Workshop Magazine Issue 27

OUR KEV: SHAME OF THE ROGUE MOT TESTERS WHO FAKE THEIR RESULTS

ISSUE 27 | DECEMBER 2017

£2.50 | WORKSHOPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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A WARM WELCOME

Six pages of great new gear – just in time for Christmas

Our intrepid globetrotters meet friendly faces in Iran

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D E R E T T E B E H T Y D REA

EAGLE! The Jaguar E-Type restoration specialists relentless in their pursuit of perfection

Adding a bit of bling . . . and beefing up the luxury motors

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CONTENTS.

EDITORIAL HEAD OF EDITORIAL REBECCA CHAPLIN

rebecca@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @believebecca

PRODUCTION EDITOR DAVE BROWN

dave@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerDave

FEATURES EDITOR JACK EVANS

jack@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @jackrober

SENIOR STAFF WRITER DARREN CASSEY

darren.cassey@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @DCassey

STAFF WRITER SIMON DAVIS

simon.davis@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @SimonDavisNZ

HEAD OF DESIGN GRAEME WINDELL

graeme@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @graemewindell

Talented team: Workshop dedicated to upgrading Bentleys (not to mention the odd barn-find Ferrari!)

42

16 28

The Judge delivers his verdict on the problems you have sent in

Our Kev: I’d throw the book (twice) at mechanics who put people’s safety at risk

ADVERTISING

11

Transformation: The taxi that became a retro van in a week

32

New for you: Six pages of products

SALES MANAGER JON HICKEY

j.hickey@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @cardealerjon

ACCOUNT MANAGER MICHELLE SEARLE

michelle@blackballmedia.co.uk

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION finance@blackballmedia.co.uk

SUITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER JAMES BAGGOTT james@thebaize.com Twitter: @CarDealerEd

MANAGING DIRECTOR ANDY ENTWISTLE andy@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerAndy

CONTRIBUTORS Felicity Bestwick, John Bowman, Jess Ernerth SUBSCRIPTIONS If you know someone who would like a FREE copy of Workshop Magazine, email the details to subs@workshopmagazine.co.uk and we’ll do the rest.

DISTRIBUTION Workshop Magazine is distributed to a database of up to 10,000 service and repair sites, franchised car dealers, independents, car manufacturers and suppliers.

Company No. 6473855 VAT No. 933 8428 05 ISSN No. 1759-5444 Workshop Magazine is published by Blackball Media Ltd (Company No 6473855) and printed by Warners. All rights reserved. Conditions of sale and supply include the fact that Workshop shall not, without our consent, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of in a mutilated way or in any unauthorised cover by way of trade or affixed to or as any part of a publication or advertising, literary or pictorial matter whatsoever.

Workshop Magazine is fully protected by copyright.

Nothing may be reproduced wholly or in part without permission.

30

Wheely great: Refurbishing alloys

Welcome

14

I’M going to break with tradition a little bit as I welcome you to this edition of Workshop Magazine.

Normally in this space, I talk about some of the fascinating features we have in store for you in its pages, but this time I want to mention an event that will be just a few days away when you receive this issue of the mag.

I’m talking, in case you hadn’t realised, about the inaugural Workshop Magazine Awards, which will be taking place at The Brewery in London on Monday December 11. We’ll be honouring the best garages in the UK, as well as handing out gongs to some of the most hard-working and talented individuals operating in our sector.

Unfortunately, it’s too late for you to enter (there’s always next year!) – but if you’re quick, you could still join us for what is sure to be a memorable and enjoyable occasion. If you haven’t finalised your Christmas party plans yet, why not kill two birds with

Round-the-world adventure: Globetrotting mechanics report on the sights and sounds of Iran one stone? See the best in the business pick up their trophies AND let your hair down with a delicious three-course meal and a free bar (beer and wine).

The Workshop Magazine team will be there in full force and we look forward to meeting as many of our wonderful readers as possible.

As we have mentioned in previous editions, we’re delighted to have secured the Independent Garage Association as headline sponsors, and we’re thrilled that motorsport legend Johnny Herbert will be our host.

Full coverage of the awards night will appear in the next edition of Workshop Magazine – and if you’d like to join us, call the number on the top left of this page and ask for the Workshop Magazine Awards team.

We’ll see you at The Brewery on December 11!

Rebecca Chaplin, Head of Editorial WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 03

NEWS.

THE BIG STORY

Manufacturers are giving a huge HyFive to hydrogen Think electric vehicles are giving you enough to contend with? You’d better start preparing for another form of power that’s shaping up to be the next big thing

C

ar manufacturers have claimed that hydrogen could power between 10 and 15 million cars worldwide by 2030.

The Hydrogen Council, a group of companies including car makers Toyota, Hyundai and BMW, made the claim at the United Nations COP 23 climate change conference in Bonn.

If this vision is to be realised, it expects one in 12 cars in California, Germany, Japan and South Korea to be hydrogen-fuelled by 2030 — with the rest of the world following suit.

The cost of fresh training and equipment for electric vehicles is currently a concern for garages, but the move to hydrogen adds an extra layer of complexity.

Honda, Toyota and Hyundai are the biggest brands with hydrogen-powered cars currently on UK roads.

Along with BMW and Daimler, they are part

04 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

by REBECCA CHAPLIN @believebecca

of the HyFive project, which is working to get hydrogen-powered cars on the road by supporting infrastructure for fuel supply, distribution and sale. And despite concerns about the risks of using hydrogen as a fuel, the council has issued reassurances that the gas is no more dangerous than conventional fuels.

Speaking to Workshop Magazine, head of aftersales at Honda UK Nick Holmes explained that work was under way already to prepare its network of franchised garages.

‘With Honda’s pledge to have two-thirds of our new car sales electrified by 2025, the process to train and convert the Honda retail network to cater for hydrogen vehicles has already started in

a pilot phase. As part of the HyFive project, we already have a dealer we are working closely with to understand the requirements around infrastructure, tooling and technician training,’ said Holmes.

Further growth of hydrogen vehicle numbers beyond 2030 is anticipated, with more than 400 million cars, 15 to 20 million trucks and around five million buses expected to be using the alternative fuel by 2050.

The Hydrogen Council also revealed that it expects hydrogen to make up 20 per cent of the emission reduction targets by 2050 as well, equalling a six gigaton decrease of CO2.

Takeshi Uchiyamada, chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation and co-chairman of the Hydrogen Council, said: ‘Hydrogen is an indispensable resource to achieve this transition because it can be used to store and transport

“

The sooner we get the hydrogen economy going, the better, and we are all committed to making this a reality.

TAKESHI UCHIYAMADA

Up to 15 million cars could be fuelled by hydrogen by 2030, it is claimed

wind, solar and other renewable electricity to power transportation and many other things.

‘The Hydrogen Council has identified seven roles for hydrogen, which is why we are encouraging governments and investors to give it a prominent role in their energy plans.

‘The sooner we get the hydrogen economy going, the better, and we are all committed to making this a reality.’

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 05

06 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

NEWS ROUND-UP. What’s been making the headlines at workshops around the United Kingdom?

CARLISLE:

Police in Cumbria are investigating two thefts of car parts from dealerships in Carlisle. The thieves struck between midday and 1.15pm on Monday, October 23 when an exhaust was stolen from Border Toyota in Parkhouse Road and seven car batteries were stolen from Carlisle Audi in Kingstown Broadway. The total value of the haul is unknown. Anyone with any information should email 101@cumbria.police. uk or contact Cumbria Constabulary on 101.

Alternatively, people can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

| COURT CASE |

NOTTS:

A former garage and petrol station near Mansfield is going to be developed into a gym after planning proposals were approved. The site on Chesterfield Road North in Pleasley used to be home to Autocars of Mansfield and featured an MOT test centre, a car dealership and a petrol station. The business closed several months ago and the 1,600m² property has been vacant ever since. However, it has found a new purpose, as one Adam Thorpe, of Sheepwalk Lane, Ravenshead, has made a successful application to turn it into a gym.

REDDITCH:

Windscreen wiper firm Trico hosted a charity car wash at Redditch United FC’s stadium to raise funds for a community project. Youngsters from the project, based in Matchborough, greeted locals at the Trico Stadium, where they washed cars in exchange for a small donation. Trico staff were also there to offer a wiper blade check and replacement to the owners of cars who had paid for a wash. More than half of the vehicles that passed through were found to be in dire need of having new wipers.

PORTSMOUTH:

A technician at Inchcape’s Porsche Centre in Portsmouth has joined an elite group within the automotive industry after gaining Gold Technician status. Stuart Hobbs, 27, has worked for Inchcape Retail UK for just over twoand-a-half years and has achieved the highest-ranking Porsche certification after mastering every element of diagnostics and repair, as well as completing tough practical exams. Tony Gorrighan, Inchcape’s franchise director for VW and Porsche, praised Hobbs’s determination.

Garage owner fined for pouring waste oil down the drain A GARAGE owner from Coventry has been ordered to pay nearly £2,000 after being found guilty of inappropriately disposing of waste engine oil by pouring it down the drain.

Waseem Hussein, of Nunts Park Avenue, Holbrooks, appeared in Coventry Magistrates’ Court on November 1 charged with breaching Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and Section 108 of the Environment Act 1995.

The 29-year-old owns Cab Repair on Paynes Lane, Hillfields, where, on two occasions, he got rid of waste engine oil by pouring it into storm drains, risking polluting rivers and harming wildlife.

During the prosecution, Coventry City Council officers asked Hussein to provide any and all documentation of waste disposal at his business, but he was unable to comply.

The council accused him of ‘wilfully obstructing’ its investigation.

Magistrates found Hussein guilty and handed him a total fine of £1,104 – £552 per offence – plus £750 costs and a victim surcharge of £50. This amounted to a total payout of £1,904.

Jim O’Boyle, David Welsh and Naaem Akhtar, ward councillors for St Michael’s where the offences took place, issued a joint statement, saying: ‘We’d like to congratulate the council officers who gathered the evidence to prosecute Mr Hussein for his careless disregard of our local environment.

‘This kind of behaviour is not just irresponsible, it is criminal.’

| REVIVE! |

Smart repairs on the Isle of Wight HERTS:

Factory-approved heritage Aston Martin experts Nicholas Mee & Company will be relocating to a new, purpose-built facility in early 2018, which will allow the creation of several new roles within its workshops. The firm is based in West London, but will be shifting its operations to a bespoke location in rural Hertfordshire. The new two-acre site will be a ‘destination experience’ for Aston Martin owners and enthusiasts, with a ‘distinctly Heritage experience’ promised for those who work at or visit the facility.

THE UK’s leading network of accredited smart vehicle paint repairers, Revive!, has opened on the Isle of Wight.

For the first time, private motorists and car dealerships across the island can access its full range of top-quality mobile car bodywork and alloy wheel paint repair services managed by Ryde man Josh Willis.

Said Willis: ‘Revive! is very popular on the mainland, and together with my business partner Keith Betteley, we saw the opportunity to set up Revive! Isle of Wight.’

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 07

NEWS. | DRAGON2000 |

‘Video is a great way to increase customer engagement’ CONSUMPTION of short-form digital video is climbing and workshops should embrace this trend, according to Dragon2000.

AOL’s Mobile Video Research 2017 has shown that 42 per cent of consumers watch videos for five minutes or less every day, and as the duration increases that number drops.

Smartphones continue to grow as a screen of choice for video, rivalling desktop viewership consistently yearover-year. On average, 57 per cent of consumers globally watch videos on a mobile phone every day, while 58 per cent of consumers watch videos on their laptop or desktop every day.

Mark Kelland, commercial manager at Dragon2000, said: ‘Garages and workshops that send good-quality vehicle health-check [VHC] videos to customers are not only improving the way they communicate, they are also boosting income potential.

‘Garages and workshops are securing additional work on vehicles they service when they use video VHCs. ‘They can text or email customers a short video, highlighting the work to help them decide whether to have it carried out.

