The Robin Hood kit car is part of a very particular corner of British motoring. These cars were never about luxury or mass production. They came from the kit car world, where owners, builders and enthusiasts wanted something light, simple and involving without the cost of a factory-built sports car.
Inspired by the classic Lotus Seven style of lightweight roadster, Robin Hood cars were usually built around donor components, often from everyday Fords. That is part of what makes them interesting. Each one carries the character of the person who built it, the parts chosen at the time, and the standard of work that went into the original assembly.
This Robin Hood is in for rear end repair, which is the kind of work that needs a careful eye on a kit-built car. Unlike a production vehicle, where panel structure and repair methods are usually predictable, kit cars can vary significantly from one example to the next. The rear section may involve body panels, chassis elements, mounting points, brackets and fabricated areas that have been altered or adapted over the years.
In practice, rear end damage is rarely just about what can be seen from the outside. A cracked panel, distorted edge or damaged mounting point may be the obvious part, but the surrounding structure has to be checked as well. On a lightweight car, small misalignment can affect how panels sit, how brackets load up, and how the repair will hold once the car is back on the road.
At White’s Bodyworks in Hassocks, West Sussex, repairs like this begin with assessment rather than assumptions. The damaged area needs to be stripped back far enough to understand what has moved, what can be repaired, and what needs fabrication or replacement. With kit cars, that stage matters. You are often dealing with a mixture of original kit components, donor parts and previous owner modifications.
Most people don’t realise how much judgement is involved in repairing this sort of vehicle. The aim is not simply to make the rear end look tidy. It needs to be strong, correctly aligned and sympathetic to the way the car was built. Over-repairing can look heavy-handed. Under-repairing can leave weakness behind. The balance sits somewhere in the middle.
Panel fit and finish also matter, especially on a lightweight open car where the rear section forms such a visible part of the shape. Repairs need to blend into the existing body rather than look like a separate piece of work.
This Robin Hood is still in progress, but the direction is straightforward: repair the rear end properly, preserve the character of the kit car, and make sure the finished work is solid enough for continued use. Cars like this are built to be driven, not hidden away, and good repair work helps keep them doing exactly that.
The Triumph Spitfire is one of those small British sports cars that still feels full of character. Built from the early 1960s through to 1980, it was designed as an affordable two-seat roadster, with Michelotti styling and much of its basic engineering drawn from the Triumph Herald. That combination gave it a simple, lightweight feel that still appeals today.
This Spitfire is in for restoration and repair work, with what appears to be an engine mount repair and rebuild in progress. On a car like this, that sort of work matters more than it might sound. Engine mounts are not just there to hold the engine in roughly the right place. They control movement, alignment and vibration, and they affect how the whole drivetrain behaves.
We often see older sports cars where the engine mounts have gradually weakened, compressed or failed over time. Sometimes the rubber has perished. Sometimes the mounting points themselves have suffered from corrosion or previous repairs. In practice, the symptoms can be subtle at first: vibration through the body, knocking under load, awkward gear changes, exhaust movement or a general feeling that the car is not as tight as it should be.
With a Triumph Spitfire, access and structure both need thought. The front-hinged bonnet gives excellent visibility around the engine bay, but that does not make the repair automatic. The surrounding metal, brackets and fixing points all need to be inspected properly. There is no value in fitting new mounts to tired or compromised metalwork. If the mounting area has weakened, it has to be repaired before the rebuild makes sense.
At White’s Bodyworks in Hassocks, West Sussex, work like this starts with assessment rather than assumptions. The engine needs to sit correctly, the mounts need to locate properly, and the surrounding structure has to be sound enough to take the loads. On older cars, we often find that previous repairs have kept things going for years without fully solving the underlying problem.
An engine mount repair can also reveal other issues. Exhaust alignment, gearbox mounting, cooling hoses, fuel lines and wiring can all be affected by engine movement. If the engine has been shifting more than it should, other components may have been under strain too. That is why a proper rebuild looks at the area as a system, not just one failed part.
The aim with this Spitfire is not to change the character of the car. These small Triumphs are meant to feel mechanical, light and direct. The job is to restore the foundation underneath that character, so the car feels secure and properly supported again.
