Running Smooth
April 9, 2021
Our 1957 Jensen 541R/S is having some final adjustments to its engine and mechanics. We’ve just fitted heat protection to our plug leads, made a
News
Jaguar MKVII Out Of Paint And Into Chrome
April 9, 2021
Our classic 1954 Jaguar MKVII has officially left the paint bay and gone back into the fabrication bay to have the doors re-attached as well
New Seats For The DB9
April 9, 2021
Craig’s Aston Martin DB9 is set to get some new seats as the trim shop begin on the task of freshening up the interior. Kath
Peony Red Grills And Shields
April 9, 2021
Paul has fit the heat shield into the engine as well as the front grill and badge into our 1960 Peony Red Jensen 541S. Every
Lilac Jensen Gets New Seats
April 9, 2021
Our Jensen 541R restoration project, currently owned by our director, Gordon, is currently getting new seats made by our trim shop. Most recently the tubs
White Jaguar E-Type Dismantling And Rebuilding
April 9, 2021
Scott has been working on marking the caution bar to identify where it fits back into the front axel later down the line. By leaving
Alvis Headlining Complete
April 9, 2021
Our charming 1940 Alvis headlining has now been completed after a wholesome team effort from our trim shop technicians. The final part was finished by
Honda S2000 Paint Prep
April 9, 2021
Our Honda S2000 has come out of the fabrication bay with its freshly repaired wheel arch and has been prepared for paint. The Honda will
Black Jensen Teething Problems
April 9, 2021
Our 1960 541R Jensen is being collected next week however we’ve found it’s got some teething issues due to the throttle cable sticking. We think
Day 5 – Cylinder Headed Welded
April 8, 2021
Richard Kimberley from Manningtree sent us back the cylinder head which has been welded to replace part of the ring that had corroded. He lined
Stag’s new boot trim
April 8, 2021
Tom has made a custom boot lid for our 1971 Triumph Stag so that it’s ready for delivery. He made the wood spare wheel cover
The origins of our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4
April 8, 2021
Thanks to Nick at Stratton Motor Company and Aston Martin Heritage Trust for connecting us with Aston Service Dorset. Aston Service Dorset purchased the manufacturing rights
Lilac Jensen Trim Continues
April 8, 2021
Recovering the rear side panels and rear side window surrounds included cutting out dark blue leather to cover the wood and glueing them to the
Jensen Hunting
April 8, 2021
We visited Jensen Service Limited in Winchester to take a look at this Jensen 541S. This classic Jensen would make the perfect restoration project…who’s in?
Pressure Testing The Aston Martin DB2/4 Mark 1
April 8, 2021
We’ve run a pressure test on our DB2/4 and found that the readings are positive. If the readings had been low, we’d worry there was
The Alvis’ Headlining Event
April 8, 2021
Lydia has been working to refresh the headliner in our 1940 Alvis. She’s marked out parts on the original fabric to help her know where
The Mighty Ford Heritage Collection
April 8, 2021
Ford have opened their own heritage museum thats full of 100 old fords. Car and Classic did an article on it where theyve described it
Aston Martins At Stratton Motor Company
April 8, 2021
Craig popped over to the Statton Motor Company to disconnect the air bags in the seats of his Aston Martin DB9 ready for the seats
MG B Arrives In Cyprus
April 8, 2021
Peter Green bought this MG B off us recently, and after its hiatus in storage, it has now arrived safe and sound in sunny Cyprus.
