RestoShack - Automotive Restoration

RestoShack is a small, progressive restoration and fabrication workshop located just outside of Exeter in the South West of the UK. We thrive on the retro and old school cars of the 60's, 70's 80's and 90's, helping enthusiastic owners breath life back into their pride and joys.

 

 

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About Us

We are a small, personal shop, where each project is handled with care and attention. Our small team will be with you from the first call or email, throughout all of the restoration work, to the finished car.

With over 15 years experience in local body / restoration shops, we know our way around most retro and modern cars. We do not specialise in any one make or model of car, with recent projects including retro VW Golf’s, Porsche 911’s, Lancia Intergrale’s and much more.

Here at RestoShack we believe that everything can be saved, whether it be a ‘90s icon or a ‘20s classic, and everything in between. We are a modern and progressive workshop, specialising in classic and retro cars. We respect and use the traditional methods of body repair/ coach building, but also incorporate modern procedures and equipment. Giving us the edge to tackle both traditional restoration projects and modern bespoke car builds.

Take a look around the site, meet the team and see some of the cars that we have brought back to life.

Do we look like the right place for your next build? Give us a call on 01392 811661, or use the contact form at the bottom of the page.

 

Meet The Team

Team RestoShack are four diverse individuals working together with one aim…. the resurrection of any historic/classic/retro cars.

Each member of the team bring their own skills to the table, be it mechanical, metalwork, paint and body. Led by owner Dave Watkins, who’s style and passion echo throughout the workshop. This small team can rival any high level restoration shop in the country.

There are many great advantages of having a small, close knit team, one of which being that you will most likely meet and come to know each member of the team. Making you feel closer to the work then you ever have before.

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  • team pics rob paint
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Customer Cars

RestoShack has worked on a number of interesting projects, from vintage restorations, to modern day classics. We have also completed our fair share of metal fabrication and one off paint work too. Feel free to browse through some of our favorite work below.

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Our Process

Our Process

Here is a short video showing the process which all our cars go through. Whether it is a Porsche 911 a Mk1 Golf, Mini or Ford Escort our process is always the same.

We take great care in all stages of a Restoration. We believe that quality metalwork and essential mock up of trim and fixings are foundations of a body rebuild. We lead finish all our panel gaps and joints where needed and perform a full bare metal mock up at the metalwork stage of our builds prior to bodywork.

Our bodywork process utilises all modern products and procedures to give an arrow straight body. Depending on the body style of the car we apply an all over spray filler coat to sharpen body lines and ensure perfect panel to panel fitment. We block and hand sand our restorations so we catch any imperfects.

Etch, Epoxy and high build primers can then be applied in the correct order, each being sanded smooth before the next level is applied. We spray our topcoats and all other products with British built Devilbiss guns. Topcoats vary from car to car as different products are used for solid and metallic colours.

What you see being sprayed in the video it Glasurit 68 line two pack. Two full coats will give the colour a gloss finish you’d expect from a high quality paint.

 
 

Blog


Mk2 Escort RS2000 – Build Diary – The Disassembly

So... I guess we better get started. Now that all the dust has settled and the glamour of one of the finest barn finds we have ever witnessed is over. We still have a job to do, a car to build, and a customer to satisfy. We once again battled the semi-seized wheels and brakes to get it on our second flatbed truck to bring it over the workshop. We also pulled the brake pads and shoes out right there at the storage facility. The car decided to put up a fight and grudgingly moved onto the truck, but it was mostly the other way around where the car was dragging the truck to it. No time for fun and games getting it off, we simply backed the truck over to the two post ramp and fitted the car straight off the truck bed.     There it is the eagle has landed, so to speak. First up, it needed to roll and no one in the team has the back strength or patience to try and push this beast anymore. Luckily, the front brake pads gave up the fight with ease, but the stubborn rear drums did not want

Mk1 Golf R32 – Build Diary

Another week another Mk1 to build, this time it's quite different! James's Mk1 will be quite a car, running a 3.2 VR6 engine from an Audi TT which is at a mid stage of conversion, it's sat in there but nothing is finalised. We have full roll cage, O2J shifter, vibrtec mount and host of other trick goodies to throw at the mk1 build. This maybe a bit of an animal underneath, but it will still have the same fit and finish as any worthy mk1 to leave our shop.   Let's not get carried away with all the cool parts as we have a lot of work to put into the body shell, including new sills, rear arches, back panel, front panel and a new roof skin. Along with a host of smaller areas, such as the fire wall which needs new panels fabricated and formed in order to repair them.   We will try and update the blog in stages to show how we go about a build of this size. Our first section of work will be to strip the shell of all components and then remove the front and rear panels along with the outer sill

Mk2 Escort RS2000 Restoration – Build Diary

  Since the shop began we have longed to get the chance to rebuild this Blue ovaled icon. This will be our finest build to date as it undergoes a full nut and bolt restoration. There is a lot planned for this Escort, starting with a full bare shell strip down and chemical dipping process at Enviro Strip UK, to ensure a paint/sealer and rust free body shell for the metalwork to begin. New replacement panels will be sourced where necessary to complete the body, with the car then being mounted up to a jig to ensure it is straight and true before any more work is started. We will then carry out full leading and body work with no area left untouched before applying various primers and surfacers leading up the oil slick Black paint job.   It's all down hill after that. Just rebuild every mechanical item on the car. Restore the interior, find new bronze glass and shoe horn in the rebuilt 2.2 engine. But before we get far ahead of ourselves let's focus on the beginning.   Dry Stored since 1991, we opened the locked garage door to see it had clearly not moved an inch

 

 

Contact


Email Us
Find Us

Address –
RestoShack
The Workshops, Pitt Farm,
Whitestone,
Exeter,
EX4 2LG

Tel –
01392 811661