‘Once a customer has watched a video, the garage or workshop will be notified by email and the video will be marked as viewed within DragonDMS. After a notification has been received, it is an ideal time to call the customer.’

| CARBON CLEAN |

Company increases its presence in York CARBON Clean has increased its presence in York with the addition of Blacksmiths Garage to its everexpanding network.

Appointed as Carbon Clean Centre York on October 17, the garage is now fully equipped to deliver the 30-minute, fully automated treatments designed to remedy the issues caused by carbon deposits. The revolutionary engine decarbonising system works with tap water.

With more than 20 years’ experience in all aspects of the motor trade, Blacksmiths Garage is committed to delivering the highest standard of customer service.

08 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

New online aid provides free MOT info AUTOMOTIVE data expert HPI has launched a free online tool to help motorists check a vehicle’s MOT history. Available at hpi.co.uk, the MOT History Check provides information directly from the DVLA for every MOT test performed on the car and its current tax status.

The introduction of the tool follows news that more than 90 per cent of garages have seen an increase in the number of customers bringing in cars that have an expired MOT. The increase followed the government’s road tax reforms in 2014, which saw the traditional

paper tax disc abolished in favour of digitalisation. Fernando Garcia, consumer director at HPI above, said: ‘Motorists can check the MOT status of their own vehicle or one they’re interested in buying.’

Classic Motor Cars wins top award for epic restoration Dedicated staff spent 6,725 hours working on Pininfarina-bodied 1954 Jaguar XK120 SE

Restoration work under way on the car

A

n epic 6,725-hour restoration of the oneoff Pininfarina-bodied 1954 Jaguar XK120 SE

by Classic Motor Cars won the Restoration of the Year trophy at the Octane Awards in London.

It’s the second time that the company has taken home the accolade, having done so previously in 2011 with its restoration of the Lindner-Nocker Lightweight.

The restorers are the only company to have won this award twice.

Nigel Woodward, managing director at Classic Motor Cars (CMC), said: ‘We are tremendously grateful to the judging panel for their recognition of skill and craftsmanship of our team of specialists who created this restoration. We are also blown away to have won this award for the second time.’

by JOHN BOWMAN john@blackballmedia.co.uk This XK120 features unique bodywork by famed Italian design house Pininfarina. The Bridgnorthbased restorers bought Chassis No. S675360 in 2015 from a German man who had bought it in the USA in 1978 with the intention of restoring it but never got round to it, and so the 6,725-hour journey began.

Some of the original parts, such as bumpers and chrome work, were impossible to find so CMC remade them by hand from photographs.

The technicians also had to scan the front and rear end of the car to make mock-ups of the lights, which were then scanned and reproduced. Smaller missing items were also produced in-house.

The rear window was missing and 3D scanning technology was used to scan the aperture and make a new rear screen from the data.

The interior trim door cards were also missing, along with the carpets and original trim colour. A small sample of original leather was discovered when stripping the car down, which was colour-matched, and the original leather type and colour were used to recreate the original ochre tan. The shape and pattern of the door cards were recreated by looking at similar Pininfarina-designed cars from the period.

Determined Tia is firm’s first female master technician INCHCAPE has appointed Tia Spriggs as its first female master technician.

Based at Inchcape’s H A Fox Jaguar dealership in Clifton Moor, the 29-year old, from York, has worked for Inchcape Retail UK for four years and has just passed her Level 4 Technician Certificate with Jaguar Land Rover to become a fully qualified master technician, able to work at the highest level, diagnosing and repairing the most complex mechanical and electrical automotive problems.

Alex Merricks, Inchcape franchise director for Jaguar Land Rover, said: ‘Tia is our first female technician to achieve Level 4 accreditation for both Inchcape and Jaguar Land Rover, so this is an incredible achievement.

‘It is a real testament to her hard work and determination. We are extremely proud to have such a talented technician working in our team.’

Inchcape Retail UK was voted the 2016 No 1 Best Big Company to Work For in the Sunday Times Top 100.

| AUTHORISATION |

Ferrari appoints nine Classiche Authorised Workshops in the UK FERRARI has appointed 48 official dealers for the brand worldwide as Ferrari Classiche Authorised Workshops with nine based in the UK. They are individually known as ‘Officina’ – Italian for ‘workshop’ – authorising the dealer to use the Ferrari Classiche certification process and ensuring the correct maintenance or repair of Ferrari cars over 20 years old.

In the UK, Dick Lovett (Swindon), Graypaul (Nottingham), H.R. Owen (London), JCT600 (Brooklands), Joe Macari (Wandsworth), Lancaster (Colchester), Maranello Service Centre (Egham), Meridien Modena (Lyndhurst) and Stratstone (Manchester) have been nominated as Ferrari Classiche Authorised Workshops.

Each Ferrari Classiche Officina will have the direct support of the Ferrari Classiche department at the factory in Maranello. Ferrari has specified that in return they must commit to maintaining a dedicated workshop ramp and a suitably qualified and trained Ferrari Classiche Service Technician exclusively for Ferrari Classiche maintenance, repair and certification applications.

The programme will continue to develop with more dealers becoming Ferrari Classiche Authorised Workshops.

pTia Spriggs

Mechanics are banned and given suspended sentences over fake MOT certificates DVSA probe revealed 23 vehicles arriving for test in one week but 103 passes being issued

T

hree mechanics have been given suspended jail sentences and together with a fourth ordered to pay more than £18,000 in costs for issuing fraudulent MOT certificates.

The scam took place at Gallows Corner MOTs in Romford, Greater London, owned by Mark Huckstepp, who employed his son, also called Mark, as well as Anthony Hinds and Jagdeep Lotey.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) was tipped off about the garage issuing MOT certificates for vehicles it had never inspected, so investigators conducted a surveillance operation, monitoring cars entering and leaving the test centre. Over the course of the week the operation took place, the DVSA investigators saw 23 vehicles arrive for an MOT but the garage issued a

total of 103 MOT certificates – 48 of which were for cars that hadn’t been tested for up to two years.

All four mechanics pleaded guilty to fraud by misrepresentation, and three of them were sentenced at Harrow Crown Court, pictured.

Huckstepp senior, of Dixon Close, Beckton, was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months, ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and told to pay £5,777 in costs plus a £140

victim surcharge. Huckstepp junior, of Lodge Lane, Grays, received a sentence of four months in custody, also suspended for 18 months, and told to undertake 150 hours’ unpaid work as well as pay £5,677 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.

Hinds, of Manford Cross, Chigwell, was given a sentence of six months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and directed to do 150 hours’ unpaid work plus pay £5,580 costs and a victim surcharge of £115.

Lotey, of Tavistock Gardens, Ilford, had his case dealt with by Willesden magistrates and was ordered to carry out 175 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,000 in costs.

In addition, all four were stripped of the authority to carry out MOT tests for the maximum time period of five years.

Our Kev, p42 WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 09

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NEWS.

Taxi becomes retro van in one week Black cab is transformed by mechanic into a rusty classic that now acts as a promotional vehicle for his company

Paul is always asked a lot of questions about the van

A

mechanic has turned a bench seat in the cabin. He also London black cab into an added various aesthetic touches, American-style retro van such as truck-style wing mirrors and in just seven days. a swamp box air conditioning unit, After buying the iconic taxi and painted the whole vehicle to for £450, 44-year-old Paul Bacon make it look like a rusty classic. used wood, fibreglass and foam to The van uses a 2.7-litre Nissan convert it into an imitation engine that can be found rat-rod vehicle. in many London taxis, Bacon cut the back and Bacon uses it end of the taxi off to transport items and built a new for work, as well body shape around as advertising his a timber frame. The company, Cyclone van looks as though it’s Works, after having its been heavily lowered, but logo painted on the side.

Paul Bacon the suspension is, in fact, He said: ‘The inspiration completely standard and the wheel for this project was to build arches have merely been lowered. something really quickly. I needed a The Leicester-based mechanic van and wanted that used the rear seat from a 1974 Rollscool, retro look.

Royce Silver Shadow to create a retro ‘I’ve only ever really been up to

about 65mph, but I’m hoping to break that magical barrier over the next couple of weeks, probably on a nice downhill stretch of road.

‘It’s probably the most useable vehicle I’ve built.

‘A lot of people smile, people

wave, people come up and ask a lot of questions about the van. It always starts every morning, it always works, and I can carry a load of junk in the back.

‘That’s probably all you need from a van really.’

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| 11

NEWS. | STUDY |

Motorists’ dread of workshops revealed

Dominic Sherwin

Dominic swops the army for Audi with new career AN EX-SERVICEMAN is starting a new career as a technician in the motor sector, thanks to an initiative by the Ministry of Defence.

Dominic Sherwin has joined Jardine Motors Group’s Liverpool Audi dealership via the MoD’s Career Transition Partnership, which helps military personnel offer their unique and transferable skills to UK employers.

With more than 20 years’ experience as

| WEBSITES |

Garages urged to be mobile-friendly GARAGES are being urged to make their websites mobile-friendly ahead of the launch of Google’s Mobile First Index – a system that will rank pages on the quality of their mobile site, not their desktop version.

Google announced the Mobile First algorithm in late 2016 and said it was designed to reflect the ever-increasing number of searches made on smartphones.

New figures from ComScore Mobile Metrix have shown a massive increase in smartphone ownership and usage, with people spending on average roughly twice the time surfing the web on smartphones than on computers.

Mark Kelland, commercial manager at automotive software specialist Dragon2000, said: ‘Garages and workshops with separate mobile sites need to ensure all their content and structured mark-up are the same as their desktop version, otherwise they risk a drop in their website rankings.’

12 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

a mechanical fitter for the Royal Engineers, he is now applying the technical skills he developed there to ensure that the Audi cars he is responsible for at the dealership receive the highest standard of technical support as they undergo servicing or maintenance.

‘I am delighted to have joined Jardine Motors Group’s Audi dealership in Liverpool, and I am grateful that the partnership has created this very exciting opportunity for

me,’ he said. Jardine will provide the support, training and coaching necessary for him to make a successful transition into his new role.

Clare Martin, group HR director for Jardine Motors Group, said: ‘We are constantly looking to enhance our employee profile, and I am highly confident Dominic will carve out a long and rewarding career with us.

‘I look forward to following his progress in the months and years ahead.’

NEW research has revealed almost half of motorists dislike dealing with garages and workshops to organise their vehicle’s MOT, servicing and repairs. The study, commissioned by quote-finding website MyCarNeedsA. com, found that 45 per cent of 1,000 drivers quizzed felt that way, while 33 per cent found it more stressful than renewing their car insurance.

It also showed that the majority of motorists were loyal to their local independent garage workshop, with 74 per cent of respondents saying they relied on them for all their servicing, MOT and repairs.

However, of those needing recommendations, 11 per cent of motorists will ring round to get the best deal and seven per cent will ask a friend for recommendations, while four per cent will look up businesses online and another four per cent will use an online comparison site to check prices, reviews and services in their local area.

The research also showed that just 26 per cent of motorists will book a service when they receive a dashboard message prompt, while a third always have their car serviced after a certain amount of time.

Independent mechanics ‘may be at risk post-Brexit’ Industry body says EU Right to Repair scheme needs to be safeguarded as it isn’t in UK law

I

ndependent mechanics in the UK could be at risk if the EU Right to Repair scheme isn’t protected post-Brexit, says the Institute of the Motor Industry.

The scheme sees all manufacturers obliged to share with independent garages information about how to fix their cars, helping to create a fair repair market.

However, because it isn’t part of UK law but instead falls under the European Commission’s block exemption regulations, it will no longer apply after Brexit unless it is protected. The institute (IMI) says some 40,000 independent garages in the UK could be forced to close

if they can’t access the information from manufacturers, with motorists having to take their cars to franchised dealers for servicing and therefore spending more money.

According to a MotorEasy survey of more than 6,000 garages, franchised dealers charge an

average of 40 per cent more than independent garages for servicing.

Steve Nash, chief executive of the IMI, said: ‘The developments in new technology have already begun hitting the most vulnerable area of the industry, so without the block exemption regulation in place, there will be catastrophic consequences for the independents that make up 80 per cent of businesses engaged in servicing and repairing motor vehicles in the UK.’ Because of the nature of the Brexit talks, it is impossible to say if the UK will retain the Right to Repair scheme, but Parliament could create an equivalent one for the UK.