White Jaguar E-Type: Disassembling Continued
April 8, 2021
Scott has been removing the front suspension, all brake and fuel lines and rear axle on our 1973 Jaguar E-Type Roadster. He’s also started to
Behind The Scenes: BMW Z3
April 8, 2021
Our latest edition is up for grabs now on our competition website. A 2000 BMW Z3 Roadster is the ideal modern classic convertible, perfect for
Jaguar E-Type 4.2 Farewell
April 8, 2021
Last night we said farewell to our 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5 after finishing its service. The final touches included tightening the steering rack, altering
Closer Look At Our TR7 V8
April 7, 2021
We’ve had this stunning TR7 V8 in before, so we thought we’d take a closer look at it. This stunning blue classic is a TR7
A Car For Life: 1998 Citroen Saxo VTR
April 7, 2021
Craig recently purchased this little 1998 Citroen Saxo VTR, which is the same model and year of his first car. Fondly reminiscing his early days
Mercedes CL600 V12 Arrival
April 7, 2021
This stunning modern classic arrived recently and is being prepared to be launched soon. After its had a thorough clean and a service, the team
Clear Vision On The TR7
April 7, 2021
Tom has fitted the Cibie front fog lights, allowing for clear vision on foggy roads. Tom has been trying to diagnosis the issue with the
White Jaguar E-Type Engine Removal Continues
April 7, 2021
Scott has been removing the engine and gearbox from our white 1973 Jaguar E-Type Roadster. He has separated the gearbox from the engine, ready for
Riley Break Down And Diagnosis
April 7, 2021
This beloved Riley RMS has come in after being recovered from a break down. We understand that driving a classic can be a labour of
Grey Jensen Paint Touch Up
April 6, 2021
Chris has been working to re-apply the black raptor paint that was applied on the underside of the wheel arches which is used as a
Nissan Patrol Sill Repairs
April 6, 2021
Our adventurous modern classic, the Nissan Patrol is currently sat in the fabrication bay with Pricey continuing his work restoring the sills and doors. The
Running Smooth
April 9, 2021
Our 1957 Jensen 541R/S is having some final adjustments to its engine and mechanics. We’ve just fitted heat protection to our plug leads, made a bracket to secure the alternator, made a gear leaver and re-bled the clutch and breaks.
Jaguar MKVII Out Of Paint And Into Chrome
April 9, 2021
Our classic 1954 Jaguar MKVII has officially left the paint bay and gone back into the fabrication bay to have the doors re-attached as well as chrome elements such as window frames, door handles and door catches.
New Seats For The DB9
April 9, 2021
Craig’s Aston Martin DB9 is set to get some new seats as the trim shop begin on the task of freshening up the interior. Kath began by carefully removing the covers, un-cliping the handle mechanisms and then removing the air bag which had been previously disabled by Aston Martin themselves. Kath then removed the retainers out from the inside of the metal frame and take out the centre piece which was attached with Velcro. Once the squab was removed, she could then remove the switches at the base of the seat. Once this was done, she could untie the cable tires and gently pull the cover out from around the wires. The seats contain small retainers to hold the cover on as well as strips of velcro, such as down the centre. Kath then removed the heated panels from the base and squab and the seat belt clip cover.
With all the external pieces now removed, Kath can begin the same process on the other seat and recover them both.
Peony Red Grills And Shields
April 9, 2021
Paul has fit the heat shield into the engine as well as the front grill and badge into our 1960 Peony Red Jensen 541S. Every day our Peony Red is starting to resemble a real car more and more as it makes exciting developments daily.
Lilac Jensen Gets New Seats
April 9, 2021
Our Jensen 541R restoration project, currently owned by our director, Gordon, is currently getting new seats made by our trim shop. Most recently the tubs have been stripped to be recovered. All the old rails have been removed and old patterns have been measured up next to the tubs to see if they fit or if the designs need to be modified. Parts were then marked out in new white leather to cover the seats, including the seat skirts, side panels, and front section of the seat. Piping along the edge has been made and all the parts have been laid down over the tub.
White Jaguar E-Type Dismantling And Rebuilding
April 9, 2021
Scott has been working on marking the caution bar to identify where it fits back into the front axel later down the line. By leaving marks on parts, trim or the car, its helps our technicians know how pieces fit back together.
In the fabrication bay, the body is being prepared to be worked on and James has been panel beating the bonnet. The dents seem to have been previously corrected by using filler which isn’t always an effective method.
The dashboard and wiring loom has also been removed from the Jaguar along with the front frame.
Alvis Headlining Complete
April 9, 2021
Our charming 1940 Alvis headlining has now been completed after a wholesome team effort from our trim shop technicians.
The final part was finished by gluing in a rear calico flap over the rear frame bar and applying calico flaps around the roof bars. Next, Brian stapled the next calico flap onto the roof bar and stapled it onto the wooden section of the roof bar and finished it by undoing the roof straps to allow headliner to stretch to the front bar. Brian then pulled the headliner tight and stapled it down to the front roof bar. He then fitted the straps over the top of the headliner and trimmed off any excess material. Finally all the pieces were stapled back down over the roof bars. rear quarter panels and wooden rear bars.
The hood is now looking good as new.
Honda S2000 Paint Prep
April 9, 2021
Our Honda S2000 has come out of the fabrication bay with its freshly repaired wheel arch and has been prepared for paint.
The Honda will now enter the paint booth and will have its final paint colour applied.
