WXIAVintage Modern stemmed from Chau Nguyen's childhood dream. He vowed to work hard, make money and buy cars when he got older. Now, he's surrounded by cars built from the ground up in a Buford factory."Any time a cool car would go by and all of us were playing on the playground, I'd go that's my car: Porsche or Ferrari," Nguyen said. "But I couldn't afford them, because we had no money growing up. So this was a lifelong dream of mine, to be able to be around cars. Vintage Modern is a blend of classic car design with modern car technology, luxury and safety. So you really get the best of both worlds."Nguyen took his business experience from the tech sector working on mobile apps and applied his eye for luxury cars to a 160-employee operation that builds 250 vehicles a year.AdvertisementAdvertisement"I've spent over 100 hours a week since the day we opened up the factory working," Nguyen said. "We're the first company at this level of quality and scale to do the opposite of everyone else. It's about people, process and parts. But the passion piece is what makes this place different."During a tour of the factory and the American-made rides inside, Nguyen explained that the company started with just 12 employees. He said the cars undergo rigorous tests, abide by federal safety motor vehicle compliance, and get crash tested. His client list includes classic car connoisseurs that appreciate the modern engine, tech and safety features they can't necessarily find in a typical restoration."We built them for Jennifer Lopez, Mark Wahlbeg, Kevin Hart, Lebron James, Ryan Reynolds, musicians, actors," Nguyen said. "We're talking celebrities, athletes, billionaires, plus normal people like you and I who have a love for cars, always wanted a classic car without classic car problems."Nguyen said the concept originally stemmed from his wife's concerns over one of the business owner's older classic vehicles. AdvertisementAdvertisement"We're all so spoiled by modern day reliability and tech and safety, we don't even think about it," Nguyen said. "We just get in the car and go. When your wife says we've gotta fix this and there's no safety features, it really makes you think twice about the usability. So if I'm not going to put my own kids and family in a vehicle we produce, then we shouldn't produce it."Nguyen said his vehicles feature classic paint designs one might find in the 1960s or 1970s, with modern interiors and engines that scream class and luxury."They have six airbags, crumple zones, traction control, anti-lock brakes, all things we take for granted in a modern car that do not exist nor can they be retrofitted into a classic car," Nguyen said. "Ninety-nine percent isn't good enough, and people's lives are at stake driving your vehicle on the road. The process, safety checks, quality of the parts, the people all of that matters a lot."After releasing a classic truck and souped up Mercedes-Benz G-class, Nguyen plans to release a new vehicle later this year that he described as an American muscle car but with none of the problems. He has steered his dream into reality, still engineering and driving forward no matter the obstacle.AdvertisementAdvertisement"We started the company right before COVID, so we had to navigate that," Nguyen said. "Then we had to navigate the supply chain crisis. We're giving people what they want. You'll only thrive, win and succeed because your product or service meets or ideally exceeds your customers' expectations."