The recent time might not have been the best for car manufacturers, but the car restorers are, for sure, having the best time. Doesn’t matter where you look on the map of the UK, you will find one or two restorers around you. We already knew there is one, but we wondered whether they are more and it was not long before we found two more along with the M5 between Weston and Exeter. There are more as well, but who has that much time. We wanted to see how the businesses who restore the classics to their original glory work, and how they achieve this.
First, we went to Quantock Classics, Bridgwater, managed by Chris and Tina Boyer. The business is having a good time. They are about to move the current 1190sq ft premises to a new place that measures around 4995sq ft. It was very clear to us that they need more space. There, we saw a part-completed 1974 Land Rover Series 3 with tools all around, and a 1988 Land Rover Defender. There was also a stripped-down MGB roadster, which was the first car of its owner, who went to Italy and took it home.
This can also mean that you may not need to include the 1977 Series 3 in Chris’s work, on which he did a nuts-and-bolts restoration about two years ago. Currently, it’s been used daily driver and breakdown vehicle at a power station and is worth around £20,000. The engine range has increase, where others have not.
Chris is 53 years old, and he has been in this business for about 26 years. He got several awards including Best Mini in the World in 1999. Just like the previous one, Restoshack is also moving to a larger place. The restoration business was founded by Dave Watkins 7 years ago. Currently, situated at the end of a farm track.