Black Jensen Teething Problems
April 9, 2021
Our 1960 541R Jensen is being collected next week however we’ve found it’s got some teething issues due to the throttle cable sticking. We think this could be due to the angle of the cable over the rocker cover. Ady, our engine specialist has been working to resolve the issue.
Day 5 – Cylinder Headed Welded
April 8, 2021
Richard Kimberley from Manningtree sent us back the cylinder head which has been welded to replace part of the ring that had corroded. He lined up the gasket to determine how much needed to be welded. We will now be lap in the valves before sending it off to Scholar to be refaced.
Stag’s new boot trim
April 8, 2021
Tom has made a custom boot lid for our 1971 Triumph Stag so that it’s ready for delivery. He made the wood spare wheel cover and then cut a floor mat to cover the whole spare wheel and fuel tank cover area.
The origins of our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4
April 8, 2021
Thanks to Nick at Stratton Motor Company and Aston Martin Heritage Trust for connecting us with Aston Service Dorset.
Aston Service Dorset purchased the manufacturing rights and engineering drawings for the post-war Feltham Aston Martins from Sir David Brown in the early 1970s and have been providing parts, service and restoration for these and the later models of Aston Martin since those times.
They have been able to dig deep into the archives to find the original heritage certificate and factory specifications of our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4.
This information confirms to us the original colour combination of Moonbeam Grey with red, piped in grey. It also matches nicely to the description given to us from Bonhams as to the origins of the owner and location of the car in it’s history.
Work will now commence on the strip down in preparation for restoration to begin.
Lilac Jensen Trim Continues
April 8, 2021
Recovering the rear side panels and rear side window surrounds included cutting out dark blue leather to cover the wood and glueing them to the front of the wood followed by wrapping around the underneath, trimming to shape and glueing down.
Making the new sideboards on the front squab seats for the Jensen included sewing up the corners first to fit over metal bars, stapling them onto the seat around the back, gluing the front of each sideband onto the foam, trimming away the excess leather and then the process is repeated for the other squab.
Jensen Hunting
April 8, 2021
We visited Jensen Service Limited in Winchester to take a look at this Jensen 541S. This classic Jensen would make the perfect restoration project…who’s in?
Pressure Testing The Aston Martin DB2/4 Mark 1
April 8, 2021
We’ve run a pressure test on our DB2/4 and found that the readings are positive. If the readings had been low, we’d worry there was a leak or a hole somewhere however with high readings, we know that the engine is functioning as needed.
The Alvis’ Headlining Event
April 8, 2021
Lydia has been working to refresh the headliner in our 1940 Alvis. She’s marked out parts on the original fabric to help her know where everything goes when she starts remaking it. She then cut out new strips of fabric to recover the paper cord piping and flaps. Lydia then moved onto topstitching the new side panels.
The next step was to cut around the original cloth to make new patterns, followed by measuring, marking and cutting out the new strips of calico for underneath the centre panel. These sections hold the ceiling cloth in place. She then sewed on the piping and attached the side panels and middle panel together.
The Mighty Ford Heritage Collection
April 8, 2021
Ford have opened their own heritage museum thats full of 100 old fords. Car and Classic did an article on it where theyve described it as “a collection of the exceptional Fords, or the last off the line models; the rare, the desired and the iconic. It is, frankly, marvellous.
Back in 2018, we were personally invited to the Vauxhall Heritage Museum to take a look around thier heritage collection.
You can read more here:
Here’s a look at some of the Ford’s we’ve had in over the years:
Aston Martins At Stratton Motor Company
April 8, 2021
Craig popped over to the Statton Motor Company to disconnect the air bags in the seats of his Aston Martin DB9 ready for the seats to be retrimmed but whilst he was there he saw this DB2/4, identical to the one we’ve got in, so he took the chance to take some photos as reference for when we rebuild ours.
MG B Arrives In Cyprus
April 8, 2021
Peter Green bought this MG B off us recently, and after its hiatus in storage, it has now arrived safe and sound in sunny Cyprus. We’re delighted to see it has arrived safe and sound and can now be enjoyed. We wish you many happy miles Peter.
White Jaguar E-Type: Disassembling Continued
April 8, 2021
Scott has been removing the front suspension, all brake and fuel lines and rear axle on our 1973 Jaguar E-Type Roadster. He’s also started to disassemble the front suspension components ready to be refurbished.
