White's Bodyworks provides servicing, maintenance and MOT support for classic and older vehicles from our workshop in West Sussex.
Older cars often need a more individual approach than modern vehicles. Service intervals, lubrication points, ignition systems, carburettors, cooling systems and mechanical adjustment can vary considerably between makes and models, so we tailor the work to the vehicle rather than applying a standard modern service package.
Whether your classic is used regularly, covers only a few hundred miles a year or is returning to the road after storage, we can assess what maintenance is actually required and deal with faults found along the way.
Classic-car servicing should take account of age as well as mileage.
A vehicle that covers very few miles can still develop problems through storage, moisture, ageing rubber components and lack of use, while a regularly driven classic may need shorter maintenance intervals than a modern car.
Depending on the vehicle, servicing can include:
Where reliable original maintenance information is available, we use that as a starting point and adapt the work to the condition and current use of the car.
For more detail on intervals, see our guide to how often a classic car should be serviced.
Some historic vehicles are exempt from annual MOT testing, while others still require a current certificate.
Where an MOT applies, we can check the car beforehand, deal with suitable faults and help prepare it for testing.
Common areas needing attention can include brakes, steering, suspension, lighting, tyres, structural corrosion and other age-related defects.
Owners of MOT-exempt vehicles may still want an independent roadworthiness check. For that purpose, our dedicated classic vehicle safety inspection focuses specifically on safety-critical condition rather than routine servicing.
A service often reveals problems that need more than routine maintenance.
We can investigate and repair a range of mechanical faults on classic vehicles, including problems affecting:
Older vehicles are often more mechanical and less diagnostic-system dependent than modern cars, so fault-finding can involve inspection, testing and adjustment rather than simply reading an electronic fault code.
Where a problem is more body or structure related, we can also coordinate classic car welding and other repair work within the same workshop.
Classic cars that spend long periods stored can deteriorate even without accumulating mileage.
Brakes can seize, fuel can degrade, batteries weaken, tyres age and seals or hoses can begin to leak. Cars that have been laid up for longer periods may need more extensive recommissioning before regular use resumes.
We can assess the vehicle, identify what needs attention and carry out the maintenance or repairs required to return it to reliable use.
For cars that are mechanically sound but need an independent safety check before returning to the road, our classic vehicle safety inspection may be the more appropriate service.
View more of our recent projects.
