Bodywork and paintwork Restoration in progress
It’s not all about repairs and restorations when we take in classic cars at White’s Bodyworks. Sometimes the vehicle just needs a vintage vehicle respray to get it looking good again. That was the case with this 1967 Mercedes SL280.
Mercedes, of course, is a classy brand of vehicle and one that we see a lot of on our roads. Back in the 60s and 70s, however, it was the luxury car and the one that all successful people drove if they didn’t like the alternative Rolls Royce brand.
This soft-top car was actually a joy to see in our workshop. We usually associate the older Mercedes with more substantial body designs. This two-seat sports vehicle, however, looks more like the MGB than a traditional Mercedes and certainly had a racy feel to it.
More About the 1967 Mercedes SL280
You won’t find too many of these cars still on British roads but their classic sport design is certainly one that gets collectors going. It’s probably one of the more valuable classic cars on the market and if you can get your hands on one for renovation or restoration, despite the work that may need carrying out, the return on investment can be worth it.
Respraying at White’s Bodyworks
The key to carrying out a great respray, whether it’s for a modern car or a classic, is doing the prep work properly. In this case, it means ensuring there are no dings or dents and that the surface is smooth and ready for the paint.
Fortunately, at White’s Bodyworks in West Sussex, we have a fully equipped vehicle respray workshop that can handle any job and an expert team on hand to make sure the results are exceptional. We have to say this vehicle was in great condition and had been well looked after by its owner.
If you are searching for a respray for your vintage vehicle, contact the team at White’s Bodyworks today to find out how can help. Just call us on 01273 933633.
The Morris Oxford is a classic car enthusiasts classic car. A favourite that never seems to lose its shine. You won’t be surprised that there’s a strong Morris fan club in the UK and they’re the sort of cars you often see at local fetes and festivals as well as classic car meets.
We’ve seen a few Morris Oxfords and Morris Minors at our workshop in Hassocks, West Sussex, over the years. It’s not only a vintage vehicle that people like to collect, it’s also a car that is still driven on modern roads quite regularly.
The Morris Oxford is one of the most enduring cars ever produced in the UK. Models came off the production line as long ago as 1913 and it continued to be made right up until 1971. It was one of the most reliable cars on British roads and by far the most popular.
Compared to other vintage cars, the Morris is a little more robust than most and major work rarely needs to be carried out as long as the vehicle has been cared for properly. After 50 or so years, however, this particular car required repairs to the chassis to keep it on the road.
Whether it’s minor work removing dings and dents or something more substantial like car chassis welding, it’s important to make sure your classic car is dealt with by a garage who know what they are doing.
At White’s Bodyworks, we have all the equipment and expertise you could want to help fix your vehicle. We can handle any make of car, whatever condition it is in. We’ve even helped restore classics from fairly dire condition to look as good as new.
If you are searching for a classic car expert and a garage you can trust to restore or repair your vehicle, contact the team at White’s Bodyworks today on 01273 933633.
We rarely get more obscure and frankly wonderful vehicles in our workshop at White’s Bodyworks than this Messerschmidt KR200. It looks fantastic – a little small for many people’s taste, but intriguing all the same.
This three-wheel bubble car is something of a niche collectors item and you don’t see too many in the UK. This one happened to be in pretty good condition for what is a fairly basic car that was built between 1955 and 1964.
More About the Messerschmidt KR200
While we normally associate Messerschmidt with the manufacture of aeroplanes, they did make a foray into the automotive market and produced around 40,000 KR200. At the time, it was a surprisingly big success.
Think of this car as the smart car or mini for the 50s generation. It was small, agile and great for city driving and parking. Despite being a pretty small car, it clocked a top speed of 56 mph and came in coupe, convertible and roadster styles.
Working on Classic Cars at White’s Bodyworks
We were tasked with undertaking restoration work and repairs for the Messerschmidt. That involved working with the owner who had been searching for a garage that knew what it was doing when it came to vintage vehicles.