Behind The Scenes: BMW Z3
April 8, 2021
Our latest edition is up for grabs now on our competition website. A 2000 BMW Z3 Roadster is the ideal modern classic convertible, perfect for those sunny days coming up and it drives like dream.
Charlotte once again came down to help us out with the shoot, driving the BMW for our video and sitting for some portraits:
Jaguar E-Type 4.2 Farewell
April 8, 2021
Last night we said farewell to our 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5 after finishing its service. The final touches included tightening the steering rack, altering the high beams as their connection was poor, and finally, we cleaned it down.
One of the other final touches for this Jag before it left our workshop was to replace the diaphragm, which was making a strange whistling sound. Although this was a brand new element, we refitted it to ensure that the whistling stopped.
Closer Look At Our TR7 V8
April 7, 2021
We’ve had this stunning TR7 V8 in before, so we thought we’d take a closer look at it. This stunning blue classic is a TR7 with V8 mods, making it not only beautiful to look at but also beautiful to drive.
We’re still working on this and moving through the list of to-do’s to get this lovely classic back on the road – watch this space.
A Car For Life: 1998 Citroen Saxo VTR
April 7, 2021
Craig recently purchased this little 1998 Citroen Saxo VTR, which is the same model and year of his first car. Fondly reminiscing his early days of driving, Craig tells us he’s bought this to keep for his son to learn in. Loick, Craig’s 4 year old son, will be owning and driving a much loved classic when he’s 17 in 2034.
Craig’s Saxo, which was identical to this one, featured TSW Alpine Wheels and a large sound system. Unfortunately, Craig and his beloved Saxo had an unfortunate run-in with a tree, for which the Saxo did not survive. It is rare to find a Saxo these days that hasn’t been mod’ed and changed for rally spec. This particular motor has been loved and cared for with only 20,000 miles on the clock, making a unique example of the much-loved daily.
Until 2034, this little Saxo will be cared for and stored, awaiting its new owner.
Mercedes CL600 V12 Arrival
April 7, 2021
This stunning modern classic arrived recently and is being prepared to be launched soon. After its had a thorough clean and a service, the team can begin preparing all the visuals surrounding the launch. Watch this space!
The 2000 Mercedes CL600 V12 is often referred to as a super-coupé and has the drive and delivery to wow any driver. With a comfortable and stylist interior, it rivals its plush competitors over at Bentley.
Clear Vision On The TR7
April 7, 2021
Tom has fitted the Cibie front fog lights, allowing for clear vision on foggy roads.
Tom has been trying to diagnosis the issue with the steering on our recent TR7. The steering wheel isn’t self centring, so Tom has gone through the steering components bit by bit to try and understand the root cause of the issue. He’s taken off the tyres and removed the wheels to gain aces to the tracking rod ends which he’s loosened as well as loosening the steering rack and removed the joints from the steering rack column.
White Jaguar E-Type Engine Removal Continues
April 7, 2021
Scott has been removing the engine and gearbox from our white 1973 Jaguar E-Type Roadster. He has separated the gearbox from the engine, ready for the engine to be rebuilt. He has also started to disassemble the front suspension as well.
Riley Break Down And Diagnosis
April 7, 2021
This beloved Riley RMS has come in after being recovered from a break down. We understand that driving a classic can be a labour of love and at some point, you’re going to break down, but that’s what we’re here for! This Riley will be back on the road in no time.
We’ve worked on this Riley in the past making this a bitter sweet reunion. Our technicians have established the root of the break down being an issue with the gearbox and over drive components. The prop shaft flange coupling units had been fixed together via a plug weld however this meant that the two components couldn’t freely move and breath, causing pressure to accumulate and lead to the elements breaking. With no splines inside the two parts, there’s a series issue with the current mechanical workings of the overdrive which we are endeavouring to fix by adding in a flexi-joint made of rubber.
Grey Jensen Paint Touch Up
April 6, 2021
Chris has been working to re-apply the black raptor paint that was applied on the underside of the wheel arches which is used as a sealant. He has also been fixing a few cracks in the fibreglass where the rubber was too thick for the boot door and closing it had caused some stress cracks.
Nissan Patrol Sill Repairs
April 6, 2021
Our adventurous modern classic, the Nissan Patrol is currently sat in the fabrication bay with Pricey continuing his work restoring the sills and doors. The front sills have been removed and repaired with filler, the front wing is being sandblasted to remove the corrosion and the door sills are also being addressed and re-built due to rust. The inner sills have been attached to the outer sills and anti-corrosion will be applied.
