FAQs
We always welcome customers coming into our inbox and these are some of the regular questions we are asked at ADO Restoration. For any questions not listed, please email us and our team will respond within working hours as soon as possible.
We deem ‘classic specialist’ to be somebody who has several years’ experience of working with classic cars; usually exclusively. Our team are proud to say they have worked, collectively, nearly half a century on Minis, British classics, and other popular 20th century classics.
We are always delighted to offer a free quotation or estimate for the work you wish to undertake on your beloved classic car. For those who are looking for a quote or estimate to repair their classic car, we advise booking a garage appointment with one of our team so that your classic can be inspected, and our team can provide a thoughtfully considered estimate.
If you are working to a strict budget, let us know prior to your appointment and our team can suggest a work schedule which will suit your budget and ensure you are delighted with your classic car on that first post resto drive.
We pride ourselves on our transparency and honesty and prospective customers are welcome to book an appointment for a garage tour with a member of our team. If you have any questions about the processes involved, we encourage you to bring them along so our team can give you the answers you need.
Yes, you will need to book your restoration with the ADO Restoration team. Due to our impeccable reputation, we always have a waiting list of cars waiting to join us in the workshop. We would strongly encourage you to contact us 6-12 months (or earlier!) to ensure you get your car booked in for the timescales you have in mind. If there is an important date in mind such as a wedding or graduation that the car needs to be ready for, please let our team know before the restoration begins so we can do our best to ensure your car is ready before the big day.
Servicing on a classic Mini starts at £260 for a basic service which includes the cost of all the parts changed within that service. Classic car servicing on other classics starts at £260 and estimates will be provided on a case-by-case basis depending on the cost of parts; as servicing parts vary manufacturer to manufacturer.
We charge £62 per hour, exclusive of VAT.
With each classic car restoration, full and partial, varying enormously from car to car, we would not be able to give an estimate without seeing the car in question.
Some of our customers choose to go for a simple classic car recommissioning service whereas others pursue a full rebuild or extensive welding to return a classic car back to the road.
We welcome all prospective restoration customers booking for a consultation to forecast potential timescales and for our team to give an estimate for the level of restoration desired.
With each classic car restoration varying enormously from car to car, we would not be able to give an estimate without seeing the car in question.
There are also aspects which may impact the cost of your restoration such as bodywork, paint, welding and rebuilding components such as engines and gearboxes; there are many different elements of a classic car restoration and these aspects and the related hours of labour in the workshop feed into the estimates we offer for our restoration customers.
We ask all our prospective restoration customers to book a consultation to record everything desired within the restoration and for our team to give indications of timescales for the restoration of the classic vehicle in question.
At ADO Restoration, we understand budgeting for your classic car restoration is a big part of the overall process and during consultation, we will raise any concerns which may impact the budget. There are no surprises with a restoration within our workshop and all costs, labour hours and parts are properly accounted for and shared with you on a regular basis.
No – and we advise our customers that any garage asking for the full amount up front are not operating in a usual way for the classic car industry.
At ADO Restoration, we bill you monthly for your classic car restoration and we detail within the invoice all works and parts to ensure there is 100% transparency.
The only costs you will be asked to pay for outside of this monthly billing, are for parts needed on the car. In any instance where parts are needed, you will be provided with prices and asked for approval and payment prior to purchase.
We will also call you if we make any unexpected discoveries such as old accident damage or excessive corrosion which will incur costs beyond planned costings.
Nothing is a surprise when it comes to the costing and progression of your classic car restoration with our team at ADO Restoration.
At ADO Restoration, we believe excellent work is done thoughtfully, carefully and with a keen eye for every detail no matter how small. We recognise that every classic car restoration has unique needs. Some classic cars may require extensive welding, there might be unexpected corrosion which needs attention during the process or there are additional elements to consider including retrimming the interior of a beloved classic.
With this in mind, we prefer to review each classic on a case-by-case basis. We advise customers that due to our reputation; we are booked for at least six months ahead. If you are seeking a restoration on your classic car with us, we advise you to contact us 6-12 months ahead of when you hope the work to begin. Please also make our team aware of any dates/occasions you need the vehicle ready for such as a wedding.
Our main specialism is classic British vehicle restoration and repair, but we have been known to use our skills to restore non-British classics including cars and vans. We will review all prospective European, Japanese, and American classic car restoration projects and give an estimate for repair/restoration/recommission.
Please note we have experience in restoring ‘overseas registered’ British classics such as Japanese Minis and Innocenti Minis and have passion and flair for ensuring the finer details on each of these vehicles is period correct where the owner desires it to be.
At ADO Restoration, we pride ourselves in creating your dream classic car. As part of this, we can modify your classic car where it is safe and feasible to do so. As a team of classic vehicle specialists, we have had experience in everything from creating replicas to race winners, which means we are well placed to modify your classic.
We can modify all aspects of your classic including engine, gearbox, body shell and of course, the interior. If you are looking for restomods for your classic car including alternators, electronic ignition fitting or changing the dash layout to reflect the needs of a modern motorist, we can do just that.
