Sometimes great looking cars don’t have great foundations. Although many might not tear apart a car that looks this good what we have now uncovered hiding under the paint and horrible previous body work shows it was a good decision.
Category Archives: British
Almost Painted 1972 Triumph Stag
Now ready for paint this Mark I Triumph Stag will get a respray in it’s original white color. Only 2,871 of these cars were to be sold in the United States between 1970 and 1977, this being the fourth that we have had in the shop.
Folding Roof
Cutting a giant hole in the roof of an Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300 looks scary but having a fabric folding sunroof will be worth the trouble.
440 Mopar
The largest engine that Chrysler made it’s power by sheer size instead of high compression or high revs. This big block is making almost 500 horsepower and just over 400 ft-lbs or torque.
Painted: 1967 Sunbeam Alpine
19,122 of these final version Series V Alpines were produced. They had a new five-bearing 1,725 cc (105.3 cu in) engine with twin Zenith-Stromberg semi-downdraught carburettors producing 93 bhp. This car is painted in the very rare Code #130 Gunmetal Metallic.
After: 1963 Jaguar XKE
Rescued from it’s barn find state the Jaguar is now road worth again. The E-Type was based on Jaguar’s D-Type racing car, which had won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three consecutive years beginning 1955, and employed a racing design with both the body tub and engine bolted directly to the frame.
After: 1967 Austin Mini Moke
In 1967, the “Mk II” Moke added a passenger-side wiper. Horn and headlight controls were moved onto the indicator stalk. These later British Mokes were available in white as well as the original single color of Spruce Green.
Interior: 1960 Austin Healey 3000
The brown and biscuit interior is looking great with the Race Red exterior color. This BN7 has come a long way from the green it originally arrived in.
Mini Woody
The Austin Countryman was first launched in 1960 and although very successful in France many thought the non-functional wood to be too much and starting in 1961 the wood became optional. This beautiful example is now back in top condition.
Before: 1963 Jaguar XKE
Called the E-Type outside of North America this Jaguar is fresh from the barn after many years of sitting. Unfortunately at one point a repair shop did not know where the bonnet releases were located and decide to use pry bars instead.
After: 1952 MG TD
Painted again in it’s original Ivory color this MG TD has been re-assembled and brought back to running condition after many years of sitting. The wheels have been powder coated in the original silver color and proper replica tires from Coker have been fitted.
Better Healey
Now upgraded with twin 45mm Dellorto two barrel carburetors the 1974 Jensen Healey Series II starts better, runs better, and a joy to drive compared to having the original Strombergs.
Painted: 1960 Austin Healey 3000
Although not an original shade this car looks great in modern Ford Race Red. The engine and transmission are already installed and the fun can begin on all of the many smaller jobs to complete it.
NASA ST2 Lotus Exige
Racing season is a week away, we have NASA Dyno and Tech inspection available. So be like these guys and get it done now so that you don’t have to wait in line for tech inspection at the track.
Almost Powered: 1960 Austin Healey 3000
The Healey is about the receive it’s 2,912 cc C-Series engine. A wheel swap to the knock off Minilite style wheels is planned before completion.
Assembled: 1952 MG TD
With the piles and boxes of parts that were delivered with the chassis now bolted to the car we can see what we are working with and what is missing.
The C-Series
A customer had this 2,912 cc engine for his Austin Healey 3000 send over to us in a crate. The engines in the MG Midget and MGB are well known as the A-Series and B-Series but few are aware that these engines are the C-Series. Mostly used in the large sedans the Austin Healey 3000 and MG MGC were the only sports cars to use this large engine.
Adjustable 22
These extremely rare “Adjustable 22” Armstrong period correct externally adjustable lever arm shocks are being test fit to the Austin Healey Sprite which will be receiving the equally rare supercharged engine pictured earlier. Most have only seen examples of these in some of the original special tuning parts manuals.
The War is Over
This 1949 MG TC is an example of MGs first postwar model which was introduced very quickly in 1945. With a little more power and being four inches wider these cars became a hit in America especially among the returning America G.I.s. This beautiful example only needed wiring repair, tube replacement, and fuel pump points to be back on the road after sitting for many years.
Before: 1952 MG TD
It is not the exception that projects that were started sit unfinished after many years for numbers of reasons. Lucky for this MG it will be put back together and see the road again as the owner has properly stored the vehicle and parts inside the shed and away from the elements all of these years.