It is the sort of repair that may not look dramatic once finished, but it makes a real difference to how a classic drives. Good restoration is often like that. The most important work is not always the most obvious.
The Lancia Fulvia is one of those cars that rewards a closer look. At first glance, it is a neat Italian classic with clean lines and compact proportions, but spend a little time around one and the engineering starts to stand out. The Fulvia was never just a pretty small car. It was advanced, beautifully considered and built with the kind of detail that made Lancia such a respected name among people who really understood cars.
This Fulvia is in for restoration and repair to the bodywork, which is exactly the sort of job that needs patience. Italian classics of this era have a charm all of their own, but they also need careful assessment before any finishing work begins. The shape may look simple, but the details matter. Panel edges, lower sections, seams, arches and previous repairs all need to be checked properly.
We often see older cars where the visible paintwork only tells part of the story. A small blister on a panel may be nothing more than localised surface rust, or it may point to corrosion moving through from behind. Previous repairs can complicate things too. A car like this may have had paintwork, patch repairs or small bodywork corrections carried out over several decades, and not all of that work will have aged in the same way.
At White’s Bodyworks in Hassocks, West Sussex, bodywork repairs on classics like the Fulvia start with finding out what is really there. That means looking beyond the surface and understanding whether the metal underneath is sound. There is no value in applying fresh paint or filler over areas that are already weak. It may look tidy for a while, but it will not last.
The Fulvia’s character comes from its lightness and precision, so heavy-handed repairs do not suit it. Any fabrication or panel correction needs to respect the original shape of the car. The aim is not to make it look over-restored or too sharp in a modern sense. It needs to look right for what it is: an elegant, well-engineered classic with a distinctive Italian feel.
In practice, bodywork restoration is often slower than people expect. Damaged or corroded areas are opened up, old repairs are assessed, and new metal is shaped or fitted where needed. Once the structure is sound, the preparation work begins. That stage is what determines whether the final finish sits properly and holds up over time.
This Lancia Fulvia is still in progress, but the approach is straightforward. Repair the bodywork properly, preserve the character of the car, and give it a solid foundation before the finishing stages begin.
Cars like this deserve that kind of care. They are not just old vehicles to be tidied up quickly. They are pieces of motoring history, and getting them right means respecting both the design and the way they were built.
The Mercedes R107 SL has a very particular presence. It is not a small, delicate sports car in the traditional British sense, and it was never meant to be. Built from the early 1970s through to the late 1980s, the R107 was solid, refined and beautifully engineered, with the sort of build quality that made Mercedes feel almost over-specified at the time.
That is part of why these cars have aged so well. They were expensive when new, properly made, and often cared for by owners who understood what they had. But even a Mercedes of this quality is not immune to age. Paintwork fades, seals harden, chrome starts to show its years, and corrosion can creep into areas that are not obvious at first glance.
This R107 SL is in for restoration and respray work, which is often the right approach when the bodywork is still fundamentally sound but the finish has started to let the car down. These cars have clean, confident lines, and they rely heavily on panel condition and paint quality. A tired finish can make even a good SL look flat.
In practice, the respray is only the final stage. Before any colour goes on, the car needs careful assessment. Older paint layers, previous repairs, small dents, surface corrosion and panel edges all have to be checked properly. There is no benefit in putting fresh paint over a problem that has not been dealt with underneath. It may look good for a while, but it will not last.
At White’s Bodyworks in Hassocks, West Sussex, work like this starts with preparation. The damaged or tired areas are stripped back, repaired where needed, and brought into proper shape before primer and paint are considered. On a car like the R107, that patience matters. The panels are broad enough for imperfections to show, and the overall finish needs to suit the restrained, high-quality feel of the car.
We often see classics where older paintwork has been refreshed quickly in the past, only for sink marks, reactions or bubbling to appear later. A proper respray is about stability as much as appearance. The finish needs depth, but it also needs a sound foundation.
The aim here is not to over-restore the SL or make it look artificial. These cars suit a clean, elegant finish rather than anything too sharp or showy. The bodywork should look right, the lines should sit naturally, and the paint should bring back the quiet confidence the R107 had when it was new.
