Friday 9 November 2012

Restoring Bristol cars - It is not only what you know but who you know.

Andy Mitchell, our owner, helps get the Wingfield Bristol Special up and running after an engine problem along with Peter Campbell of Spencer Lane Jones Ltd (another superb Bristol firm). Other Bristol experts helped also.


Andy Mitchell and Peter Campbell of Spencer Lane Jones Ltd fix the Wingfield 
The Bristol world is small and having the best contacts is essential.


Monday 5 November 2012

Mitchell Motors prepared Bristol Special has fun at Goodwood

An older creation of ours still gives its owner enjoyment. 

Bristol starts from pits at Goodwood
Pictured at AC Owners Club meeting at Goodwood on 3rd November 2012.

Low sun at Goodwood

Thursday 1 November 2012

Bristol 404 Coupe restored

We have restored many Bristol cars, but have a soft spot for this pretty Bristol 404 Coupe.

Bristol 404 Coupe restored by Mitchell Motors

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint restored to a concours standard

The paintwork on the Alfa Romeo speaks for itself. Many hours work and a subsequent superb result.

Concours quality Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint paintwork

Sunday 28 October 2012

Another concours winner.

Bristol Conertible restored by Mitchell Motors wins a concours award.

Mitchell Motors restored Bristol Convertible wins concours award

Friday 26 October 2012

Gratuitous perfect paintwork picture of Aston Martin DB5

Nothing to say, apart from please look at the superb flawless paintwork we have created for this Aston Martin DB5.
 
 
Aston Martin DB5 repaint

Wednesday 24 October 2012

Monday 22 October 2012

Alfa Romeo P3 repainted

One of the rarest cars to have passed through our workshop. Twin supercharged straight eight with a sound to die for.

Alfa Romeo P3 re-painted by Mitchell Motors

Saturday 20 October 2012

BMW 328 restoration racing at Le Mans

Racing is a big part of the classic car scene and pictured is our racing driver MD at Le Mans after a night time run.

Andy Mitchell and BMW 328 at Le Mans

Thursday 18 October 2012

Mitchell Motors concours restoration success

The motivation for restoring a vehicle is many and varied, but it can include Concours success. The picture below shows our first concours winning vehicle. Our happy clients are pictured next to their trophies. Many successes have occurred since then.
 
Mitchell Motors first concours success
If you want a car prepared to this standard, then please contact us.
 

Tuesday 16 October 2012

Bristol 403 modification

We have extensive experience of modifying Bristol 403's. The picture below shows a 403 we supercharged amongst many other modifications.

Supercharged Bristol 403

Sunday 14 October 2012

Bentley High Vision restored

Unusual Bentley entrusted to us for restoration.
 
A satisfied owner of a Mitchell Motors restored Bentley High Vision

Friday 12 October 2012

Aston Martin DB2/4 restoration

In primer and awaiting paint, this Aston Martin DB2/4 was difficult to work with as the bonnet is enormous in relation to the car size and required skill to enable a perfect fit.
 
Aston Martin DB2/4 re painted
 

Wednesday 10 October 2012

Monday 8 October 2012

Technology meets traditional painting skills

Although we major on traditional skillls, technology plays a significant part in ensuring we achieve superb results.

Mitchell Motors computerised paint shop

Saturday 6 October 2012

Thursday 4 October 2012

Aston Martin V8 "Oscar India" re painted

Both dainty and brutish at the same time, the classic Aston Martin V8 "Oscar India" is a favourite of ours.


Aston Martin V8 body re painting
Why "Oscar India"? The O I stands for October Introduction and was an Aston Martin code for the revised V8. Wood as opposed to crackle finished dash, flip tail and many detail improvements lifted the car back in 1978.

The Aston pictured was entrusted to us for a full body respray and is shown inside our workshop. We pride ourselves on our environmental and health & safety credentials. You can see in front of the Aston the sander that is attached to a dust extraction system.

Tuesday 2 October 2012

BMW 328 and Bugatti Type 57 Atalante restored

Variety, but still the same superb quality of work.
BMW 328 & Bugatti Atalante during and after restoration
 

Some classic cars arrive as a pile of bits...

 .....but we have the experience to work through this to bring a project to a successful conclusion.

Leigh works out where some "random" bits of ash frame should go

The art of aluminium bodywork and ash framing

We generally focus on specific projects on this blog, however our core skills are paint work, aluminium bodywork and ash framing and this needs mentioning as part of the overall picture. 

Ash framing and aluminium bodywork restoration
If you need work such as this undertaken please contact us.

Monday 24 September 2012

Pre-production VELAR Range Rover used for promotion purposes by Land Rover

Possibly the best picture we have placed on this site.
 
Over two years ago we refurbushed the engine bay of this iconic- and we do not use this phrase lightly - car. Details here.

Pre-production Range Rover VELAR
Recently it was used by Land Rover to promote the release of the latest Range Rover.
 
From our point of view, we feel proud to continue to be trusted with its body upkeep.

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Mitchell Special MKII scan video - Director's cut.

 
Mitchell Special MKII 3D Scan video. The car body is now recorded just in case the worst happens. 

Mitchell Motors Bristol 401 restoration featured at RAC Club

Pictured is a Bristol 401 Mitchell Motors restored on display in the Rotunda of the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall. The car will remain on display until the end of September 2012.