The Omagh branch of Pat Kirk Ltd, where Richard Harron worked Dealership pictures courtesy of Pat Kirk Ltd

Tribute paid after mechanic killed while working on car at gran’s house

Peter McDermott, foreground, and Richard Harron, centre rear, at an 18thbirthday celebration for a colleague last yearr

Community is left shocked by fatal accident involving young dad

A

dealership group in Northern Ireland has paid tribute to one of its master technicians after he was killed when a car that he was working on at his grandmother’s home fell on him.

Father-of-one Richard Harron, who was an employee of Pat Kirk Ltd and a graduate of the Nissan Advanced Apprenticeship Programme, had been busy with the vehicle in Sion Mills, County Tyrone, on November 13 when the tragic accident happened, and although it is unclear exactly whose car was involved, it is known it wasn’t his grandmother’s vehicle.

He was discovered under the car by his father George, who alerted paramedics, but the 26-year-old died despite their intensive efforts.

Harron’s funeral was held on November 17, and the group’s Omagh branch, where he worked, closed for the day out of respect.

In a statement, the company said: ‘It is with deepest regret Pat Kirk Ltd has just lost a much-loved and esteemed member of staff, namely Richard Harron. Richard joined the

by JOHN BOWMAN john@blackballmedia.co.uk company over seven years ago as an apprentice mechanic and very quickly progressed to becoming a master technician within a relatively short period of time.

‘This was not only testimony to his great work ethic, but also from a very early stage he showed a natural aptitude and flair for the role way beyond his tender years. It would be remiss of us not to acknowledge what a special person Richard was.

‘He was somebody who was quiet and unassuming, but to those who knew him he had a great sense of humour, which he displayed with his dry wit.

‘He was loyal, a person of great integrity, somebody who was extremely approachable and would help anybody without seeking any kudos for doing so. Richard as an integral part of our company will be a major loss and the nature of his death has left a void and a numbness in all of our employees.’

In addition, managing director

Peter McDermott told Workshop Magazine: ‘Richard was very highly regarded in the business and was a very understated guy – he would just bundle his certificates away in a drawer. He was as happy to work on a tractor as he was on a Nissan Leaf.’

Only the day before the tragedy, Harron, who lived in Newtownstewart, had taken part in the Remembrance Sunday parade as a member of the Cowan Memorial Flute Band after tending the grave of his uncle Tommy, who was one of four UDR soldiers murdered by the IRA in a bomb explosion in 1983.

He and his partner Lindsey Johnston had a baby daughter Emma, and the Belfast Telegraph quoted his former Sunday school teacher Ronnie Patton as saying: ‘I’ve known Richard his entire life. I would have seen him grow up.

‘Just earlier this year, he and his partner baptised their little baby Emma at the church. It is just an awful time. I am heartbroken. It is a shock to the community here.’

A Northern Ireland Coroners Service spokeswoman told Workshop the coroner was waiting for the postmortem report before deciding on an inquest. It is expected in February.

| IGA |

Industry support is urged after Budget THE Independent Garage Association has welcomed the launch of the National Retraining Scheme announced in the Autumn Budget, but said it was ‘disappointed that the major shortage of skilled workers in the automotive industry, particularly MOT testers, was not addressed’.

Association director Stuart James said: ‘We urge the government to take action and encourage more people to join the automotive sector, particularly in light of the millions of pounds they have pledged to spend developing electric vehicles and driverless technology in this Budget.

‘We also applaud the government’s commitment to three million apprentice starts by 2020, but have questions surrounding how this will be implemented in the independent sector, including how training will be funded for current learners not subject to apprenticeship funding allowances.

‘We are ready and waiting to drive apprentices forward in the automotive aftermarket sector.’

WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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FEATURES.

PART 3:

IRAN PASSES THE ACID TEST

Globetrotting mechanics Andy Gove and Sean Tubby are in Turkey, heading to Iran, but the tough roads have been taking their toll on the duo’s motorbikes

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Iran Sean Tubby

ressing the engine ‘start’ button and being greeted with an ominous click from the starter motor solenoid, followed by the dim of the oil pressure and neutral position lights, isn’t a great feeling. It was a fair assumption that my battery was flat.

Having to get to the border with Iran before the rush, so not having time to delve into the issue, I suggested a bump start to Andy. We both stood and looked at the rocky, loose, uneven terrain we’d skilfully navigated the night before, both wondering how the hell we could gain enough speed and stability to pull this off.

The first attempt was a failure – it probably looked hilarious if anyone was watching, though.

The second time – with me on the bike, riding it like some oversized, Mad Max-style kids’ scooter, one leg kicking the floor frantically, as Andy ran and pushed from the back – I dropped the clutch and threw my weight into the old girl. She fired.

Extremely aware of how low on fuel I was, without a fuel station between our camp spot and the border, and how much of an issue starting the bike was now going to be, I figured that I could leave Barbara running and hoped that the border crossing would be a smooth one.

Obviously, that wasn’t the case, and at the first level of security the border guard pointed at the keys then gestured the cut-throat action with his hand. Cool.

From this point, we experienced the same welcome we’d received upon entering Turkey. At the vehicle check booth, the finger was pointed at Andy and the words ‘X-ray’ were blurted out by the highly enthused man in his little shed.

Half an hour later, we got to the X-ray machine.

In broken English, the operator told us he was confused that we were told to be scanned on the way out of the country, as this doesn’t ever happen. We couldn’t help but wonder if a note had been put on the system against our names when we entered Turkey by the lovely, extremely helpful individual who took great pleasure in causing us hassle. Oh well, you’ve got to laugh – it’s all part of the game.

The crossing into Iran was fairly long-winded,

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Typical Iranian two-wheeled motorised transport – nothing like the Africa Twins

Stunning Iranian architecture at night – just one fetching aspect of a beautiful country with queues of people now backing out of the door of passport control.

The carnet de passage had to be checked and stamped, the vehicle documents checked, several passport checks were carried out and the ladies were given a once-over. The end was in sight, with just the last barrier to cross...

However, we were then told we needed insurance for our motorcycles. After hearing beforehand that this wasn’t compulsory, our plan was to not get any and save some cash.

From inside the run-down, library-looking building just before the last security barrier, the figure was written down on a piece of paper and handed to us. $360. Each. Apparently we had to buy insurance for one year even though we were only in the country for one week.

After some back and forth and general frustration, the figure dropped to $98. We literally didn’t have this money and you can’t use a card that isn’t from an Iranian bank with their card

machines. We met with our guide, Mr Hossein, who managed to pull some magic – and hurriedly told us we could get through without paying if we left now.

Seemed a bit dodgy but perfect. Off we shot.

We quickly realised that the fuel is rather cheap here. How does 30p per litre sound? Ideal.

We made it to Tabriz and decided that the bikes were overdue some love, so set to work on a few jobs.

Flo needed the handle bars realigning and some more carb adjustments. Barbara desperately needed to start under her own steam. I whipped out the battery and could barely touch it, it was so hot. Not a good sign. She was as dry as a bone.

My mind jumped back to the day before, when I’d dropped Barb as I rode down a ditch on the side of the road, trying to reach the river and a potential camp spot. She was on her side for a while and was a ’mare to pick back up, so that must have been when the battery emptied.

FOR HOSPITALITY

In need of sulphuric acid and taken pity on by the owner of a Chevy Nova, Andy and Sean find a similarly helpful storekeeper Needing some sulphuric acid, I found an empty water bottle in a bin, grabbed the funnel from the tool kit and we set off around the streets of Tabriz looking for, well, an old car battery was where our heads went. We had no money to spare to buy acid, so this was the best we could come up with. During this expedition, we saw an old Chevrolet Nova on the side of the street. As we gawped at the car, the owner, Ahmad, shouted over: ‘Hey, you guys aren’t from around here!’

Two minutes later, we were in said Chevy Nova, country and western music blasting from the speakers, on the look-out for acid. We had landed on our feet once again.

We found a shop with a stack of old batteries outside and inquired about taking some of the solution from one.

Ahmad chatted to the store owner, and before we knew what was happening I was handed half a bottle of acid and the store owner shook my hand. ‘It’s OK, we can go now,’ said Ahmad. We then spent the next few hours cruising around in the Chevy (1985, in case anyone is interested), drank tea by the popular hangout spot – a huge lake – met some of the locals and Ahmad told

“

us about the history of the area. We had a great night, thank you!

T

Andy Gove

his kindness and welcome approach to two travellers continued throughout Iran. Wherever we were, people would shake our hand, say hello and ask us about our adventure. We were bought ice cream and taken to play arcade games, shown local sites, welcomed with open arms. On the roads, around a third of the cars or trucks that we met would see the occupants wave and beep their horn.

When we visited historical sites and mosques people would come and ask for photos with us. It was rather awkward and confusing at first but we just accepted it/got used to it.

We asked Mr Hossein why there was such an interest in us and he explained that the motorcycles, for a start, were much bigger than were legally allowed to be owned in the country.

Apparently, the law stipulates that the maximum

Wherever we were, people would shake our hand, say hello and ask us about our adventure.

engine size is 125cc, as it’s believed that terrorists use bigger motorcycles.

He also explained that tourists were few and far between and that, generally, the people here were very friendly and curious.

All of this explained the consistent excitement when people met us. Iran really is a beautiful country, filled with kindness and hospitality.

There was just one issue, and when you spend a lot of time on the road it’s a fairly large concern: the driving is absolutely horrendous. We’ve witnessed some poor driving on this trip so far, but this is just a complete lack of awareness.

Every few minutes, someone (the other twothirds of vehicles whose occupants aren’t waving) will drift into your lane until they clip your pannier, look up from their phone and slowly drift back again with an expression of confusion as to why the situation has occurred. They’ll then smile and wave, leaving you angry and frustrated but also humbled that they’re happy to see you... so you end up waving back.

Some vehicles also have sheets draped across their windows inside as it’s so hot – pushing 40 degrees Celsius in places – so they have no chance of seeing you at all, even if they wanted to. You really do need eyes on the side of your head and you can’t become complacent.

Ahmad mentioned to us that the driving test here is very easy and only takes around two weeks to train for and pass. I can see the result of this system in its full glory.

Time to psyche ourselves up for Pakistan...

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FEATURES.

G N I G N A H C !

S M O VRO Small is often beautiful – and Jack Evans visits a company that although diminutive in size, is achieving some big results with its car conversions.

C

ar conversions are big business indeed.

All over the world, there are people who want their supercars to stand out from the crowd just that little bit more, and to make a bigger entrance than others.

To achieve that aim, owners need to upgrade their cars. Enter Bentley Conversions. Based in Ilford, Essex, it’s a small workshop tucked away from prying eyes.

Though diminutive in size, it undertakes some big projects, converting already eye-catching supercars into other-worldly creations.

Though the team there frequently works on Bentley vehicles, it also performs upgrades on Ferrari and Lamborghinis, to name just two other marques. On the day we arrived, we saw an Audi R8, a Lamborghini Aventador and a barn-find Ferrari among others.

First established in 1985, Bentley Conversions has gone from strength to strength, attracting owners of luxurious high-end sports cars from around the globe. Martin Seymour, garage manager, explained how owners have flocked to Bentley Conversions – ‘We’ve got customers all over the world. A gentleman who brought a Ferrari to us lives in America, and another is sending his Bentley across to us from the US in a container. We’ve had a few celebrities’ cars too. It’s good, and it’s interesting. Day-today you meet a lot of interesting people.’

One owner had driven his Flying Spur

16 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

“

We customise the exteriors, interiors, lighting and engine – pretty much everything.

Martin Seymour, left, is proud to say that Bentley Conversions has customers from all over the world

MARTIN SEYMOUR WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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FEATURES.

A straight-through exhaust elevates one Bentley’s natural noise (left) while a Ferrari 550 Maranello lurked in another corner when we visited down from Scotland just for the front splitter to be replaced. Featuring a full bodykit as well as a hugely upgraded sound system, it showed the level of modification that Bentley Conversions can apply to a single car.