Our experience with a wide range of classic cars and motorbikes at White’s Bodyworks in West Sussex gives us a head start over many other garages in the Home Counties and the rest of the UK. Our fully equipped facilities and the knowledge of our garage team means that we can handle almost any type of vehicle.
If you are a vintage vehicle owner in the Home Counties or anywhere else in the UK and want a garage for repairs, renovations and restorations you can really count on, contact the team at White’s in West Sussex on 01273 933633.
Bringing the Shine Back to a 60s TV Classic
At White’s Bodyworks we love it when a classic car comes to the garage and gives us plenty of opportunity to show what we are capable of. As you can see from the images below, this delightful 1968 Volvo 1800s needed substantial work undertaking including some major bodywork repairs and a full respray.
About the Car
The Volvo P1800 range went into production between 1961 and 1973 and has all the classic design aspects of this era in car manufacture. More touring car than sports car the 1800S gained notoriety when it became the car for the TV series The Saint. Other celebrity backers of the time included Roger Daltrey of The Who. It was a car that satisfied the sporty driver of the time without totally cutting corners on economy.
The design for the original P1800 began back in 1957 but interference from Volkswagen meant that there were delays in getting it to market. The car made its first appearance on the world stage in 1960 at the Brussels Motor Fair and finally went into production a year later.
Following some quality control problems, the 1800S hit the streets in 1964 and continued in production up until the 1800E replaced it in 1970. The car is marked by it’s longevity. One model achieved the highest mileage for a private vehicle, reaching three million miles, in 2013. Owned by American Irv Gordon it has been in his possession since 1966 and is now in the Guinness Book of Records.
With a top speed of 109 mph, the 1800S was no slouch on the roads. At the Viking Classic Auto Show in 2010, the car celebrated it’s 50th anniversary with no less than 350 vehicles taking part. It remains today a classic that many people love to drive.
Our Restoration
This particular Volvo came to our garage in October of 2016 and need some substantial work undertaking with the bodywork. That meant stripping it down and repairing areas where dents and rust damage had taken affect. As you might expect, several weeks of loving care and attention were needed before the full respray was carried out and the Volvo 1800s was ready for the road again.
With over 20 years’ experience handling classic cars of all types, the team at White’s Bodyworks like nothing more than bringing our experience and skill to bear on a project like this. If you have a classic car that needs repair, contact our expert team today.
Bentley’s are something of an iconic car brand at our garage in West Sussex. When this 1934 VDP Derby Bentley came to White’s Bodyworks recently, you can imagine the kind of stir that it caused.
Pre-war Bentley’s are few and far between and handling the restoration and repair of this particular car was a great honour for our garage.
Finding a business that can handle vintage car repairs that you can depend and rely on is pretty important. What we bring to the table at White’s Bodyworks is a wealth of experience and a long track record of providing a high level of service.
More About the 1934 VDP Derby Bentley
The 3.5 litre Bentley came onto the market in 1933 and was produced up until the beginning of the Second World War in 1939. The cars were actually called Derby Bentleys because they were produced by Rolls Royce in their Derby plant.
This is probably the sort of car you imagine when you think of 1930s gangster movies and there’s no doubt about the American influence in the design. Nearly 2,500 cars were produced and they quickly got the reputation for being a sporty and durable. In fact, some 70% of the vehicles produced during this time were found to be still around near the turn of this century.
White’s Bodyworks Classic Car and Motorcycle Repairs
We often get pretty old cars in our garage at White’s, not all of them in such good condition as this Derby Bentley. Time and wear and tear, however, takes their toll on even the hardiest cars.
There was a significant amount of work to carry out. As with all our classic car renovations, we work closely with the owner to make sure they understand what can be achieved and put the right processes in place to meet their expectations.
If you are a classic car or motorbike owner, it’s really important to find a garage you can trust. That includes having the appropriate expertise and the best facilities. At White’s Bodyworks, we’ve built up a great reputation for classic car and motorbike renovation, repair and restoration.
Contact us today on 01273 933633 to find out more or get a quote for work that needs to be done.
