An engine is the heart of any motor car, and on a classic it is also one of the most rewarding things to put right. A correctly rebuilt engine transforms how a car drives — smoother, stronger, quieter, and reliable in a way that lets you actually use the car rather than nurse it home. We rebuild the engines of the cars we look after to a standard that respects both their originality and the way they will be driven.
Every rebuild begins with a complete strip-down and honest assessment. Components are cleaned, measured and recorded against original specifications, and we report what we find with photographs before any money is spent on parts. Only then can a rebuild be properly costed and the right decisions made — what can be reused, what must be remade, and what improvements, if any, are worth the owner's consideration.
Measured, not guessed
Precision is everything in an engine. Bores, journals, clearances and end-floats are measured rather than assumed, and machining is carried out to suit. Blocks are bored and honed, crankshafts ground or remade, heads skimmed, valve seats cut and guides renewed. Where we can, we balance the rotating and reciprocating assembly — crank, rods, pistons and flywheel — which on many classic engines yields a smoothness the factory never achieved.
A typical rebuild includes
- Full strip, clean, crack-test and dimensional assessment
- Boring, honing, crank grinding and head reconditioning as required
- New pistons, bearings, rings, gaskets and seals to correct specification
- Valve, guide and seat work, with hardened seats for unleaded where wanted
- Balancing of the rotating and reciprocating assembly
- Careful assembly, oil-pressure checks and controlled running-in
Discreet, reversible improvements
Many owners want their car to remain exactly as it was; others want to drive long distances in modern conditions and welcome sympathetic improvements. Hardened valve seats for unleaded fuel, better bearing materials, improved oil control, an uprated cooling capacity, electronic ignition concealed within a period distributor — all are possible, all are reversible, and none need show. We discuss any such changes openly and record them, so the car's history stays honest.
Run in, not just bolted together
A rebuild is not finished when the last bolt is torqued. We prime the oil system, set the timing and carburation, and run the engine under controlled conditions to bed in the new components before the car is handed back. Where appropriate we run engines on the bench prior to installation, so any issue is found in the workshop rather than on the road. The result is an engine you can trust — one that starts readily, pulls cleanly and lets you enjoy the car as its makers intended.