‘Our latest Bentley has huge subwoofers and a PlayStation wired up to screens in the rear of the car. The speakers alone are worth a few thousand pounds,’ added Seymour.

We noticed that the car had done more than 80,000 miles too – so had hardly been mollycoddled in a garage for months on end.

In truth, all of the cars we observed at Bentley Conversions appeared to have been used properly, rather than kept completely pristine at the expense of actually using them. These conversions aren’t designed for people who enjoy going undercover – they’re for those who want to make an impression wherever they travel.

As well as car conversions, the company takes

18 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

on bodywork repairs and servicing, as well as engine-remapping and interior re-upholstering.

‘We’re a small, little garage tucked out of the way,’ explained Seymour, ‘but we get through a lot.

‘Sometimes less can be more, and it’s more about quality than quantity on occasions.’

Scattered throughout the garage are interesting parts from all sorts of cars. There’s the badging from an MR2 and the headlamps from a Continental GT. Elsewhere there are alloy wheels piled high, or tyres ready for fitting. The firm has got a huge amount of charm to it, and shows the level of detail that all those involved go into in order to create the very best products possible.

How have things changed since 1985 though?

Well, according to Seymour: ‘We do a lot more custom work rather than day-to-day stuff compared to when I started. We still do insurance repairs, but not too many. We customise the exteriors, interiors, lighting and engine – pretty

much everything. We even build drift cars.’

One car that caught our attention was a bright red Audi R8. From the rear, it looked close to the standard car, but on more careful inspection it was anything but. The red paint had been custom-created, while the carbon-fibre wrap on the bonnet met the red shade seamlessly. Though not exactly subtle, it’s just what people who are looking to stand out from the crowd want.

Even a car’s infotainment system can be fully replaced, giving people with older-model vehicles the ability to quickly update the media operating system. The Bentley Continental GT first arrived in 2003, so early cars are using reasonably outdated infotainment systems. Updating them allows owners to connect their phones and benefit from the latest navigation.

Behind the aforementioned R8 sat an evil-looking Continental GT. This, too, had been fettled. A custom straight-through

Workshop Magazine reporter Jack Evans, right, chats to garage manager Martin Seymour at Bentley Conversions

All sorts of cars – such as Lamborghinis, Range Rovers and even barn-find Ferraris – get the Bentley Conversions treatment in Ilford, Essex exhaust had been fitted, giving the car’s W12 engine a murderous howl on start-up – we can only imagine what it sounds like when accelerating hard. Bentley Conversions works on the mechanics of the cars too – exhausts and suspension systems are uprated, keeping in line with the wild exterior changes that are applied.

Even if you want something as basic as a replacement steering wheel for your Continental, Bentley Conversions can help.

“

There’s also something hidden away in the corner of the back workshop. Though stripped of many parts, it’s unmistakeably a Ferrari.

A 550, it’s an iconic model – though this particular car spent much of its life unloved in a barn. Undergoing a full restoration, it’s a car that is deserving of a lot of attention – and it’s getting an awful lot of this at Bentley Conversions.

It shows the breadth of projects that the team take on. It even smells like barn, but the team are

‘Our latest Bentley has huge subwoofers and a PlayStation wired up to screens in the rear of the car.’

MARTIN SEYMOUR

hard at work returning it to its former glory.

Though many companies offer the ability to radically alter the appearance of a supercar – some more tastefully than others – Bentley Conversions is different. It brings a personable manner to the task in hand, helping owners get exactly what they want every time.

From the ground up, the team ensures that a car not only looks different to a regular vehicle but feels different too.

With Martin and the team taking each project on board with a huge amount of care, it’s hardly surprising people travel such great distances to have them work upon their pride and joy.

Though hidden from view, the Bentley Conversions workshop is certainly making an impact. With customers flocking from far afield, its level of expertise is hard to ignore and the products it is creating certainly stand out – despite fierce competition.

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FEATURES.

H G I H G N I Y L F EAGLE’S rld’s leading Jaguar E-Type Simon Davis visits one of the wo the pursuit of perfection is restoration firms... and he finds rkshops in East Sussex never-ending at its impressive wo

P

erfection is something that’s rarely, if ever, achieved. The pursuit of such an ideal is a process that can take years, decades, or even an entire lifetime.

Sadly for most, perfection is something that remains just out of reach.

However, that’s not to say that proximity to perfection, or the determination to achieve it, does not breed greatness.

While we may have witnessed the end of commercial supersonic flight with the demise of Concorde, for example, it remains a machine that’s revered not only for its abilities, but for the sheer ambition and human ingenuity that brought it into existence in the first place.

In many ways, Concorde suffered the same fate as many others who dedicate their lives to

20 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

chasing the ideal of perfection – it flew too close to the sun, metaphorically, at least.

There are those rare few who manage to find that ideal balance, though, and Eagle – a smallscale automotive engineering firm based in the heart of rural East Sussex – is one of them.

We were lucky enough to be invited down for a tour of the company grounds, and to see what goes on behind the scenes. Eagle deals in one car, and one car only: the legendary Jaguar E-Type.

Now, the E-Type is considered by many to be the perfect example of what a car can be.

Shortly after its launch at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961, Enzo Ferrari hailed it as ‘the most beautiful car ever made’, and that’s from the man whose company built the 250 GT California Spider – itself an immensely beautiful car.

In addition to the E-Type’s stunning appearance, at the time it was also properly quick.

Its 4.2-litre straight-six engine that was introduced in 1964 developed 265bhp and 384Nm of torque, allowing for a top speed in excess of 150mph – certainly no mean feat in the 1960s.

However, while the E-Type may have had the looks and the muscle to compete with the supercar elite of the time, they weren’t always the most reliable cars in the world. Nearly 60 years on, these issues can become even more prominent.

That’s where Eagle comes in.

Founded in 1984 by a lifelong Jaguar enthusiast called Henry Pearman, Eagle has come to be one of the world’s leading, if not the best, E-Type restoration firms – not bad for a company comprising just 22 employees.

“

We want to keep improving, keep making E-Types better, but obviously we never get complacent.

PAUL BRACE

So how did Eagle come to be the company that it is today? Mainly, it comes down to that relentless pursuit of perfection.

While there are any number of automotive restoration firms that will be able to bring a battered old E-Type back to its former glory, none go to the extremes or offer the level of experience that Pearman and his team have brought to the table for the past 30 years.

This fastidious attention to detail has been an integral part of the company since its inception. However, a defining moment came in 1991, when author John McLaren approached Eagle with a request.

At the time, McLaren owned a Series 2 E-Type that had previously been restored by another company. While the work on the car had no

doubt been done to an impeccably high standard, McLaren was still displeased with the Jaguar’s reliability issues.

What he was after was an E-Type that would not only work incredibly well, but also perform better than any other E-Type on the road.

And so began a process that saw McLaren’s E-Type taken in part exchange, with work being started on a fresh 4.2-litre Series 1 donor car.

Extreme care was taken during the donor car’s body rebuild to ensure it ended up better than new. Tight parallel panel gaps, state-of-the-art corrosion protection and mirror-finish paint were the order of the day.

This particular car went on to be known as Eagle Number One, and it’s still owned by McLaren to this day.

It’s the Eagle E-Types, like the one commissioned by McLaren back in the early 90s, that have come to be what sets the company apart from all other restoration firms.

These are not simply E-Types that have been treated to a bit of tender love and care to get them looking their best. The amount of work that goes into an Eagle E-Type beggars belief.

The roughly 4,000-hour process begins with a donor car, which – to the untrained eye – could already look to be a perfect example of an E-Type.

Sometimes, Eagle will use a donor car that has seen better days, but it doesn’t buy total wrecks as they don’t produce the best end results.

During our visit, we were shown one such car that was in the process of being turned into an Eagle E-Type. What we saw WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

| 21

FEATURES. was the shell of a vehicle – everything had been completely stripped out.

We were under the impression that the donor must have been a rather tired example, but we were shocked to find out that this particular car had in fact been a concours winner – it just wasn’t up to Eagle’s incredibly high standards.

It’s all a part of the process, though. In order to obtain perfection, the team at Eagle have to go to extreme lengths, scrutinising every aspect of any vehicle they’re working on at any given time.

Understandably, Eagle’s facilities are more than up to the task of accommodating such work. To the uninitiated, the layout of the Eagle grounds could resemble a rabbit warren – however, there is a cunning logic to their design.

Each stage of the build process has its own dedicated workshop, whether that’s the body shop, fabrication department, paint shop or trim shop. All are laid out in such a way that a car can pass seamlessly through one area to another.

These aren’t just your run-of-the-mill workshops, either. Each one is pristine – with some looking more like sterile laboratories than places where classic cars are restored to betterthan-new condition. At any one time, Eagle technicians could be working on as many as five different cars – meaning there’s no shortage of metal to gawp at as you walk through the facility.

Once a donor car has been found, it is completely disassembled, with every last part examined to make sure it comes up to the Eagle gold standard. If a part falls short, the team will perform the necessary work to get it up to scratch.

The next step is the most impressive. Once the car has been taken apart and inspected, a new hand-built bodyshell will be constructed. This is no small task, with the build time coming in at around 1,500 hours.

On occasion, everything will be new, but Eagle technicians try to ensure that as much of the original car is used as possible, as long as it can be restored to those impeccably high standards.

Eagle upgrades are facilitated at the bodywork stage to ensure that when they’re eventually fitted, they look as if they’ve come straight from the Jaguar production line. Trims and fittings are always ‘dry-fitted’ prior to painting, to ensure they slide perfectly into place on final assembly.

The completed bodyshell then heads through to the paintwork department, where it’s treated throughout the paint process not only to ensure that its colour lasts, but also to protect the body from corrosion.

During the build process, Eagle will also fit a number of upgrades to ensure the enhanced E-Type runs better than ever. These include

“

everything from an Eagle-mapped electronic ignition system, to a modern fuel pump and improved cooling system.

The brakes are also uprated, and modern wiring is fitted throughout. While many of the underpinnings on an Eagle E-Type would never have been seen – or even existed – in the 1960s, they haven’t been introduced to dilute the spirit of the original car, only to enhance it – to make it into the car it would be if it were still manufactured today.

Past the upgrades that are fitted to all Eagle E-Types, customers have the opportunity to take their vehicle one step further, thanks to a range of additional upgrades that are also available.

These include Eagle’s own lightweight 4.7-litre aluminium engine, a bespoke five-speed gearbox in place of the original four-speed unit, speedsensitive electric power steering and titanium exhaust systems to name but a few.

Following this, the car is reassembled, decked out with a new handmade interior and then extensively road-tested before being signed off as being ready for handover.

The sky really is the limit as far as specifying an Eagle E-Type is concerned, and this is reflected in their price. They certainly don’t come cheap, with the base Eagle E-Type – if you can really call it a base model – costing from £350,000.

That figure allows roughly £75,000 for the donor car, with the rest of the money being used to turn that vehicle into a highly coveted Eagle. Interestingly, it’s rare for Eagle customers to stick to this £350,000 figure. Most will end up specifying numerous options over and above those included as standard, meaning no two Eagle E-Types are ever quite the same.

Considering each of these cars takes in excess of 4,000 hours to build, it’s understandable that Eagle and its 22 employees complete roughly two cars per year. Since Eagle Number One was first commissioned back in 1991, the company has gone on to produce 44 Eagle E-Types.

Alongside these ‘halo’ models, the Eagle showroom is also stocked with a range of E-Types that haven’t been subjected to the full ‘zero-mile’ restoration process.

Keeping in line with the company’s focus on perfection, though, these cars are some of the most pristine examples you’ll ever find.

These showroom E-Types could be described as the bread-and-butter of Eagle.

While the company has produced 44 Eagle E-Types during its 33-year lifespan, it has sold hundreds of these more ‘normal’ examples.

Customers who buy one of these showroom E-Types also have the option to improve the car,

We came up with the concept of doing a speedster, like Porsche did their 356 Speedster.