This Mercedes R107 SL is still in progress, but the direction is clear. Restore the bodywork where needed, prepare the surfaces properly, and give the car a finish that reflects the quality of the original design.
Cars like this deserve careful work. They were built to last, and with the right restoration and paintwork, they still have plenty of life and presence left in them.
The Mk3 Ford Cortina is one of those cars that still feels familiar, even though solid examples are becoming harder to find. In the 1970s, they were everywhere. Family driveways, company car parks, building sites, school runs and motorway service stations. They were everyday transport, not collector’s items, which is exactly why surviving cars now have such interest.
The Mk3 was a noticeable change from the earlier Cortinas. Wider, lower and more American in its styling, it had that distinctive coke-bottle shape that gave it a bit more presence than the cars before it. Even now, a Mk3 Cortina has a look of its own. Simple, honest and very much of its period.
This Cortina is in for restoration and repair work, and like most cars of this age, the job is about understanding what is original, what has been repaired before, and what now needs proper attention. Older Fords were practical, usable cars, but they were not built with half a century of survival in mind. Time, damp storage, winter roads and previous repairs all leave their mark.
We often see corrosion in the usual Cortina areas: sills, wheel arches, lower wings, door bottoms, floor edges and valance sections. From the outside, a car can look fairly complete, but once trims are removed and suspect areas are opened up, the real condition becomes clearer. A small blister can hide weak metal behind it. A tidy-looking repair may have been covering older corrosion for years.
At White’s Bodyworks in Hassocks, West Sussex, restoration work like this begins with careful assessment. There is no point rushing to the cosmetic stage before the structure and bodywork are understood. Any compromised metal needs to be cut back to sound material, repaired properly, and protected so the problem does not return too quickly.
Panel fit also matters on a Mk3 Cortina. The lines are not complicated, but they are long enough that poor repairs show up easily. Door gaps, arch profiles, sill lines and lower panels all need to sit correctly if the finished car is going to look right. Heavy-handed work can spoil the shape, while under-repairing simply stores up trouble for later.
The aim with this car is not to turn it into something over-polished or unlike itself. Cortinas were everyday cars, and that is a big part of their charm. A good restoration should make the car solid, presentable and usable while keeping that straightforward character intact.
This Mk3 Cortina is still in progress, but the direction is clear: repair what needs repairing, preserve what can sensibly be preserved, and give the car a proper foundation for the next stage of its life.
Cars like this deserve careful work. They may once have been ordinary, but ordinary cars often become the rarest survivors.
As classic cars go, the Isetta bubble car is probably one of the most unusual. This is, in fact, the third one that we’ve had in our garage to restore at White’s Bodyworks in West Sussex.
On the surface, this looks like a fairly fragile car with an odd shape and three wheels. It was designed as a city run around, a bit like the modern Smart car today. As with most classic cars, you never quite know what you are going to be faced with once you get into the bodywork.
That’s part of the fun!
More About the Isetta Bubble Car
Isetta was an Italian company and they began making appliances like fridges as well as scooters before branching out into the car market. They first started developing their distinctive bubble car in 1952 and it was certainly an innovation at the time.
With a length of just over 7.5 feet, it was one of the smallest mass-produced vehicles to come on the market. A top speed of just 31 mph meant it was never going to win any races but it stayed in production in various forms around the world until the early 1960s.
Car Renovations at White’s Bodyworks
If you have a classic car like the Isetta to renovate or repair, it’s important to use a garage that knows what it is doing. At White’s Bodyworks, we’ve been surprised that no less than three bubble cars have come to us in recent years.
They seem to be a favourite among classic car enthusiasts and we’re always happy to see this unusual car come across the threshold. While they have delicate bodywork and require a light touch, these are pretty robust vehicles that have stood the test of time. They’re a real collector's item.
If you would like to find out how White’s Bodyworks can help renovate your classic car or motorcycle, contact us today on 01273 933633.
Some classic cars just have perfection written all over them. The Austin Healey is thoroughly sporty and one of our favourite cars to come across White’s Bodyworks garage forecourt in West Sussex.
Any classic car that comes to us at White’s is treated a bit like royalty. The Austin Healey certainly caught the eye of our team of mechanics and they worked hard to return it to pristine condition in quick time.
