Our Story
Where time-honored craftsmanship meets modern precision
How We Got Started
Look, I'm not gonna feed you some polished corporate story. Started this shop back in 2011 after spending 15 years working for dealerships that treated cars like they were on an assembly line. Got tired of rushing through jobs, tired of replacing parts that could've been fixed, tired of the whole "it's good enough" mentality.
Grew up in my grandfather's garage in Surrey, tinkering with his '67 Alfa Romeo Spider. That car taught me patience - you can't rush Italian engineering, and you definitely can't half-ass a restoration. Those lessons stuck with me.
So I took the leap. Sold my truck, maxed out two credit cards, and signed the lease on this unit. First year was rough - living on instant noodles and coffee, doing oil changes just to keep the lights on. But word spreads when you actually give a damn about the work.
The Journey So Far
2011
Opened the doors with just me, a lift, and a toolbox. First customer brought in a BMW E30 that three other shops refused to touch. Fixed it, made a friend, and realized there was a real need for people who actually understand these machines.
2014
Expanded to a two-bay operation. Hired Marcus, who'd been doing transmission work for 20 years. Guy's a wizard with gearboxes - seriously, if he can't fix your trans, it probably can't be fixed.
2017
Added the restoration bay. Started taking on full classic builds. Completed our first frame-off restoration on a '72 Porsche 911T. That project took eight months and nearly broke us, but man, seeing that car roll out of here...
2020
Pandemic hit hard, but we adapted. Focused on building relationships with the European car community. Started offering pick-up and delivery. People needed reliable service more than ever.
2023
Invested in state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment. European cars nowadays are basically computers on wheels. You need the right tools or you're just guessing. We don't guess.
2025
Today, we're a six-person team. Every single person here knows their craft inside and out. We've restored over 40 classics and serviced thousands of European imports. Still learning something new every day though.
What We're About
Here's the thing - we're not the cheapest option. Never will be. If you want quick and cheap, there's plenty of places for that. But if you want someone who'll actually diagnose the problem instead of throwing parts at it, who'll call you before doing extra work, who treats your car like it's their own... well, that's us.
We specialize in European imports because they require a different approach. These aren't just transportation - they're engineered with intention. Every system talks to every other system. You can't just swap in generic parts and call it a day.
And the classics? That's pure passion work. Every restoration tells a story. We're not trying to make show cars (unless that's what you want). We're bringing these machines back to life the right way, preserving what makes them special while making them reliable enough to actually drive.
The Team
Six of us now, each bringing different skills to the table. Marcus handles all transmission work and drivetrain stuff. Elena's our diagnostic specialist - if there's an electrical gremlin, she'll find it. Jake does bodywork and paint - trained at a restoration shop in Germany, actually. Sarah manages parts and keeps us organized (crucial when you're tracking down NLA parts for a '85 Mercedes). Devon's our apprentice, learning the trade the old-school way. And me? I do a bit of everything and make sure we're staying true to why we started this place.
We argue sometimes about the best way to tackle a problem. That's good. Means everyone cares. But we all agree on one thing: if it leaves this shop with our name on it, it better be done right.