PAUL BRACE

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The end result is what it’s all about – and every member of the team is dedicated to the cause

thanks to a range of upgrade packages that cost anywhere from £12,500 to £47,000.

To ensure its customers retain that level of incredible exclusivity that comes with purchasing an E-Type from Eagle, these upgrade packages are only available to those who have bought their car directly from the company showroom.

You can’t just turn up in a tatty old E-Type you found in a barn, have some work done, and then claim you’ve got yourself an Eagle – oh no.

Speaking of exclusivity, if a fully-restored Eagle E-Type isn’t quite rare enough for you, Eagle has produced a tiny number of incredibly limited special-edition models. There’s the Speedster, the Low Drag GT (as seen on the cover of this edition

Most customers will specify options over and above those included as standard, meaning no two Eagle E-Types are ever quite the same

Alex Collishaw Works in the service department (servicing, winter work and rebuilds)

of Workshop) and the Spyder GT. Arguably the most famous of these is the Speedster, which starred alongside Jeremy Clarkson in an episode of Top Gear back in 2011.

In many ways, the Eagle Speedster is the ultimate E-Type. There are only six in existence, and each one is worth around the £700,000 mark – we’re talking serious money here.

Paul Brace, one of Eagle’s directors, is the man who helped bring the Speedster into existence.

Brace told us that one customer ‘got fidgety’ while waiting for his Eagle E-Type to be built – there was a three-year waiting list at the time.

‘The customer said, ‘‘if we’re going to do it, can we do something really special’’. We asked what

How long have you been here?

Six years, I just had a love for classic cars. I started out as an apprentice at Eagle and worked my way up. I had no previous experience working with cars, just tinkering with my own cars at home.

What’s your favourite thing about your job?

Just being around classic cars all day and actually getting to drive them. We get to road-test cars before and after servicing to check everything is working as it should be. On nice sunny days when you get to drive the cars, it is the best job in the world.

Do you have any particular highlights of working at Eagle?

Driving the Speedster last summer, I would definitely say. We did a coastal tour with the car down to Dorset and I got to drive the Speedster all the way back which was an epic day!

he meant, what he had in mind and he just said ‘‘something that’s out of the ordinary, something really special and different’’.

‘So we came up with the concept of doing a speedster, like Porsche did their 356 Speedster – pared-back, simple, pure, low screen, sit low – all the rest of it.’

So Brace penned a few sketches to show to the customer – who was based in the United States – and they were given the go-ahead to begin the build, which ended up taking ‘quite a few years’.

He even recalled coming in over Christmas week to work on a mock-up of the proposed car, just to be sure they weren’t about to make a ‘hugely expensive WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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FEATURES.

Under the skin:

EAGLE SPEEDSTER

Waterfall console: The Speedster’s rear decking drops down into the cockpit, creating what the company calls a ‘waterfall console’. This design touch really improves the car’s interior-exterior flow, says Eagle.

Heated seats: Heated seats will keep drivers from going cold while out in the winter months. These were certainly a welcome addition during our chilly November drive in the car.

Wheels: Keeping in line with the custom nature of the Speedster, the aluminiumrimmed wheels were fitted to improve the look of the car and also enhance its handling.

Exclusivity: During its production lifetime, Jaguar produced roughly 73,000 E-Types. However, there are only six Eagle Speedsters in existence, one of which is kept permanently at the company’s East Sussex headquarters.

Suspension: Eagle has uprated the suspension on the Speedster, meaning its handling is far superior to that of the original car. The wheel track has been increased, as has the width of the wheel arches – meaning the Speedster looks more aggressive too.

Ryan Thompson Body technician and horrible mistake if it looked wrong’. After all, they were trying to reimagine one of the world’s most beautiful and iconic shapes.

‘When we finished it, we did it as a one-off initially, there could have been a backlash,’ Brace told us. ‘People could’ve said ‘‘this is sacrilegious, you’re messing around with an E-Type’’, but luckily they didn’t.

‘When it was all finished, it actually did look right and the customer loved it. Even some of the Jaguar purists, the Jaguar historians – who we thought would probably not like it – they got it as well. It was crazy to just leave it at the one.’

There are now a total of six Speedsters in existence, one of which is kept permanently at Eagle’s Sussex headquarters.

Under that long bonnet sits Eagle’s fettled 4.7-litre straight-six engine, which produces

24 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

How long have you worked here?

For nearly a year now, but I’ve got 20 years in the motor trade.

What attracted you to Eagle?

I fancied a change of career and quite a few people I know worked here. They knew I loved attention to detail so I came along and haven’t looked back.

Favourite thing about working at Eagle?

Just making everything perfect. A lot of garages don’t believe in making things perfect and here they give you the time to make sure that everything is 100 per cent.

Have you ever driven an Eagle?

Not yet, I would be a bit nervous because of the price tag!

330bhp and 488Nm of torque. In a car that weighs just 995kg, that makes for some serious hustle.

Eagle claims the speedster, with its aluminium body, wider track and more muscular appearance, can get from 0-60mph in less than five seconds and hit a top speed in excess of 160mph.

To help cope with this added shove, the Speedster also gains uprated brakes on the front and rear wheels, as well as wider tyres and improved suspension. Eagle’s five-speed manual transmission sends the power to the rear wheels.

In what was a rather ballsy move on his part, Brace agreed to let us take the Speedster out to stretch its legs and really witness what all those hours of hard work amount to.

Getting behind the wheel of a car that’s worth in excess of £700,000 – more than double the average house price in the UK – is a rather nerve-

Top-down motoring: The Speedster is only available without a roof, meaning you – and the car – will be constantly exposed to the elements but they do another version with a convertible top that Eagle calls the Spyder GT.

Windscreen: The custom-built windscreen has been raked back and sits far lower than that of the original E-Type.

While it may mean there’s a fair bit of buffeting at high speed, it does look incredible.

Exhaust: A custom-made titanium exhaust not only helps keep the Speedster’s weight down, it also makes a fantastic sound under full throttle.

Clutch: A high-performance clutch helps the gearbox better cope with the engine’s significant power and torque.

It has a fairly high bite point, and is far heavier than any clutch you’ll find in a modern-day car.

Engine: The Speedster is powered by a reworked version of the original six cylinder using Eagle’s own lightweight, aluminium 4.7-litre block. Not only is this power plant beautiful to behold, it also packs some serious punch, developing 330bhp and 488Nm of torque.

Gearbox: While the original Jaguar E-Type made use of a four-speed manual ‘box, the Speedster has been fitted with Eagle’s uprated five-speed unit, which sends power to the rear wheels. racking experience. Thankfully, Brace offered to get the car warmed up for us and complete the first stint of our road trip himself.

This really worked in our favour, as he had no hesitations about absolutely ragging the Speedster around the rural lanes of East Sussex.

Even from the passenger seat, we could really feel those upgrades working their magic. Grip was plentiful and the pace was relentless. After a few miles, we pulled over to swap seats. One of the first things you notice as you slide down behind the wheel – and it is quite a long way down – is just how spot-on the driving position is. Everything is within an arm’s reach, further confirming the Eagle’s ‘driver’s car’ credentials.

The second thing you’ll notice is how heavy the controls are. This is a classic car reimagined for the modern age, so don’t expect to find such

luxuries as power steering or traction control.

Turning the wheel at a standstill is near impossible, and the high-performance clutch is almost as heavy. Thankfully, though, the Speedster’s 4.7-litre engine develops so much torque that stalling is close to impossible.

Once you find the rather high bite point, setting off is a smooth process. You really can see how this car would be right at home cruising around the more fashionable parts of London – or any big city, for that matter.

However, that wasn’t what we were there to do, so we promptly put our foot down.

Throttle response is instantaneous and, as there aren’t any turbos to spool up, the Speedster takes off as soon as you touch the accelerator pedal. There’s one other massive benefit: the engine note.

At full throttle, there’s nothing that sounds quite like an Eagle Speedster. The engine simply howls all the way up to the redline, and the noise will quite literally send a shiver down your spine. It’s simply intoxicating – every prod of the accelerator will leave you grinning like an idiot.

Everything about the car is delightfully oldschool. The narrow, wooden steering wheel allows you to feel every last imperfection in the road surface, and lets you know what the front wheels are doing at all times.

The gear change, while a bit long in the throw, is oily-smooth and precise.

As far as the ride is concerned, that uprated suspension does mean the Speedster is on the firm side of things, but it’s by no means uncomfortable – even over Britain’s comically terrible road surfaces.

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FEATURES.

Our man Simon found that getting behind the wheel of a car that’s worth in excess of £700,000 was nerve-racking but memorable

Simply stunning, whether under cover or on the open road – and changing regulations mean cars like these will become even more special All up, driving the Eagle Speedster was something of a bittersweet experience. It’s a truly fabulous car – raw, visceral, fast and stunningly beautiful. However, at £700,000, it’s highly unlikely we’ll ever get the chance to drive one again, unless a miraculous EuroMillions win is in store for us somewhere down the line.

Back at base, we asked Brace what the future held for Eagle. It was hard to ignore the feeling that with the Speedster the company had achieved a vehicle as close to perfection as it was possible to get, and that any further endeavours could see it run the risk of following in Icarus’ ill-fated footsteps.

‘We want to keep improving, keep making E-Types better, but obviously we never get complacent,’ Brace told us. ‘We’ll keep building interesting cars, there are lots of other variations that customers talk to us about and we’d love to do. It’s constantly buzzing here.

‘We’re currently working on our latest aluminium-bodied special edition, which will join the Speedster, Low Drag GT and Spyder GT. It’s called the Lightweight GT, and we can’t wait to reveal it later next year.

‘I don’t want to sound like we’re not looking forward, because we are. We’ve got some young

26 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Greg White Engine builder Is there just you on that team?

No, there are three of us building engines, gearboxes and carburettors.

How long have you been at Eagle?

About 13 years but I’ve been in the motor trade for 30 years plus.

Has there been anything extra special you have done here that stands out?

I enjoy working on the modified engines, so the 4.7-litre engines, that has been interesting. We also made the gearboxes for Jaguar’s own aluminium lightweight E-Types, it got us to do the gearboxes. There were only seven of them, six road cars and one spare. That was my project and it was very interesting.

Have you ever driven any Eagle cars?

Yes, I’ve driven quite a lot of the cars. I first worked in the service department when I moved here, but have worked in the engine department for nine to 10 years.

guys here and we want to give them a future.

‘We want to see Eagle just keep going and going. But we’ll have to change with the times.’

And who knows what the future may hold?

The government has announced its intention to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2040 in a bid to drive people towards electric vehicles, but as far as the effect that will have on classic cars is concerned, that’s anyone’s guess really.

Brace likes to think that classic cars such as the E-Type will still have a place on our roads.

‘It will make classics more interesting and more special. To be driving your electric car in 20 years’ time and to get your classic petrol-engine car out – that’d make it incredibly special,’ he said.

Could Eagle produce an electric E-Type, similar to Jaguar’s E-Type Zero project, in future? Brace says the company had looked into doing one ‘for the fun of it’, but that it never came to fruition.

‘I would love to think that common sense prevails and not everything has to go electric, and as petrol engine stuff is phased out gently there is a bit of common sense about the old cars,’ he said. ‘Realistically, they’re not doing any harm, are they? I hope we can all continue to run our classic cars – just in the same way that some people have steam-engine cars in their garage today.’

®

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CLUB.

WHAT TO DO IF A STAFF MEMBER HAS BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED

Q

ASK THE JUDGE: Ian Gardner, sales manager at automotive legal experts Lawgistics, has some useful advice on an issue that’s been in the news lately.

Bearing in mind recent news reports of sexual assault accusations, what do we do if a member of our staff comes out as a victim of sexual assault in the workplace? n The Judge delivers his verdict: Accusations of this nature should be taken seriously. Regardless of whether your employee submitted a formal written grievance or raised a complaint verbally, this should be treated as a grievance.

