In the tiny Australian town of Underbool, where fewer than 220 people live along a remote stretch of Victoria's Mallee Highway, 99-year-old mechanic Ray Gloster continues to do something many people half his age have already left behind.Six days a week, he still heads into the family workshop where he has spent an astonishing 83 years repairing vehicles. One can only imagine the wealth of knowledge and technical know-how amassed through all those decades fixing cars, a career that may soon earn him a Guinness World Record.As ABC News Australia tells it, Gloster is now seeking official recognition as the world's oldest working mechanic, surpassing the current record holder, Italian mechanic Fabio Sabbioni, who was 97 when Guinness verified his achievement in late 2024.Eight Decades Under the HoodGloster's connection to A.J. Gloster and Sons stretches back to childhood. His father, Arthur "Joe" Gloster, founded the garage in 1925, and Ray joined the business in 1943. Nearly a century later, he is still showing up for work, even if he leaves the heavier mechanical jobs to younger family members.AdvertisementAdvertisement"I don't take the work away from the boys," Gloster told ABC News. "But they often need a bit of help holding something. I go around picking up the tools and filling up different containers, and I do change tires."He Started Fixing Cars in 1943. At 99, He's Still Showing Up Six Days a Week. Image Credit: ABC News Australia. News Australia/Instagram.His memories span virtually the entire history of Australia's automotive industry. He recalls when his father sold Chevrolets for £200 and vividly remembers the arrival of the first Holden FX in 1948, a model he still regards as his favorite vehicle to work on.While modern technology has transformed the industry, Gloster remains unconvinced about electric vehicles, especially in rural Australia."We're not particularly interested in them," he said. "Out here in the country, I can't see electric cars taking over because you're too far away from help if you get any problems."A Family Business Across Five GenerationsThe workshop represents more than Gloster's personal career. It has become one of Australia's rare five-generation family businesses.AdvertisementAdvertisementHis sons, Doug and Robert Gloster, have operated the garage for more than four decades, while grandson Cameron and great-grandson Frankie now work alongside him. Frankie, 17, balances Year 12 studies with two days each week in the shop, although he has not yet decided whether he will continue the family tradition full time.Beyond repairing vehicles, Gloster and his family have played significant civic roles in Underbool. Ray served as a justice of the peace, operated movie screenings at the town hall, led the local hospital board and bowls club, and recalled how his father helped bring electricity to the community in the early 1930s.Guinness Recognition Could Be Next83 Years Under the Hood: Meet Australia's Oldest Working Mechanic. (1:03)Although Gloster is already older than the current Guinness record holder, official recognition requires extensive documentation, including proof of age, employment history, evidence that he has continued working as a mechanic within the past year, and photographs documenting his decades in the trade. His family is now assembling that evidence.AdvertisementAdvertisementRetirement, however, is not on his agenda."While I can still walk, I'll still come and, you know, make a nuisance of myself here," Gloster said with characteristic humor. "If they don't want me out in the workshop, I'll sit here and do some Sudokus."For enthusiasts who appreciate automotive history as much as horsepower, Gloster's story paints an extraordinary portrait of craftsmanship, family continuity, and a lifelong devotion to keeping cars on the road.This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jul 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