ADO Restoration’s team of classic specialists have decades of experience in modifying classic car engines and we can advise on changes you can make to the existing engine or fit a new engine to give you a big boost to your BHP.
Body kits and lowering kits can also be incorporated into your custom car restoration alongside wheels, lights, and other exterior details.
With classic vehicle modification being a very personal, considered choice, we will ensure your vision is recorded at initial consultation stage and all details are noted. Our team, at this stage, will ensure any feasibility concerns.
Many times, casual onlookers will say ‘that car is too rusty to be restored’ when what it really needs is a team of sympathetic classic car specialists to work their magic and make good what is left of the car.
At ADO Restoration, we consider all types of restoration including classic cars with severe corrosion, missing panels and those which are considered barn finds and are perhaps a lot crustier than well cared for classics.
We are always pragmatic about the project in front of us and we do advise that undertaking a considerable restoration on a car which is severely corroded/very rusty can end up costing more than the car is worth. Our team of classic restoration experts will always endeavour to give you an estimate for the work which will be needed to return the car to the road and no car will ever be written off by our team ‘as too bad to consider.’
We are classic car lovers as much as you and we understand sometimes it is more than a car, which is why a restoration costing more than end value may not be the biggest concern.
ADO Restoration can restore kit cars and special edition classic cars and take immense pride in having many come through the workshop in years gone by.
Whether it is an overseas classic like a Japanese Mini, an Innocenti or a kit car like a Mini Marcos or Mini Midas; ADO Restoration can confidently undertake a restoration on your vehicle.
Our team have a keen eye for detail and period correct accuracy and if you are seeking a historically accurate restoration on your classic car, make our team aware and they will collaborate with you to ensure the restored car bears hallmarks of the original car.
Our team of classic specialists will painstakingly work to ensure your vision is recognised and will work to make sure if you have a future of competitions and shows planned, you will be a strong contender for first place at every opportunity.
A concours restoration is one where the vehicle is restored to a factory fresh finish – with no detail left untouched. Usually, a concours restoration will including engine rebuild and restoration, gearbox rebuild and restoration, bodywork on the classic to ensure every panel is uniform and correct and of course, new paintwork.
There is also usually new chrome or refurbished brightwork (where relevant) and all the interior details such as the seats, carpet, trim, headlining and handles/controls have been retrimmed or restored to look as good as the car did when it left the factory
A concours restoration is usually applied to cars where the vehicle will be driven sparingly, used only on dry days, and trailered to events.
ADO Restoration are happy to carry out concours restorations on classic cars and are confident in creating classic cars which fit the ‘concours’ bill.
A rolling restoration describes a classic car which is being fixed/restored as it is being used. This is a difficult restoration term to qualify but refers to a car which is having work as and when. Quite often, a rolling restoration is one which is suited to somebody who wants to partially restore a car and gently improve it as funds allow.
At ADO Restoration, we can work with all types of classic car restoration. If your budget does not allow for a full restoration, our team of specialists can work on areas of concern including welding, bodywork, trim, and engine rebuilds to keep you on the road and your vehicle in optimum condition for the budget in mind.
Not every classic car needs an MOT, but the rules are not black and white, so it is important to ensure you are following the current guidelines. The guidelines at time of writing this state no MOT is required on vehicles which are aged 40+ and have undergone no ‘substantial changes’ have been made to the vehicle in the last 30 years, for example replacing the chassis, body, axles, or engine to change the way the vehicle works.
However, the guidance does state although you do not have to apply to stop getting an MOT for your vehicle each year, you must still keep it in a roadworthy condition.
Please note: this information is correct at time of publishing but those seeking advice on MOTing classics can receive more information from the DVLA on this link: https://www.gov.uk/historic-vehicles
Despite no regulation to do so for most classic car owners, some owners choose to MOT their classic vehicle for peace of mind and a second set of eyes to check over their pride and joy.
At ADO Restoration, we can arrange MOTs for classic cars we are working on or those coming to the end of their restoration as a final seal of approval.
For those who do not wish to put their car through an MOT, we can provide an annual safety inspection. A member of our team will put your classic car on a ramp and perform an inspection to ensure the vehicle is safe for public road use.
For more information on safety inspections for classic cars, vintage cars, and pre-war cars, please call or email us.
At ADO Restoration, we would be delighted to arrange the respray of your classic car and repainting a classic car is made up of stages of meticulous prep work including restorative body work, filling, welding, fitting new panels and sometimes, repairing old repairs on your classic or fixing accident damage.
Just like every classic car restoration, every respray is different too. Some customers prefer to bring us the dismantled shell, others prefer ADO Restoration to fully prep their classic for painting.
Each estimate is given after a consultation to determine the work needed to prepare the car for paint, the size of the car and the finish desired.
Please note that we use the best painters for classic cars within the local area and because of this, there can be a wait of several months at peak times for a full or partial respray.
We advise contacting us 3 to 6 months before your classic vehicle respray to guarantee minimal wait times.