Even if an employee simply shared a story in an informal conversation with a manager or colleague and the details of the story lead to the suspicion that sexual assault or harassment may have occurred, it would be appropriate to organise a meeting with the employee concerned. You should inform them that what has been disclosed may amount to sexual assault or harassment and that you intend to investigate the matter unless the employee objects.

In any circumstances, you ought to carry out a reasonable investigation. At the very least, the facts of the matter should

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be established and the accused person interviewed and asked for an explanation. The complainant may be invited to provide a statement or may need to be interviewed, especially if the circumstances of the complaint are not clear.

You would need to interview potential witnesses and take into account their versions of events. If your IT and monitoring systems can yield some useful data (for example, CCTV records, exchange of messages), that should be extracted.

Your investigation should be confidential and care should be taken to protect the identity and dignity of the person who’s complaining as far as it is practicable.

Your investigation may reveal there is little substance to the complaint. It may have been that after your Christmas company meal finished, the complainant and the alleged perpetrator carried on the festivities in a nearby pub and the unwanted conduct took place there. In this case, it would appear the events complained about took place purely outside of the workplace and would not constitute your liability.

You will have all the details to support your decision of not taking the complaint further. At the same time, you will have a meeting with the perpetrator to inform this person that although the harassment took place outside of their course of employment, he or she can still be personally liable.

Your policy may stipulate some circumstances in which specific inappropriate conduct outside of the workplace may give rise to disciplinary proceedings.

Conduct of your members of staff in managerial roles is often subject to stricter requirements.

Even inappropriate conduct not in the course of their employment, but which may still bring the company into disrepute, could give rise to disciplinary proceedings.

There may be sufficient connection, as in the given example, between the workplace and the conduct outside of the workplace, to lead to disciplinary action. n Next month, we will look in detail into what constitutes sexual assault and actionable harassment.

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Making sure a car is legal before it’s driven around

Q

Sometimes we send our mechanics out to test-drive customers’ vehicles without the use of our trade plates. Is this OK? n It is now commonplace to see a car approaching without ANY number plate attached to the front of it – and on more than one occasion recently, a car has been spotted with no plates at all!

Sometimes the reason for this may be innocent, for all too often, registration plates are affixed with double-sided tape and, of course, eventually they fall off.

There is also a healthy market in number plate theft, for it eases the consequences of speeding and congestion charging for the thief, who proudly blags his way around the UK ignoring all the rules in the knowledge that the registered owner of the number plate will be bankrolling his high living!

The issue becomes of particular concern, however, to the mechanic who takes a customer’s car on test.

We have been asked to advise who in such circumstances should be held liable for the missing plate. Where the mechanic inadvertently is caught without

the proper plates displayed, whether or not he knew, he is liable for operating the vehicle without proper identification displayed. In some cases, the owner will also be held liable, but of course the owner will suggest the car was compliant when he drove it to the garage!

Fines can vary and will depend on the level of proof available, such as video evidence to show a plate fell off in transit.

Overall it is the responsibility of first the driver (and his boss if it is a mechanic on test) and then the owner to ensure the car is always compliant with the law.

Similarly, if a car on test is stopped for ANY misdemeanour or irregularity, then again the mechanic on test may carry the can. While it is not always possible to diagnose a problem without a test first, it is incumbent upon those deciding to venture onto the highway to make sure the car is legal. It can never be possible to eliminate ALL risk of transgression of the law, while it is hoped (often in vain!) that common sense will prevail on the part of the authorities. n Got a problem? Send an email to TheJudge@lawgistics.co.uk and you could see it dealt with here.

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FEATURES.

BEFORE 1. The desired colour is selected

STRIPPING OFF TO GET GLEAMING Alloys – they don’t half suffer over the years. Aidan Rennie-Jones went behind the scenes at a firm that specialises in restoring them and discovered the painstaking process involved.

A

cross the country there are firms offering to repair and restore your alloys. The Wheel Specialist near Fareham is one such place.

There are several branches across the country, with each one a franchise. This particular branch has been operated by the same family for 10 years, and business has been so successful that they’ve just bought a second place in Ferndown.

The team is relatively small, consisting of four people working on the wheels and two in the office. Each day they restore around 20 wheels – which means that thousands of wheels a year are refurbished in this branch alone.

Sales and marketing manager Sophie Kerr explained that although the company refurbishes the wheels to a near-perfect state, there can be imperfections, adding that it’s a common misconception that people will always be left with factory-fresh wheels.

The quality of the finish depends on the age and condition of the wheels.

Alloys with severe corrosion can be left with pitting once stripped.

This pitting is permanent damage that can’t be removed, and when paint is reapplied these imperfections can sometimes show through slightly on the wheel.

We were taken through to the workshop itself, where a display showcased a variety of alloy wheels in varying colours.

From here, customers are able to choose the colour and finish they want their car to have.

The list of available shades is close to endless, meaning people can tailor the look of their wheels exactly to their liking.

To find out more about the process, we took a Mercedes into the garage and had all four of its wheels refurbished...

30 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

THE RESTORATION PROCESS Choosing the colour and finish

The first stage of the restoration process is selecting the colour you want your wheels to have and the finish. There are ample colours to choose from, and three finishes are available, comprising metallic, satin and matt.

Some wheels are chromed or diamond-turned – processes the company can’t carry out in-house and recommend to be outsourced to a firm in Belgium.

We wanted the Merc’s wheels to be as close to a factory finish as possible so chose metallic silver.

Removing the wheels and tyres

The second stage of the process requires the car to be brought into the workshop, ready for the wheels to be removed. It was at this point we learnt how badly wheels can corrode. Many people don’t realise that their car’s wheels can’t be fully cleaned unless they’re removed from the vehicle, and after 14 years these alloys were in a sorry state. The paint was flaking, while grime and corrosion had firmly set in.

Once removed, all four wheels are taken over to a preparation station. Here, each wheel is placed on a machine and the tyre removed. Chalk marks are applied to each tyre so that it matches each corresponding alloy when refitted after the process has been finished.

Removing the paint

This is the most important part of the process – leaving the alloys in a stripping tank. Sales and marketing manager Sophie Kerr said: ‘We strip the alloy itself in our stripping tank overnight, as it’s a less corrosive and less harmful way of removing the paint than acid. It takes a little bit longer, but the solution we use is less harmful to the environment.

‘This strips it of the current coating and takes it back to the bare aluminium. In the morning, we take the wheel out

of the tank and shot-blast it just to make sure we get rid of any of the remaining coating that’s still on there along with any damage to the wheel.’

Kerr also explained that German cars can sometimes be problematic at this stage, as the paint used is so thick that the wheels sometimes have to be left for much longer to fully strip the alloys back to the bare aluminium.

Fixing any damage

Once the wheel is in its bare state it’s checked over by a technician and any damage is fixed. This can include the outer lip being reshaped to the way it was, or if any cracks show through on the metal, filler is then used to make them as solid and safe as possible.

However, as previously mentioned, pitting from corrosion can permanently mar the metalwork and can, occasionally, be seen through the fresh coat of paint. Once this stage is completed, the wheels are hung together on a large rail ready for the next stage.

Painting and baking

The fourth stage of restoration is painting the alloys. First, the wheels are all covered in primer before several coats of the customer’s chosen paint colour are applied.

The wheels are then placed in a large oven for the paint to dry and harden. They aren’t ready yet, though, as they are then removed from the oven and coated in several layers of lacquer and returned to the heat, giving them a shiny finish.

Final stages of restoration

Once the wheels are fully baked for the second time they are checked over and hung on a rail to cool. Now ready, the tyres are refitted along with any wheel weights removed at the start of the process.

The wheels can now be placed back on the car. The

2. All the wheels and tyres are removed

3. The paint is stripped off

4. Wheels are checked for any damage

WHEELS balance and alignment of each wheel is thoroughly checked and corrected before the vehicle is handed back to the customer.

Our car’s locking wheel nuts were also given a minor restoration thanks to a spell in the stripping tank, which removed some corrosion that had built up on them.

Once the car has been collected, it’s advised that it’s brought back after 100 miles to make sure the locking wheel nuts haven’t loosened at all.

5. The chosen paint colour is applied and then the wheels are baked in the oven

The result

The Wheel Specialist came highly recommended and we can see why. The final result was highly impressive and the team were professional throughout the restoration.

Their ability to work across all makes, ages and models of vehicles is what keeps the company so popular. There were even some wheels from a lorry being worked on – not a usual sight in an alloy wheel restoration workshop.

Having alloy wheels refurbished can transform the look of a car, but it doesn’t just appeal to private clientele – many dealerships use the company for tidying up the alloys on vehicles they have in stock, making them more appealing to a potential buyer.

And the fact that such a great result is achieved in just 24 hours makes it even more worthwhile.

The Wheel Specialist’s base near Fareham

6. The end result!

AFTER WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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PRODUCTS.

Machine Mart Gift Card How much: £20-£250 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk Why not treat a fellow mechanic to one of Machine Mart’s offerings of gift cards, allowing them to claim whatever their heart desires from the specialist equipment supplier? The cards start at a value of £20, with more expensive ones costing £30, £40, £50, £75, £100, £150, £200 and, finally, £250.

New for you this Christmas Tristan Shale-Hester dons his Santa hat and fur-trimmed red coat to bring you details of some great new products (and a few seasonal gift ideas) that might tempt you this holiday season.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Softshell Jacket How much: £124.60 (inc VAT) Where from: shop.mercedesamgf1.com It’s common for garages to get very cold at this time of year, so what’s a better gift than something to keep you warm? The answer is something to keep you warm and make you look like a member of the 2017 F1 World Championship winning team! This water-repellent jacket from MercedesAMG will do exactly that, keeping the cold out as well as being embroidered with various team and sponsor logos.

Nextgear 312GW Dashcam How much: £99.99 (inc VAT) Where from: nextbase.co.uk Dashcams are very useful devices to have available and it’s always worth sticking one in a customer’s car before you take it for a test drive, so if there’s some sort of accident, you can prove it wasn’t your fault. The Nextgear 312GW is a highly popular model, as it’s easy to use and has plenty of connectivity capabilities, such as built-in wi-fi.

32 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

Omologato James Hunt Chronograph Watch How much: £599 (inc VAT) Where from: omologatowatches.com Timekeeping is important in any business, and workshops are no exception – so why not do it in the style of the coolest F1 driver of all time? Celebrating what would have been the 70th birthday of James Hunt, this Omologato chronograph watch has been dedicated to his memory. It’s a limited-edition model – one of just 750 – so you’d better get your order in quick!

Autoglym Bodywork, Wheels and Interior Collection How much: £65.60 (inc VAT) Where from: autoglym.com Customers love it when they arrive at the garage to pick up their car and find it’s been given a complimentary clean and valet. With this collection from Autoglym, you can do a sterling job of polishing up any vehicle that passes through your workshop. The set includes bodywork shampoo, wheel cleaner and interior shampoo, as well as other cleaning products and the accessories you need to apply them properly.

Electralight 3W COB LED head torch How much: £7.19 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk This ultra-bright head torch from Electralight is great for brightening things up when you need both your hands to work, especially on those dark winter nights. It features a multi-angle adjustable head, making your task even easier.

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PRODUCTS. Laser Tools Ratchet Screwdriver Set How much: £36.58 (inc VAT) Where from: lasertools.co.uk This set comes with a 36-tooth ratchet screwdriver, with 20 assorted bits and nine chrome vanadium sockets. The screwdriver is both comfortable and well balanced, with storage space for six bits in the handle. The different shaft options mean you have three screwdriver sizes in one handy package.

Clarke CCO14C Abrasive Cut-Off Saw How much: £131.98 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk This robust and powerful high-speed saw from Clarke can slice through metal in a quick and clean manner. It has a quick release vice assembly, adjusts from zero to 45 degrees for angled cutting and has a carry handle for increased portability.

Clarke CDP452B 550W Bench-Mounted Drill Press How much: £274.80 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk The Clarke CDP452B bench-mounted drill press has a 550W motor and a 16-speed design, so it’s both powerful and precise. The chuck capacity is 16mm and it comes with a work light for flexible and easy use.