Bristol 401 in rotunda of Royal Automobile Club
 
The Bristol 401 was created at the start of the Queen's reign and was therefore a natural choice to participate in the Diamond Jubilee year commemorations. 




 
 We would like to thank Brian Wadsworth for letting us know about this story and Paul and Jenny MacLennan for supplying the pictures.

Sunday 16 September 2012

Aston Martin Vantage - the modern one - detailing repair

A modern and only a few stone chips, but still a job for us. Large or small, Mitchell Motors undertakes all kinds of paintwork repair and restoration.

Aston Martin Vantage detailing

Lamborghini Diablo repainted

A modern classic now. The Diablo is an example of some of our older work, but is shown here to demonstrate the depth of Mitchell Motors repainting ability and competence.

Lamborghini Diablo repainted by Mitchell Motors

Wednesday 12 September 2012

Wensum bodied Vauxhall 30/98 on Targa Florio

Our owner Andrew Mitchell getting into the classic spirit on the Targa Florio.
 
 
 
The car he is driving was entrusted to him by a client and has had much restorative work undertaken by Mitchell Motors including a full repaint subsequent to this event. The repaint was not required as a result of Andrew Mitchell's driving!
 
Interestingly, Vauxhall had two official bodies for the 30/98. These were the Velox tourer and a sporting version known as the “boat bodied” Wensum. The Wensum name came from the river that flows through Norwich.
 

Monday 10 September 2012

Range Rover 2012 eclipsed by an original looked after by ourselves

Mitchell Motors look after this classic Range Rover
Launched as the car 'A Car For All Reasons' this classic Range Rover, looked after by ourselves, drew much attention at the launch of the 2012 Range Rover a few days ago.

Having restored many of these cars, including VELAR and CSK models, Mitchell Motors are the natural choice for your Range Rover restoration.

Prewar BMW 319 complete restoration

BMW 319 in our heated spray booth
This BMW 319 came to us for a complete chassis rebuild and repaint. The stage shown in the pictures is where the spray filler has been applied to remove subtle imperfections.
 
Furthermore, we have made a new bootlid and doors as the originals were beyond repair.

Doors and boot about to be re-fitted
Look out for further updates when you will see the car resplendant in its chosen colour scheme of blue and cream.



Ford GT40 repaint and rebuild to pre '66 specification

Ford GT40 after repaint and period modifications

Exotica central. Bugatti Type 39 and Delage 120 Aerosport V8 meet original Ford GT40

Chassis 10-- 7.0 litre that came to us for a pre 1966 specification rebuild that means it gets its valuable FIA papers.

Main work carried out was a repaint and repairs to aluminium.

Thursday 6 September 2012

Ernest Hemingway - Rolls-Royce Phantom II Short-Coupled Saloon repainted

This well-known car was bought by Ernest Hemingway after the success of his book "Farewell to Arms" made him financially self-sufficient.
 
Entrusted to us for a full repaint it now looks resplendent in period black.

 
Rolls-Royce Phantom II pictured after repaint in our paint booth
 
 
It is a book, it is a film, but it will always be a Rolls-Royce Phantom to us
  
 
 

Wednesday 5 September 2012

DB6 chassis rust removal and restoration

Aston Martin DB6 chassis on jig to enable easier rust removal
As per previous posts, Mitchell Motors has invested in new equipment to improve the process of removing old material such as rust and paint from vehicles. However, there are many occasions when there is no alternative to good old fashioned elbow grease and this is one....the removal of underseal - as well as other internal material -which by design is resistant to impact.
 
The DB6 chassis pictured will after many hours of work end up looking like new. 
 

Classic car chassis restoration underway
 

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Mitchell Motors invest in new equipment

Our skill set is firmly based within traditional methods, however we acknowledge that selective use of modern equipment can reap quality rewards for our clients.

One of the more boring pictures on the blog? Possibly, but boring or otherwise, this
 equipment further improves the quality of our work

Parts are cleaned within the unit cutting down on the dust normally created
To this end, we have recently invested in equipment that not only removes paint more effectively than traditional methods, but does so more gently and with less impact on the environment with dust and detritus extracted and contained.

Porche 911 wing about to be given the Mitchell Motors blasting treatment
 

Aston Martin DB5 body restoration

It was appropriate that the iconic Aston Martin DB5 was the first vehicle to enter our new climate controlled and heated paint oven.

Aston Martin DB5 respray
Dubonnet red. Superb classic Aston Martin paint colour.

Thursday 30 August 2012

Mini Moke full restoration

An icon from the swinging sixties. Restoration is just being with the integrity of the chassis being investigated. Watch this blog for further updates.


The Mini Moke chassis restoration begins

The reality in '60s London. Picture copyright Car magazine.

Removing underseal prior to sensitive "blasting" and restoring an Aston Martin DB6 chassis

Restoring a chassis as complex as one from an Aston Martin DB6 demands a range of skills and a sensitivity to the existing structure that is often missed.

Aston Martin DB4 chassis - Similar to DB6
The word "blasting" is often used for the removal of rust from a sound metal structure. However, the method we use makes this word a misnomer as it is much more gentle.

Jaguar E-Type Coupe full restoration

What more can be said? Another E-Type gets the full Mitchell Motors restoration treatment.

Notice bespoke roto to enable easier access to removing rust.

Jaguar E-Type coupe under restoration