road warriors reminiscent of the dystopian saga Mad Max.

The no-kill shelter has recently gained a fanatical following on Instagram, with the revamped speed demons taking to the streets of Port Richmond in eye-catching videos that have been viewed millions of times.

Founder Brian Smith, 42, is happy with his store’s newfound fame — thanks in large part to his business partner and social media manager Sage Binder. But Smith said he’ll likely continue pursuing his passion even when the spotlight fades.

“It’s about keeping as many of these cars running as possible,” he said The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Of the many “mean machines” in the shop, he says the two that have attracted the most attention are the Nomad Max (originally a 1955 Chevy Nomad) and the Seneca (a 1960 Dodge Dart atop a 1984 Chevy C30 Dually Dump Truck).

The Seneca pulls out of the store driveway and drives away a few seconds later

Both cars were destined for the scrapyard, but given the shop’s motto ‘Keep Old Iron Alive’ there was no question of them scrapping them.

The crew in the shop also works on vintage cars, such as this 1959 Cadillac Sedan Devillewhich Smith would like to sell for $10,000 to anyone interested.

But more often, Smith takes an old car into his garage and tinkers with it until he no longer recognizes it.

Smith and Binder, both from South Jersey, have been dating for two years. They first met at the now-defunct Hot Rod Hoedown and Rock-N-Roll Rumble, a show that celebrated mid-century cars and the people who couldn’t get enough of them.

The cars at these events were not shiny sports cars, but cobbled-together, custom-built vehicles, exactly the kind that Smith and Binder were in love with.

The two were inspired to form the Deadbeaters Car Club with a few friends. They jokingly called it a drinking club with a car problem. The Deadbeaters were held together by their love of old, beat-up cars that didn’t have a shiny paint job.

“We don’t do show cars,” Smith said. They just wanted to see if they could get an old junkyard car running again so they could stun people on the road.

Sage Binder, left, and Brian Smith run the No Kill Car Shelter. The two have also been dating for two years after meeting at car enthusiast events

An example of a no-frills project that the No Kill Car Shelter regularly works on. This is a 1961 Buick LeSabre

A standard 1961 Buick LeSabre

Pictured: A 1955 Chevy 210 being restored in the shop

For the other club members it was a hobby, but Smith took it much more seriously.

“Everyone went their own way, but I kept going,” he said.

Eight years ago he opened the garage and somewhere along the way a romance developed between him and Binder as they worked on rust buckets together.

“I’ve never met anyone with such a passion for cool old cars,” Binder said.

Today, people are buying the revived cars, allowing Smith to continue running his business and collecting parts from scrap yards.

Roberto Perez, 28, bought a 1960 Chevy Bel Air from Smith.

Perez, an auto mechanic and car enthusiast, first saw the classic cruiser he now drives when his 9-year-old son goes to Little League games on Instagram.

“If you like old cars and, more importantly, keep old cars on the road, this is the place to look,” he said. “They’re living my dream.”

Smith finds his passion through Facebook Marketplace or by trading with others.

Inside the garage of the No Kill Car Shelter, where more than a dozen cars are parked and many more are parked on the street

A 1959 Cadillac Sedan DeVille that Smith plans to sell for $10,000 once he completes critical repairs

Interior of the Deville, which Smith says has power steering, brakes and a working antenna

A 1959 Ford Thunderbird at a Denver auto show. This is the model Binder is working on in the shop

The shop is filled with at least a dozen vintage cars, and the couple shows off the garage where they each sit in a recent car. Youtube video.

The shop is open from 1pm to 4pm and employs a rotating crew of mechanics, including Cory McGrath, once a Deadbeater.

Other cars the odd crew has recently worked on include a 1929 Ford Model A pickup truck, a 1955 Pontiac and a 1959 Ford Thunderbird.

The Thunderbird is Binder’s weapon of choice and currently the center of attention, as he aims to recreate it “like the one Elvira had” in the 1988 horror comedy Mistress of the Dark.

“It’s a bit of a rotten bucket, and it needs our love,” she said. “But that’s what we’re here for.”