The lack of snow and ice in Wisconsin this winter has meant that classic cars are requiring less repair work or roadside assistance, leading to less business for body shops and tow truck companies.

November and December were both unusually devoid of serious snow showers which would be expected at this time of year and so the companies, which rely on motorists needing rescue and repairs, have been less busy than usual.

The good news is that many body shops are actually getting more time to focus on the restoration of vintage vehicles rather than simply repairing damage done in poor conditions.

Jim Bratton, owner of Vern's Body Shop in Middleton, told the Wisconsin State Journal that getting the chance to work on a 1969 Camaro SS and a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air was quite a pleasure, even if it was an indication of the downturn in seasonal work.

The number of motoring incidents in the state has been declining in recent years and quite a lot of the crashes that have occurred in the winter of 2011 can be attributed to deer collisions, rather than ice and snow making things slippery for the drivers.