Help!

[Aesop]

The attached photo is of my A40 and was taken shortly after I purchased it a few years ago. Mechanically it is pretty good having a 1293cc engine, upgraded brakes and so on but, as you can see, the body is a bit like Joseph’s coat of many colours!! Both rear wheel arches could do with being replaced, the passenger floor pan is not good and the sills aren't brilliant. I have just had the body panels price list come from Derek but thought I would ask if anybody knew of someone good (and reasonable!) that is familiar with A40s? I would rather be recommended to someone than find someone at random. I live in the West Midlands, south of Birmingham, and if anyone could point me in the right direction that would be appreciated.

[Keith Bennett]

Well, here's a new fable from Aesop - and quite a worrying one as well. The car will certainly need some very careful attention if it isn't to end up as a basket case. The big problem of course is that the floor pan, the inner and the outer sills all rely on each other for structural strength, so the body shop will have to tread carefully. I would certainly recommend stripping the innards out before the work commences - that will save some money on the bill.

So far as a reputable body shop goes, I really have no experience of any in your area. It depends on how far you're willing to trailer the shell for repairs. As an interesting exercise I can ask my own body man for his opinion and a long-shot quote; he works just east of my home town of Banbury in north Oxfordshire, only a few miles from junc. 11 of the M40 and so would be easy-peasy to take the car to.

I don't like to trouble Gary this side of Easter because he's frantically busy getting his customers' cars back to them before the long weekend but I shall have a chat with him next week. He's worked on my own Mk1 for nearly 30 years now, so he knows his way round an A40 shell !

[Chairman Ed]

I used Derek Wyatt who operates a classic car restoration business based In Middleton near Tamworth. Very pleased with his work.

Contact number 07811454928. ( This is for his wife Kathryn who deals with admin.)

[exlkrs]

Can't help personally as doing my own stuff I don't really have anyone to suggest. Sadly the long haul type of bodyshop you are after are in decline (thanks in part to insurance volume stuff) or have diversified into quick turnover stuff to survive. You don't mention your location but one piece of advice I can offer you is to seek out other classic owners of any classic vehicle in your area you see in passing, and ask if there is anyone they use. There's no guarantee, but... For example, i've been aware of a chap near me with a Ford Zodiac for many years, and met him accidentally. Gave me some really useful local info I wasn't aware of. Everyday's a schoolday!