Final restoration at our Clanfield workshop
Despite our excitement to move into our new facility in Havant it was with some sadness that we left our old Clanfield workshop. We have been there for over 20 years, have many happy memories of the site and have worked on countless cars there. Our new building will allow us to work far more efficiently and comfortably but we will always have a soft spot for our old village garage location.
We were delighted to finish one last restoration in the weeks before we vacated the old building. Those of you who follow our regular updates will recognise this as our Series 1 E-Type which we have been restoring in the background for the past couple of years. The car was complete and drivable before we started the restoration but had seen better days. We undertook this as a sympathetic restoration and saved much of the originality of the car including the trim and even some of the chrome work only needed a clean-up. The car was taken right back to a bare shell so the body could be repaired and resprayed. Mechanically no stone was left unturned with the engine being fully rebuilt to fast road standard and all the suspension stripped, powder coated and refitted with new bushes. The car has been tastefully upgraded with a more modern alternator, cooling fan, electronic ignition and a five-speed gearbox. All this will make the car very drivable.
These photos were quickly taken in between test drives so please excuse the road dirt and fingerprints on the glass. Once the car has been fully shaken down we will try to share some photos of it after it has been fully cleaned and details. This car has been built to be used so please do keep an eye out for it as we will be out and about at shows and taking part in events over the coming months and years.
Although we are best known for our XK restorations we have found ourselves working on more and more E-Types in recent years. It feels somehow fitting that the last car to be finished at our old workshop was an E-Type. As we look towards Twyford Moors’ future in our new workshop we are sure there will be plenty of E-Types mixed in with our beloved XKs.