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Scalextric Arc Pro Platinum GT Set How much: £549.99 (inc VAT) Where from: scalextric.com Sure to be a popular addition to any customer waiting room, this amazing Scalextric set allows up to six people to race at once. You can use a smartphone app to personalise the race and set it up just the way you want it. It features overtaking, lane-changing, pit stops and KERS, and takes into account variable weather conditions, tyre wear and fuel consumption.

Mightymast Leisure Typhoon Hockey & Table Tennis Table How much: £164.00 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk If you don’t fancy supplying your waiting customers with the Scalextric set above, how about this?

It’s a six-foot-long air hockey table, featuring an electronic scoreboard and a mains-operated fan motor. What’s more, it comes with a detachable table tennis board. The set includes pushers, pucks, bats, balls and a net, so it has everything your customers need to entertain themselves while you do the hard graft!

Laser Tools Brake Pedal Pushrod Separator Pliers How much: £73.15 (inc VAT) Where from: lasertools.co.uk These Laser Tools pliers can be used to separate the ball end of the brake pedal push rod from the plastic brake pedal used on VAG vehicles. This is useful when you’re replacing the servo and the master cylinder.

Laser Tools Dead Blow Hammer How much: £205.75 (inc VAT) Where from: lasertools.co.uk This dead blow hammer from Laser Tools is perfect for removing seized wheels that have become welded to the hub through corrosion. It has a soft face, which can be struck against the tyre to shock and dislodge corrosion on the inner rim.

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PRODUCTS. Kielder KWT-002CS Cordless 18V Impact Wrench How much: ÂŁ221.99 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk This Kielder impact wrench is powered by a digital brushless motor, enabling the tool to offer high torque in a small package. It has a clip and pin drive and increased dust protection. Although a heavy-duty unit, it is lightweight and easy to manoeuvre. It has a variable speed trigger that offers full control in both forward and reverse modes.

Draper 43618 Moisture Meter How much: ÂŁ21.59 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk The Draper 43618 moisture meter is able to accurately tell the user how much water is contained in wood, plaster or concrete. The LCD screen displays this figure as a percentage, as well as showing ambient room temperature.

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Clarke CSR5350BP Boltless Shelving Unit How much: £59.98 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk This boltless shelving unit from Clarke is ideal for storing items in your workshop.

Instead of traditional nut and bolt fixings, it uses slot and pin locking mechanisms, so it’s not only easy to assemble, but is safer too, as it has a rolled-edge finish with no sharp edges. The unit has a load capacity per shelf of 350kg evenly distributed, meaning it can easily be used to store power tools and other weighty equipment.

Clarke IG2200 2.2kW Inverter Generator How much: £466.80 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk The Clarke IG2200 portable generator utilises inverter technology in order to act as a stable power source for sensitive equipment. It has a continuous output of 2kW and a maximum output of 2.2kW. It features an air-cooled four-stroke engine and an ecothrottle, which automatically adjusts engine speed to match the load for decreased fuel consumption and noise.

Clarke PC 60 Phase Converter How much: £382.80 (inc VAT) Where from: machinemart.co.uk This compact power converter from Clarke enables 400415V, three-phase motors and equipment to function when only 230V mains power is available, by converting one-phase output into three-phase output.

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MY PROJECT CAR . *

*1950S FIRE ENGINE, ACTUALLY

TED WELFORD REPORTS ON A RESTORATION WITH A DIFFERENCE AT A FAST-MOVING HAMPSHIRE GARAGE

In the market for a vintage fire truck? This could be hard to resist

F

or most people, a 1950s fire engine wouldn’t be at the top of their agenda for a vehicle to repair and restore. That is unless you’re Sam Hard of Hard-Up Garage, who has built a name for himself working on anything weird and wonderful.

Hard admits that he will ‘buy anything if I can repair it and make a few pennies’. He now has a UK-wide following of people who like to tag him in posts on social media for anything that is remotely oddball, which is how he’s ended up with the 1954 Bedford RLHZ self-propelled pump fire engine that you see here.

‘It came up for sale on Facebook and I messaged the owner, thinking he would want too much money for it,’ Hard told us. ‘But I made him an offer and he just told me to come and collect it. I’ve got a very good reputation for pretty much buying anything if it is at the right price.’

Colloquially known as ‘Green Goddesses’ (even if they’re not actually green, like this example), these fire engines have had an interesting and varied life to say the least. And Hard managed to pick this one up for just £1,000.

It started out in life as a design based on a Bedford RL – a civilian truck used by the British military. The fire engine it spawned would be used by the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) up until 1968. The AFS

This‘Green’ Goddess will probably have been sold by the time you read this!

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commissioned the vehicles as part of Britain’s civil defence after the Second World War, when the fear of nuclear attack meant that further fire engines had to be ordered as a form of reserve protection.

Interestingly, though, Green Goddesses weren’t primarily used as fire engines – instead, they were labelled ‘self-propelled pumps’, because of their ability to pump large quantities of water to cities in the event of a nuclear attack. It was all very space-age thinking for the mid-20th century.

After 1968, they were used by the Home Office as emergency event vehicles. They were rarely deployed after this point but were kept and well maintained in the event of the fire service going on strike or in case of an emergency.

Occasions when the Green Goddesses were brought out of hibernation included during the firefighters’ strikes of 1977 and 2002 and during the ‘Winter of Discontent’ of 1978/79.

Some of the appliances were 50 years old when they were eventually decommissioned in 2004 by the Home Office after a long and distinguished career of service.

The example you see on this page is even more special as it is one of 35 vehicles that were sent to Northern Ireland and would have been used in riots during the Troubles.

Hard said: ‘We’re in a nice position where we are able to keep it original and cool but still preserve the originality and give it a bit of a HardUp Garage edge.’

So, what did Hard have up his sleeve for this Green Goddess? Well, not all that much, it would seem. Despite the vehicle’s cheap price, Hard said it was immaculate on the exterior.

The main work that needed to be done was to the engine, which was being fully rebuilt by the Fareham-based garage.

The team was also hoping to track down the original riot windshields that would have been used while the vehicle was in Northern Ireland.

In addition, Hard wanted to get the water cannon working on the roof.

‘I want to put the original riot screens back on it because I think that would be really, really cool.

I wouldn’t mind trying to get the water cannon on the roof working, too, to see if we can take some people out in it and have some fun.’

Hard-Up Garage’s other key asset is the speed it works at. Despite the fire engine only being bought at the start of November, by the time this magazine lands on your doorstep the Green Goddess will probably have been sold.

While Hard is, of course, interested in making some money, he is just as eager to see normal people getting into a vehicle they would never have normally been able to afford.

This Green Goddess is probably worth around £10,000 to £12,000, but Hard-Up Garage will sell it for between £7,000 and £8,000.

Hard said: ‘If someone has ever dreamed of having one of these but has not been able to afford it, we are selling it at a reasonable price. We don’t mess around.

‘We’re here for a quick flip and to put another great vehicle back on the road that could have otherwise seen the end of its life, before we move on.’

SUPPLIERS GUIDE.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A WORKSHOP SUPPLIER, YOU CAN FIND THE DETAILS OF SELECTED COMPANIES HERE

Welcome to your essential guide to leading suppliers

WORKSHOP Magazine is proud to publish the contact details of some of the key suppliers of products and services to the automotive repair industry – from components and parts providers to companies specialising in garage equipment, web design, online solutions and even legal advice for when a transaction goes sour.

Our guide to the industry’s must-have partners follows on from the success of a similar resource in our sister publication, Car Dealer Magazine.

This automotive repair, service and maintenance industry version will become just as indispensable.

Keep an eye on this space each month as we include more and more leading suppliers.

Diagnostic Equipment

Aftersales Software

Approved Schemes

eDynamix

RAC Approved Dealer Network

Garage Equipment

Garage Equipment

Garage Equipment

Butts of Bawtry

GEMCO

Pro-Align

Garage Equipment

Garage Management Software

Legal & Compliance

Straightset

Dragon2000

Lawgistics

Parts Suppliers

Parts Suppliers

Trade Bodies

Blue Print

Febi Bilstein

IGA

W: edynamix.com T: 0845 413 0000 E: enquiries@edynamix.com Info: eDynamix offers web-based applications providing a connected and simple-to-use platform in which dealers can manage a customer throughout the service lifecycle, including service plans, electronic vehicle health check, repair and finance plans, proactive follow-up, online bookings, MOT cleanse, VIDEO1st, aftersales surveys, and automated confirmations and reminders.

W: buttsequipment.com T: 01302 710868 E: info@buttsequipment.com Info: Butts of Bawtry is literally a ONE STOP SHOP for the garage or workshop. Offering a comprehensive range of Quality Garage Equipment from leading manufacturers, backed up by our team of trained and certified service and repair engineers. From a trolley jack to a complete workshop installation, Butts have the answer.

W: straightset.co.uk T: 01909 480055 E: paul.bates@straightset.co.uk Info: Straightset is the UK’s leading independent garage equipment company, providing best-in-class design, supply, installation and service of car and commercial workshops for nearly 30 years. We carry a vast range of quality equipment carefully sourced from top manufacturers within the EU and US and offer one of the most comprehensive aftersales services in the market.

W: blue-print.co.uk T: 01622 833007 E: adl-blueprint.bpic@bilsteingroup.com Info: As part of the Bilstein Group, Blue Print supplies OEmatching quality vehicle components, with strong Asian and American coverage. With more than 23,000 different parts in its range, from braking and clutch components to filtration, Blue Print covers a huge portion of the vehicle parc. Want to get it right first time? Think Blue Print.

Approved Dealer

W: rac.co.uk/getapproved T: 0330 159 1111 E: dealernetwork@rac.co.uk Info: Being authorised to use the RAC name as a badge of quality creates strong consumer confidence and increases profitability.

As an RAC Approved Dealer, you have access to one of the UK’s most respected motoring brands. There’s a range of RAC-backed products and services at your disposal, as well as a customer reach of more than 8 million RAC members to promote your dealership.

W: gemco.co.uk T: 01604 828500 E: sales@gemco.co.uk Info: GEMCO is the UK market leader and your one-stop shop for the supply, delivery, installation, training, calibration and maintenance of garage equipment. With the largest comprehensive range of equipment brands available for both car and commercial vehicle workshops, GEMCO provides top-quality garage equipment products and services to car and commercial vehicle workshops.

W: dragon2000.co.uk T: 01327 222 333 E: sales@dragon2000.co.uk Info: Dragon2000 supplies garages and car dealers with a multiaward winning Dealer Management System, time and efficiency monitoring and integrated websites for online service bookings.

Includes free APPraise mobile app for all users – for sending personalised VHC images & videos to customers’ phones to help increase upsold work and customer trust.

W: febi.com T: 01977 691100 E: enquiries@febiuk.co.uk Info: As part of the Bilstein Group, Febi Bilstein supplies a range of more than 25,000 different articles for all popular European vehicle models. From steering and suspension to rubber, metal and electrical, Febi Bilstein provides OE-matching quality components with first-time fitment and long service life. For quality, choose Febi Bilstein.

Nebula Systems

W: nebulasystems.com T: 01280 816333 E: sales@nebulasystems.com Info: Nebula Systems specialises in the development of advanced technologies for the automotive and future mobility industries.

We make vehicle data and systems more accessible so that a vehicle’s health, status and utilisation can be monitored, analysed, diagnosed and maintained, faster and more effectively, anytime and anywhere.

W: pro-align.co.uk T: 01327 323007 E: enquiries@pro-align.co.uk Info: Dedicated wheel alignment specialists, supplying, supporting and servicing the world-leading Hunter brand nationwide: Hunter aligners – Fast, accurate, reliable, unlocking business opportunities, delivering major income stream and rapid ROI Road Force balancer – A new service very few workshops deliver Tyre changers – Easy service perfection

W: lawgistics.co.uk T: 01480 445500 E: sales@lawgistics.co.uk Info: The motor trade’s leading legal firm, giving help and advice to our members and the industry in general. Passionate about fairness under the law. Our legal team are there to protect your interests.

