Our busy workshop is the beating heart of our entire operation. This is where the vital running gear and components are fabricated, renewed, and restored, all coming together in perfect harmony under the watchful eye of our Assembly Supervisor, Jim.
OEM+
There is an incredible amount of work which takes place in these very early stages of our builds. Our freshly restored and renewed chassis by Stuart are mated to Jim’s stripped, refurbished and prepped axels and built up to a rolling chassis. This includes all the steering, suspension, brake and fuel system components.
Jim also fabricates our wheel boxes for our rear body tubs and builds these onto our chassis. At this stage he will align all panels for correct gaps, along with the bulkheads, A,B,C pillars and build up the front seat-boxes.
We take real pride in the clean, precise finish of every engine bay. It’s Jim who meticulously routes the brake lines, fuel and cooling systems, ensuring everything is perfectly laid out for that signature OEM+ finish. The crowning moment comes when the engine, transmission and transfer box are finally installed, the linkages connected, and the engine fires into life for the first time, a defining moment in the vehicle’s rebirth.
Meet Jim
Jim celebrates ten years with us this year, and in that time he’s played a key role in refining our processes and driving greater efficiencies across the workshop. A true petrolhead at heart, he’s a passionate follower of Formula One, drawn to the race-bred engineering and the theatre of motorsport at its very highest level.
One of Jim’s favourite builds is Granite, a Defender that perfectly balances simplicity with presence. In his words, “It’s simplistic in design, yet mean-looking and purposeful.” In fact, Jim once took his youngest daughter to her school prom in it, where it managed to draw more attention than the line-up of supercars parked outside.
Away from the automotive world, Jim is a proud family man. He and his wife have three children and a granddaughter, and much of his downtime is spent enjoying family life and watching them grow.
*Granite is also known as ‘BOA’, named after the suffix on its registration plate.
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