Sometimes we get a true classic coming to White’s Bodyworks in West Sussex. They are often used for events like weddings and are one of the most sought after classic cars today. As you might expect, owners of these rare treasures are pretty choosey about which garage they use to service, repair and restore their vehicles.

At White’s Bodyworks, we’ve got a long track record of achieving great results. Classic car owners can come to us sure in the knowledge that we have all the equipment and skills on-site that they need.

More About the 1934 Wolseley

The 1934 Wolseley was a pretty lightweight vehicle for its time and came in a variety of saloon and coupe styles. It retailed at a staggering £175 in the 30s and had a 12 hp engine of 75 mph. That made it one of the fastest vehicles on the road at the time.

The Wolseley company itself started up in 1901 but it went into receivership in 1927 before being bought out by Morris Motors. When you watch TV series like Downton Abbey, you’ll always see a Wolseley or two motoring around.

Vintage Cars at White’s Bodyworks

The work that needed to be done on this model was to repair and respray the wheel hubs. For classic cars such as this, it’s important to get a perfect finish and that’s why owners seek out an expert team like we have at White’s Bodyworks.

We have one of the best respray shops in the Home Counties and are proud of the standard of work we deliver for our classic car customers.

If you are searching for a garage that knows how to care for your classic car, contact the team at White’s Bodyworks today on 01273 933633.

The Mercedes is undoubtedly the daddy of classic cars and a popular choice among serious collectors. This 190E came to us for several repairs, a good deal of restoration and a big respray. This is the type of work that White’s Bodyworks really does excel at and it’s why classic car enthusiasts seek us out.

There’s something substantial about this car which is probably why it was a popular choice with celebrities over the 70s and 80s. Dealing with a car like this, especially when it requires extensive work, is a pretty big project and requires having all the right equipment on site.

More About the Mercedes 190E

The Mercedes 190E was one of the first ‘executive’ style cars to be produced in the 80s and nearly 2 million of them came off the assembly line. It’s a car you still see on the roads today and the engineering makes it a pleasure to drive.

It was also one of the more economical cars to come out of this era. With the comfortable drive, it was perfect for a busy executive but also substantial enough to make a big statement. For such a big car, you might be surprised to know that it had a top speed of 143 mph. That was in part due to its substantial Cosworth engine.

White’s Bodyworks and Classic Cars

Bodywork is our forte at White’s. We have the latest equipment on-site for repairing and then respraying so that your classic car will look as good as new. This is the sort of job that takes a fair amount of time and dedication, which is why it’s important for us to work closely with the owner so that they know what’s going on.

If you own a classic car like the Mercedes 190E and need to repair, restore or renovate it, contact the expert team at White’s Bodyworks on 01273 933633 today.

While it’s often more associated with the US, there’s a fairly strong Harley Davidson fan club in the UK and across Europe. These iconic bikes are perfect for cruising and we often get owners coming to us to have work done.

At White’s Bodyworks, we are able to handle all makes and models of motorbike, whether they are newly off production line or a complete classic. This particular job involved doing some minor repairs and respraying the panniers for the bike.

More About Harley Davidson

Ask most people to name a motorbike brand and the Harley will figure pretty widely. It’s one of the most recognisable names in the world. The company was created way back in 1903 in Milwaukee in the US and by the early 1920s, it was the largest motorcycle company in the world.

The Harley Owners Group were established back in the 80s and actually became part of the company’s branding. With big engines and heavy designs, the Harley motorbike packs a big punch on the road and it’s highly distinctive design is really easy on the eye.

Classic Bikes at White’s

We get plenty of classic cars and bikes at our garage in West Sussex and we’re always happy to see a legendary motorcycle come across the forecourt. This Harley didn’t need a huge amount doing to it but we know that owners are pretty choosey about who they get to do this type of work.

We always liaise closely with car and bike owners to make sure we are delivering everything they need and the standard they are looking for. If you have a classic motorbike and are searching for a local garage that really knows what it’s doing, contact the team at White’s Bodyworks on 01273 933633.

The RC45 is arguably the most desirable Honda ever made. Between 1994 and 1999 there were just 200 of these made and finding a used bike in good condition today is a very tall order indeed.

The bike ticks all the boxes – fuel-injection, DOHC, 118bhp, 749cc V4, a single-sided swingarm, six-speed gearbox and an aluminium twin-spar chassis. In competitions it carried home some illustrious prizes including John Kocinski’s triumph at the WSBK championship and Jim Moodie’s glorious circuit at the Isle of Man in just over 18 minutes at an average speed just shy of 200km/h.

The 1994 RC45 we were asked to restore looked like it could still go some but it desperately needed some major repairs to its fairings and fuel tank. Some bright spark had resprayed the fuel tank the wrong colour for the RC45 and nearly all the fairings had splits or heavy scuffing in the plastic.

The front fairing had fared worst of all. It had long wide cracks in the plastic that called for some heavy duty plastic welding to reinforce it from behind.

Once our repairs had been made invisible to the eye we sprayed the plastic parts with an adhesion promoter before applying primer. This is essential for ensuring the paint adheres perfectly to the surface.

The RC45 was sprayed in 3 different colours – white, red and blue. We lacquered over the paint to create a shine and to seal the colours off. We needed next to apply graphics and the lacquer ensures that no marks from this would damage the colours or undercoats.

Applying graphics is a highly skilled job and one that takes a steady hand and the patience of a saint. It can take as long as half a day to get the graphics precisely placed and with no bubbles. How do we do it? Well let’s just say you need the correct liquid solution, applied with a trigger spray by someone who has done this sort of thing for many, many years.

The graphics applied were not laminated – this would not provide the desired smooth finish with edges so fine you can hardly feel them. To give them that glossy finish – and to protect and seal them – a final layer of lacquer is applied over the panels.

Aiming as ever for a faithful restoration we left the tailpiece without lacquer to give it that characteristic matt look. It’s an important touch because now this flagship bike is truly restored to its former glory most other riders will only ever get to see the back as it cruises on past them.

We’re used to seeing a range of classic cars crossing the forecourt of our garage at White’s Bodyworks. We have a reputation for restoring and repairing all kinds of vintage vehicles and motorbikes.

This excellent looking Alvis was certainly a surprise for our experienced team. Restoring and repairing the paintwork of a classic car like this is a challenge. You need to use the right materials and ensure that it looks as pristine as if it had just rolled off the assembly line.

It takes attention to detail and the best equipment and huge amounts of skill.

More About the Alvis

The Alvis Car and Engineering Company were one of the earliest manufacturers in the UK, based Coventry and established in 1919. It was not just a company that produced civilian cars but also armoured vehicles and even aircraft engines.
Characterised by the long, heavy-looking bonnet, this was a distinctive car on the road and you can still see a few around the UK today. It’s a real collector's item that not only looks fantastic but is an exciting drive as well.
In the mid-60s the Alvis Car and Engineering Company were taken over as a subsidiary of Rover at which point car manufacture ceased completely.

Car Restoration in West Sussex

We’ve worked on the restoration and repair of many classic cars over the years and it’s something we’ve gained quite a big reputation for. We always work closely with car owners to ensure that we deliver exactly what they need.
A car restoration like this requires a good deal of expertise and knowledge as well as all the right equipment. Classic car owners rarely give their vehicle over to just any old garage or mechanic. At White’s Bodywork in West Sussex, we’re proud of our track record and the wide range of classic cars we can deal with.
If you are searching for an experienced classic car restoration team, contact White’s Bodyworks today to see how we can help on 01273 933633.