A quintessentially British brand, it’s also a popular model among classic car enthusiast not just here in the UK but around the world.
About the Austin Healey
The Austin Healey car company was first established back in 1952 but in 1966 it merged with Jaguar Cars, another strong British sports car manufacturer. The first Austin Healey 100 hit the roads in 1953 and the last Mark IV was produced in 1971.
For almost 20 years it was one of the most visible sports cars on our roads.
It wasn’t just a recreational vehicle, however, taking part in many races across the years including Le Mans. The car also made a few star appearances on TV and film, showing up in popular shows like Harry O, Mad Men and more recently in the original Transformers movie.
Classic Car Restorations Home Counties
Classic cars that come to White’s Bodyworks are never straightforward. Some have major damage and need significant restoration. That can bring challenges such as finding contemporary replacement parts that have eroded.
Our aim at White’s Bodyworks in West Sussex is to restore classic cars to as near perfect a condition as possible. Stripping down, repairing and respraying this Austin Healey has been a joy for our team and it’s very nearly ready to head out onto the road again.
If you have a classic car or motorbike in need of repairs or restoration, contact our expert team on 01273 933633.
Compared to other small sports car, the MG Midget enjoyed extensive popularity in the UK and was manufactured right up until the 1980s. It’s still a favourite with many classic car owners and we’ve had a few turn up at our garage for repairs and renovations.
Like many enthusiasts, we get out to many of the classic car meets around the West Sussex and Home Counties area during the year. There’s always at least one MG Midget there to admire and faun over.
About the MG Midget
This classic two-seater car was first produced back in 1961 and was a more exclusive and expensive version of the Austin Healey. It quickly became a popular car on the roads but it was a vehicle that didn’t travel abroad well.
When a model was made for the American market, the makers had to increase the ride height and add bigger bumpers to meet local regulations. That meant the car was a little more difficult to handle and wasn’t as popular in the US as it was in the home UK market.
Classic Car Repairs at White’s Bodyworks
Each classic car comes with its own challenges. At White’s Bodyworks, we always liaise closely with car owners. Some want to do a little of the work for themselves, it’s part of their passion. Others want our team of talented mechanics to work their magic.
A classic car like the MG Midget often has bodywork issues such as rust and damaged infrastructure that needs to be repaired. The good news is that sourcing new or second-hand parts for a car like this is still relatively easy.
We always try to restore cars to their original condition using the right, contemporary components. Sourcing them, in some cases, can be pretty challenging but it’s something we also excel at.
If you are thinking of buying a classic car and need a team that can carry out a full or partial renovation or repair, contact the team at White’s Bodyworks in West Sussex on 01273 933633 today.
We’ve seen some real classic car gems at our garage in West Sussex over the years. The Allard is probably one that got our team of experienced mechanics purring a lot more than usual. It’s not the sort of car you see that often, either on the road or on our garage forecourt for that matter.
Older classics come with their challenges but returning them to their former glory is normally a huge pleasure. We worked closely with the car owner to make sure we were being faithful to the original specs when carrying out the restoration.
Sourcing spare parts can be a problem with a car this old but fortunately, we have great connections not only here in the UK but around the world.
More About the Allard
The Allard Motor Company was a well-known London manufacturer of high-end cars with American engines that began in 1946. The company was short-lived, however, closing for business just 12 years later.
Over a short period, Allard produced quite a few different models, including sports cars aimed at the American market.
These were quickly developing times for the vehicle manufacture market, however. Others were investing in lighter and cheaper models for mass production. This eventually led to the motor company gong out of business, having produced a little under 2,000 cars in total.
Restoring Classic Cars at White’s Bodyworks
Many considerations go into the restoration of a rare classic car such as this. It’s important that we start with a comprehensive plan before any renovation commences and that involves working closely with the owner and setting clear expectations.
At White’s Bodyworks, we have all the expertise and onsite equipment to deal with any classic car or motorbike restoration and we pride ourselves on being one of the leading garages in the UK.
If you are planning a classic car restoration or need a repair, contact the team at White’s Bodyworks on 01273 933633.
