Specialities at work

Customer liaison and mechanics

Favourite Aston Martin

Project 212. It's got something special and I used to go racing with it.

When I'm Not At Work I like to

Watch sport particularly motor racing, football and rugby. Eating, drinking and family stuff.

Specialities at work

Engine rebuilds, tuning, road testing, problem solving, organising work flows and mentoring staff.

Favourite Aston Martin

DB4 and a 1980 V8 Vantage with the black crackle dash. The DB4 because it was the original penning and is simple and the lightest of the DB 4,5 and 6s and feels more nimble. The V8 Vantage as I always liked the muscle car look of it and they are great motorway cruisers. You can do 800 miles of driving in a day and still feel relatively comfortable at the other end.

When I'm Not At Work I like to

Drink fine wine and eat fine food! Driving my classic cars on empty roads early in the morning in England and any time in France. Working on my classic cars. Running on country paths and woods. Off road running basically. Doing a bit of all sorts of exercise to burn off the excess of fine wine and fine food. Used to do a bit of motor racing with almost 200 wins. Not raced for a few years but have recently done a few classic races. I got Grade 8 piano when young and want to get back to playing as good as I used to.

Specialities at work

I've been with P&L for 7 years after early retirement from banking. I'm trained to service modern cars so I'm part of our modern cars servicing team. A vital part of the service is the after-service detailing. I also enjoy the more in-depth detailing where we get under the bonnet, feed and clean the leather, machine polish the car and the chrome work, and polish the interior. Basically, we work on every curve and corner of the car. Another role I have is customer liaison, Meeting customers when they drop their cars off and handing the keys back when they collect their car is a great opportunity to chat about their vehicles. I show visitors around the workshop and talk them through some of the interesting projects we're working on. As we also manage the MOT process for customers, I act as custodian during a car's MOT. This means carrying out chaperone duties during the test. Our MOT people are happy for us to sit in the car and help - like working indicators and lights or depressing brakes. It means the cars stay clean inside. Actually I'm not a proponent of missing out MOTs on older cars. By law it's not required after a certain time but an MOT is essential for keeping an older car's heritage and provenance. Even if you do an MOT every two years, you get chronological proof of a car's mileage count especially as mileage record do get lost. I think it's good to get another set of eyes on things like brakes so we encourage people to get regular MOTs.

Favourite Aston Martin

DB4 Series 1. Simple.

When I'm Not At Work I like to

When I'm not at work I love a good barbecue! Food aside though, it's fair to say Astons play a huge part in my life; I'm the Area Rep for the Kent/SE London Aston Martin Owners Club. I have a Pro-drive Vantage 2007 and a 1974 V8 Vantage. The V8 is the second 1970s-era Aston I've owned. The first one I owned for 20 years and this one I've had for 23 years. I grew up with V8s so they hold a special place in my heart.

Specialities at work

Electrics – Diagnosing wiring faults, component failures, Aston Martin Diagnostic System finding and dealing with faults. Restoration work across all models and aspects of vehicles. Servicing work from new to classic models.

Favourite Aston Martin

Aston Martin DB6 - being the first Aston I did a body restoration on and later drove. Great drivability and comfort due to being a later model.

When I'm Not At Work I like to

Play golf – as long as it's not raining. Going to the gym. Travelling/going on holiday - a chance to chill out from all the hard work! DIY.

Specialities at work

I am an apprentice so still learning. I originally came here for work experience at school and was offered an apprenticeship. I currently learning how to rebuild the doors on a V8 that has been re sprayed. I enjoy doing suspension work as how it all works and how important it is interests me.

Favourite Aston Martin

Aston Martin DB4 Zagato. I like the styling and also the rarity of them makes them interesting. They are a part of the companies history.

When I'm Not At Work I like to

Work on my own car and other projects I have, go to the gym and attend Aston Martin Owners Club events.

Specialities at work

Anything and everything to keep the building and yard looking top notch including cast iron welding.

Favourite Aston Martin

Anything pre war

When I'm Not At Work I like to

Rebuilding old classic motorbikes and dabbling in all sorts of things.

Specialities at work

Before coming to Pugsley & Lewis I spent 3 and a half years restoring E-Types at E-Type UK. Although not in the same league as the Astons I'm now working on, my time at E-Type UK has proved invaluable for the work I'm now doing on classic Aston Martins. I've always worked in the mechanical/automotive trade - and although my first job 30 years ago had me working with lorries and commercial vehicles, classic cars have been my life and working on them I've always been in the fortunate position to be getting paid to do something I love.

Favourite Aston Martin

DB4 GT - no bumpers. A driver's car!

When I'm Not At Work I like to

Outside of my work at Pugsley & Lewis I have a nice collection of my own cars including an E-Type, a Lotus Esprit and an Austin Healey Sprite. Working with these classics isn't really a hobby - whether I'm driving them or fixing them, it's definitely not just a job; for me, it's a way of life.

Specialities at work

Before joining Pugsley & Lewis, I worked at a garage that specialises in the restoration of Ferraris. Working there, I definitely felt that classic Ferraris, like all the very best classics, are not just cars. They are stories, legacies, memories forged in metal and passion. The classic Ferrari bears the mark of Enzo Ferrari's dream, the indomitable spirit of racetracks, and the timeless charm of Italian design. I get the same feeling working on Aston Martins now. To touch them, to restore them, to breathe life back into them, it's like being a custodian of history. As a long-time lover of the Aston Martin brand, when offered the opportunity to work on this British masterpiece, I jumped at the chance. Before working on classic Ferraris, I was a gearbox specialist, and I've found the attention to detail required to work on gearboxes has stood me in great stead for the work I now carry out on classic Astons. I've just always wanted to be in this line of work, and it all started with the things I learned from my grandfather, who was a panel beater and classic car enthusiast.

Favourite Aston Martin

Any 1960's DBS

When I'm Not At Work I like to

I'm a real classic car enthusiast and I spend a lot of time on the classic Fords I already own.