Finding a classic car specialist to work on your pride and joy is a tricky task. Like many other businesses there are excellent companies and charlatans. So how do you find a business that offers the right expertise at the right price.
I always start by drawing up a shortlist of businesses from personal recommendations, specialist web sites and clubs. Ideally I would want them to be reasonably local so that I can visit regularly, have experience of the work I need and the marque that I own.
Next step is to check out their websites. On their website I would like to see an explanation of the type of work they do, project examples from start to finish and testimonials from clients.
I would then contact all the companies via the website with a query and see who comes back and how quickly they respond. If they can’t answer a simple query in a reasonable time from some one bringing business to them, then how quickly will they respond when they have your car in their workshop.
Of course not every business has a website, and not everyone needs to promote their business via the internet. So I wouldn’t exclude someone simply because they don’t have an effective website – if there is a compelling reason to use them.
Classic Car Lab is a Yorkshire based restoration business specialising in classic, sports and prestige cars. They have a full range of in house mechanical and bodywork services and have just updated their web site to include additional services.
Having been restoring classic cars for nearly 20 years in Otley, Yorkshire they are now embracing the internet to display their skills. Their new site includes a number of projects examples and current projects will be uploaded weekly to show progress. Many of the techniques used will also be shown on a youtube channel with video’s explaining the classic car restoration process in various disciplines, ie engine work, respray, restorations etc.
For owners of modern performance and luxury cars they have launched Sports Car Lab as a result of classic car clients asking them to look after their modern cars.
If you have a moment, take a look at their site. They certainly have an interesting range of projects and some very rare cars.
My final bit of advice. Pop round to the specialist, look round the premises, chat with the owner/manager and see if they are the kind of company you could do business with. And do the premises and projects reflect their web site? A company using library pictures is to be avoided.
Classic car restoration specialists
https://classiccarlab.com
Sports Car Lab
https://classiccarlab.com/services/sports-car-lab/
Projects