Few cars have made us smile as much as this Sunbeam Alpine that came to us quite recently. At first glance, this is a car that has certainly been well looked after but it did need a decent amount of work to repair a some damage that was hidden from view.
Classic car owners often come to use even if they have only a minor issue or two with the vehicle simply because they know they can trust us. The owner of this Sunbeam Alpine certainly wanted a garage with a lot of experience. Fortunately, that’s just what we provide at White’s Bodyworks.
More About the Sunbeam Alpine
You may not have heard of the Rootes Group if you aren’t a fan of classic cars. They were a Warwickshire company that operated from the 50s through to the 70s. The Sunbeam Alpine was first launched in 1953 and the two-door sports car became quite popular in Europe and America.
You might catch a glimpse of the car on Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief but it was never really a make that caught on with the jet set. The Alpine name was briefly resurrected in the mid-70s but by then there were other, better cars on the market.
The Professional Classic Car Garage
It’s always nice to get a car like this coming onto our forecourt. The Sunbeam Alpine is a fairly small vehicle and this two-seater reminded us of the old fashioned Spitfire. As we do with any classic car, we talked extensively with the owner about what their expectations were.
Fortunately, in this case, the owner had a clear idea of what needed doing and we were happy for them to take the lead. If you have a classic car and looking for a garage that you can count on, contact the team at White’s Bodyworks today on 01273 933633.
White’s Bodyworks in West Sussex have seen their fair share of high-end classic cars over the years. It’s something we’ve got a bit of reputation for helping with when it comes to garage repairs.
Our quality repairs and restoration require us to pay attention to detail and work closely with vintage car owners to realise the best outcomes.
There’s nothing better than bringing a classic back to life so that it looks like it just came off the production line. Lamborghini are one of the most notable high-end car brands of the last 50 years. You can imagine an A-lister Hollywood movie star driving this particular vehicle down some sun-drenched boulevard.
More About this 1970s Lamborghini
Lamborghini is an Italian brand which focuses almost exclusively luxury vehicles (although, strangely) it did also make tractors). We’re talking hundreds of thousands for a new model. The company began way back in the 50s but it wasn’t until the mid to late 60s that it really began to get the luxury car tag.
This particular model was built when Lamborghini was going through some severe financial difficulties and control of the company was actually sold off in 1972. That didn’t stop the business going into administration in 1978, however.
What White’s Bodyworks Did
This 1970s Lamborghini Espada was certainly a collectors item but it did require a lot of restoration and renovation. Part of our job at White’s Bodyworks is ensuring that we source the right parts and make practical decisions regarding the integrity of the car. We want to return it to as near the original condition as possible.
It’s important with any vintage vehicle like this to work closely with the owner and keep them appraised of what we are doing. It’s something we’re more than happy to do at White’s Bodyworks. Once the final respray was done, this Lamborghini really did look as good as new.
If you need a renovation or repairs on your classic car, contact the team today on 01273 933633.
This is the forth Isetta Bubble Car that has come to us at White’s Bodyworks in West Sussex. It’s an amazing little vehicle and a classic that looks really distinctive. We suspect it was quite space-age at the time but maybe not so much today.
This model was certainly in a pretty poor state of disrepair and required a good deal of work before it was ready to go out on the road again. Classic cars are often discovered decaying away in someone’s garage or back yard and it takes a lot of love and attention to restore them in the spirit of the original design.
About the Isetta Bubble Car
One of the first-ever microcars, the Isetta was an Italian design but was made in many countries around the world including Argentina, the UK and Spain. It was highly efficient, covering 94 miles per gallon and over 161,000 units were sold around the globe.
The little bubble car did have its downsides though. For a start, it took nearly half a minute to get up to around 30 miles an hour and its top speed was only a meagre 50 mph. This was a great car for big towns and cities at the time, however, not least for ease of parking. It measured just 7.5 feet in length.
Classic Car Renovation at White’s Bodyworks
Of course, there was a lot of work to do here, not least repairing the bodywork and giving the whole thing a respray. Repairs and replacement to the engine also took a good deal of effort. It’s always difficult for a fairly rare model such as this but there’s great satisfaction to be achieved from fully restoring it.
If you have a classic you want to restore, contact the team at White’s Bodyworks in West Sussex on 01273 933633.