Not anti consumer, just pro trader. Don’t miss our advice, which is published every month in Workshop Magazine. See pages 28 and 29 for The Judge’s contribution to this month’s issue.

W: IndependentGarageAssociation.co.uk T: 0845 305 4230 E: enquiries@rmif.co.uk Info: The Independent Garage Association is the largest and most prominent representative body in the independent garage sector. We are the voice of the industry in matters arising in UK and EU Government, and we help independent garages to thrive in all aspects of their business by offering advice, information and services.

TO HAVE YOUR DETAILS INCLUDED HERE CALL 023 9252 2434 AND ASK FOR WORKSHOP SUPPLIERS GUIDE LISTINGS WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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OUR FLEET.

Subaru Legacy GT-B

Model: Subaru Legacy GT-B Blitzen Owned by: Jon Reay Engine: 2.0-litre twin-turbo petrol Bought for: $460 + shipping + tax (£2,300-ish total) Mileage: 85,749 Money spent this month: £455 Lowlight of the month: Spending lots of money to achieve… not much?

Jon has been splashing the cash... but his detective skills are still required

J

ust as I sat down to scribble this, I realised that it was a year to the day since the Legacy drove its final few metres on Japanese soil before setting sail on its decidedly budget retirement cruise to Southampton.

A lot has changed since then: new tyres, new fluids, new belts, new bulbs, new stereo, new speakers… and yet, it still feels like it rolled off the boat just yesterday. Largely, I reckon, because it’s still making the same bleedin’ whining noise.

Since my last update, it’s returned from Workshop Magazine’s friendly mechanic complete with new timing belt, idler pulleys, hydraulic tensioner and water pump.

Has it made any difference? No. Was it worth doing anyway? Probably, as it turns out.

The service history wasn’t lying: it’d had a new belt and pump back in Japan, but the honesty didn’t quite extend to mentioning a water pump partially held on by a generous amount of silicon sealant. What’s that about the Japanese and their

Will Jon be getting a Fuchs loyalty card? world-famous craftsmanship again? Anyway, the good news is that I have no fear of the engine lunching itself any time soon – or at least not because of a ropey belt.

The bad news is that I’m still playing Sherlock

to work out what’s wrong. All signs are currently pointing to the transmission pump. The fact it sounds not dissimilar to an angry power steering pump only confirms my suspicions.

Since that would be a complete transmissionout job to replace, I’m trying everything short of sliding under the car and pleading with it to fix itself. Step one was new transmission fluid – easy enough, but with no effect.

Step two was a new external transmission filter (buried in the front wheel arch for some reason) and yet more new fluid – still no effect.

My last hope is that something nice and simple within the trans oil pan itself will be the cause: an old mesh filter or a damaged oil pickup would be nice.

Still, I’m calling off exploratory surgery for the next month and a bit. Christmas is coming, and I’ve spent so much on ATF recently that Fuchs should give me a loyalty card.

OUR WHEELS...

WE LOVE CARS AT WORKSHOP AND HERE’S THE PROOF. WE’VE WRITTEN ABOUT THEM AND EVERYTHING...

40 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

FORD FIESTA XR2

VW TYPE 3 FASTBACK

NISSAN ELGRAND

FORD THUNDERBIRD

by James Baggott Chief executive, @CarDealerEd

by Rebecca Chaplin Head of editorial, @believebecca

by Andy Entwistle Blackball Media MD, @CarDealerAndy

by Rebecca Chaplin Head of editorial, @believebecca

Another four weeks pass and still the hunt for a fuel tank goes on. If this continues, James might have to make one himself out of Tupperware!

Becca went online and managed to get a replacement distributor. Did it get the car working? Read her report on the opposite page.

Bertha has been earning her keep as a quasi removal van. With the rear seats up and front seats forward, she’s almost as roomy as a Transit!

The T-bird has left the Workshop Magazine car park and gone into the care of classic car specialists Hard-Up Garage for some TLC.

VW Type 3 Fastback

BMW 330d Touring

Despite her best efforts, Rebecca is struggling to make progress

Jack’s feeling guilty about neglecting his car, so a new year’s resolution looms

T

his month has seen more fun and games with the Type 3 as the list of things I should have fixed about six months ago continues to affect its performance. At the moment, it’s a complete non-starter and I’m working through everything I can think of that might be stopping the car from working. Fuel filter? Clear. Spark plugs? Checked. Any loose connections? Nope.

There are a lot of disadvantages to living by the sea with a classic car – or any car for that matter.

The salty air gets everywhere and it can cause havoc. For once, however, my location seemed to have played into my hands recently.

Usually when someone tells you finding an original part is a nightmare they’re right.

However, we seem to be in a little Volkswagen hotspot here on the south coast, and I was lucky to receive a message on social media that helped me get what I needed.

I’d been told that my distributor was virtually useless, so I was after a replacement.

Surprisingly, an online connection of mine nearby was able to supply one! It’s not a simple job, especially in the suitcase-sized space that the engine occupies, but it had to be done.

Sadly, it made no difference. Whatever the problem was remains and I’m at my wits’ end.

Model: Volkswagen Type 3 Fastback 1600E Owned by: Rebecca Chaplin Engine: 1.6-litre Bought for: £3,500 Mileage: 92,963 Money spent this month: £35 Lowlight of the month: Continuing frustration that the car is still not functioning...

SUBARU LEGACY GT-B

Back when Belfort was new, he would have set his owner back around £30,000

I

must be starting to sound like a slightly broken record but this report features news of a relatively unloved E46 330d Touring.

Having said that, I did start it the other day! In fairness, it kicked into life at the first turn of the key and kept running without a lumpy idle in sight. However, it then proceeded to display a variety of different dashboard warning lights. These definitely scared me and caused me to shut it down immediately and run in the opposite direction yelling ‘na na na’ with my fingers in my ears.

It’s not the car’s fault, though. From what I could ascertain with a quick glance, it appears that one of the problem areas is the brakes.

Given the car’s immobile nature as well as its closeness to the sea, they’re probably bunged up with all kinds of corrosion and dust. Not good.

I also had a brief skirt around the exterior of the car. For its age, there’s an impressive lack of rust, with only the odd bubble and patch here and there. I also checked the wheel arches.

These are notorious rust areas for E46s, so I was happy to find no flaky paint underneath.

I did, however, discover a large patch of mud that had caked itself on. Upon further inspection – as well as a good prod – it fell

BMW 330d TOURING

MG METRO TURBO

off, revealing a sizeable ants’ nest underneath.

My car would appear to have its own little microclimate! Which is nice.

It’s all a bit of a shame really. I was discussing Belfort’s creature comforts with a colleague just recently. I mentioned that heated seats and Bluetooth connectivity were just a couple of his features – and it struck me just how well made and well specified he is. Back when he was new, he would have set his owner back around £30,000 – which makes the fact that he is currently sat doing relatively little so sad.

I’ve mentioned time and time again, I do intend to get Belfort back up to standard. It’s just something that keeps slipping down my to-do list. I’ll certainly be adding it to my new year’s resolutions, though – and I promise things will change when we reach 2018.

Model: BMW 330d Touring Owned by: Jack Evans Engine: 2.9-litre turbocharged diesel Bought for: £2,600 Mileage: 147,230 Money spent this month: £0 Highlight of the month: Turning the key and finding the engine started first time.

NISSAN 200SX

PEUGEOT 205 GTi

by Jon Reay Multimedia manager, @JonReay

by Jack Evans Features editor, @jackrober

by Christian Tilbury Staff writer, @Christilbury1

by Darren Cassey Senior staff writer, @DCassey

by James Baggott Chief executive, @CarDealerEd

Jon’s had a busy month – and you can read about it on these pages. It’s left him a bit skint as Christmas approaches!

The 330d may now be home to an ants’ nest (see above) but that’s no reason to keep it stationary.

Hopefully it’ll get an outing soon.

With the Metro looking to eat up even more cash to make it reliable, Christian’s once again toying with the idea of moving it on.

The car is off to an engine electrics expert so Darren’s keeping it on the road into the colder months for one more shot at fixing the misfire...

Following her detailing, the 205 is napping for the winter months.

James even remembered to unplug the battery so it doesn’t go flat.

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OUR KEV.

OUR MAN ON THE INSIDE HAS HIS SAY ON THE GARAGE BUSINESS...

Those crooked MOT testers should have been banged up I was horrified to come across the case of the Gallows Corner MOT centre in Romford, Greater London, which was in hot water for issuing pass certificates to cars it had never even seen [as reported on page 9].

Three of its mechanics were given suspended prison sentences of up to eight months and, with a fourth, ordered to pay more than £18,000 in costs after being found guilty of the offence. They also had their authority to issue MOTs stripped for the maximum five years.

Me? I’d have thrown the book at them, gone back, picked it up and thrown it again a little bit harder. I think the sentence was too lenient by far. After all, this is people’s safety we’re dealing with and it’s no laughing matter.

Here’s what happened. Acting on intelligence from within the trade, the DVSA mounted a surveillance operation. During one week in March 2017, there were 23 cars presented for test at the test station, but according to its computer records there were 103 pass certificates issued.

That’s 80 cars in one week that were MOTed without even the most basic inspection – imagine that happened for 50 weeks of the year and we’re talking 4,000 cars that are driving around in one area of the country (presumably, though, if the MOTs were done by post, they could have gone anywhere) without any form of professional inspection in at least the past 12 months – if not longer.

It makes a mockery of the system.

As a licensed MOT tester, I have to undergo regular training and I have a genuine responsibility for other people’s safety. My opinion on a car’s overall condition determines if a ticket gets issued or not, and to make a decision to which I’m happy to apply my name and signature I need to properly inspect the car.

In the case of the Gallows Corner test centre, an innocent motorist could have been caught up in a horrible accident as a result of both the MOT tester and the vehicle’s owner having a flagrant disregard for the law.

Admittedly, nobody likes taking their car for an MOT. At the very least, it’s an inconvenience, and sitting around waiting for the test result is – for the customer – akin to sitting outside the headteacher’s office at school. If they’re lucky, it’s a bill for £42 (at our test centre at least), but if the car needs work then they may face a bigger bill.

Most people are fairly pragmatic about this. They’d much rather drive a vehicle that they know to be safe than put the lives of themselves and others at risk. Others, though, will go out of their way to avoid paying for essential repairs, despite the safety risks involved.

And that’s what’s been going on here. An urban garage has been issuing MOT certificates for cars it has never seen – cars that could have been concealing a safety-critical fault.

And the likelihood is that they were. After all, if you think your car is likely to pass an MOT, you’re going to take it for one, not get one of your dodgy mates down the pub to order you one in exchange for five crisp twenties.

The only thing that astounds me here is that they didn’t get a custodial sentence. It’s one thing (albeit illegal) when a garage turns a blind eye to an airbag warning light or a small crack in a windscreen, but quite another when they’re prepared to stake their reputation – and, more crucially, innocent people’s lives – on the word of Tony down the pub, who tells them it’s ‘a tidy motor’.

And what about the poor folk who’ve then gone on to buy one of these cars? After all, there’s a fair chance some of the dodgy tickets have found their way down to the more unscrupulous end of the motor trade, as well as traders masquerading as private sellers. Do they deserve the expense of a failure when the car goes for a real MOT, or the belief they’re driving a safe car when they quite clearly aren’t? No. This is safety we’re dealing with, not red tape. And anyone who thinks that getting an MOT over the phone is acceptable these days is very much mistaken.

It also goes to show that no matter how much more advanced or sophisticated the new MOT system is, there are still ways to bend the rules and those who are prepared to go out of their way to bend them, despite the fact there’s really no excuse for driving an unroadworthy car – indeed, a trained tester should know that better than most. As for the perpetrators, lock ’em up I say. At least they’ve been banned from issuing MOTs until 2022.

WHO IS OUR KEV? If we told you, we’d have to kill you... What we can say is he’s been around for longer than he cares to remember so certainly knows his stuff...

42 | WorkShopMagazine.co.uk

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An innocent motorist could have been caught up in a horrible accident as a result of a flagrant disregard for the law.

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ACADEMY

of Automotive Skills