# Classic And Retro Autos Limited > Classic car specialists based in County Durham, North East England. We restore, service, modify, and sell classic and retro vehicles. ## About Classic And Retro Autos Limited is a family-run business based at Langley Park Industrial Estate North, Witton Gilbert, Durham, DH7 6TX. We specialise in classic car restoration, servicing, sympathetic modifications, and specialist welding. We also sell classic and retro vehicles. We focus on authenticity, using period-correct methods and materials. Founded in August 2015, starting from a single ramp on Tanfield Industrial Estate. Our team works on British and European classic cars. ## Services - Restoration & Servicing: Complete and partial restorations, frame-off rebuilds, bodywork, paintwork, mechanical restoration, electrical system restoration, and ongoing maintenance. Mechanical work from £65/hour (+VAT). - Parts Sourcing & Fabrication: Available exclusively for vehicles currently in our workshop for restoration or servicing. We do not sell parts separately. Includes NOS components, high-quality reproductions, custom fabrication, and worldwide sourcing. - Sympathetic Modifications: Performance enhancements, comfort upgrades, reliability improvements, and audio system integration. All modifications respect the vehicle's character and can be reversed. - Inspection & Consulting: Comprehensive vehicle inspection on a hoist. Takes about one hour and costs £65 (+VAT). Useful before buying a classic, or to find out what an owned car needs. - Specialist Welding: Complex welding and fabrication that most garages won't take on. MIG, TIG, and gas welding. Structural repairs, panel fabrication, and correction of previous poor-quality work. Welding & fabrication from £80/hour (+VAT), TIG aluminium from £110/hour (+VAT). ## Contact - Phone: 0191 3730086 - Email: classicandretro@hotmail.com - Address: Unit 4 & 5, Langley Park Industrial Estate North, Witton Gilbert, Durham, County Durham, DH7 6TX - Hours: Monday-Thursday 09:00-17:00, Friday 09:00-14:00, Saturday and Sunday closed - Visits are by appointment only — please call before travelling - Easy access from the A1(M), a short drive from Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough ## Pages - /: Homepage - /services: Full details of all services - /services/classic-car-inspection: The £65 plus VAT hoist inspection: what is checked in about an hour, when to book it (before buying or on a car you own), where it is done and how to book. It is a condition check, not a valuation. - /cars: Classic cars currently for sale - /about: Our story and team - /contact: Phone number, email address, opening hours, location, and an enquiry form. Phone and email are always available; the form may occasionally be switched off, in which case the page shows the phone number and email address instead. - /blog: Case studies, newest first: restorations from our own workshop and guides to owning a classic, each with a summary and its facts or key points: - /blog/2000-bmw-e39-m5: 2000 BMW M5 (E39) (Restoration case study). Corrosion dealt with throughout, the exhaust sorted and a mechanical refresh: the original super-saloon kept as BMW built it, on its Style 65 M wheels, with the facelift headlights and the factory quad-outlet exhaust. Facts: The car: 2000 BMW M5 (E39); Engine: S62 V8; Wheels: Style 65 M wheels; The work: Corrosion, exhaust, brakes; Services: Servicing, welding; Workshop: Witton Gilbert, County Durham. - /blog/1988-vauxhall-cavalier-mk2-sri-130: 1988 Vauxhall Cavalier MK2 SRi 130 (Restoration case study). A comprehensive bare-shell restoration of a rare and sporty British saloon: the chassis repaired and protected, the fuel-injected engine rebuilt, the body painted in Glacier White, the interior redone and the car rewired. Facts: The car: 1988 Vauxhall Cavalier MK2 SRi 130; Engine: Fuel-injected four-cylinder; Colour: Glacier White; The work: Shell, engine, paint, interior, wiring; Services: Restoration; Workshop: Witton Gilbert, County Durham. - /blog/1967-aston-martin-db6: 1967 Aston Martin DB6 (Restoration case study). A concours-level restoration of one of Britain’s most iconic grand tourers, returned to its original specification: the hand-formed aluminium body repaired, the Tadek Marek twin-cam rebuilt, the chassis and suspension overhauled, and a bare-metal respray in the original Silver Birch. Facts: The car: 1967 Aston Martin DB6; Engine: 4.0-litre twin-cam straight-six; Colour: Silver Birch, the original; The work: Body, engine, chassis, paint; Services: Restoration, welding; Workshop: Witton Gilbert, County Durham. - /blog/saving-classics: Saving a Classic Car: Preserve, Repair or Restore (Guide). Saving a classic starts with the structure, not the paint: find and repair corrosion in load-bearing metal before anything cosmetic. Then decide how much original material to keep, record every job, and recommission the brakes, fuel and tyres before the car returns to the road. Key points: Fix load-bearing metal before paint; Read the MOT history for past advisories; Keep original parts and every record; Make upgrades reversible; Renew brake fluid and old tyres first. - /blog/fixing-rust: Rust on Classic Cars: Why It Starts and How to Fix It (Guide). Rust needs oxygen and water, and road salt speeds it up. On a classic, the rust that matters is structural: sills, floors, chassis rails and metal within 30 cm of suspension, steering or brake mountings. A proper repair cuts back to sound steel and welds in new metal; filler over holes is not a repair. Key points: Rust needs air and water; salt speeds it; Sills and box sections rot from the inside; Check 30 cm around suspension mounts; Weld in new steel; filler is not a repair; Cavity wax and clear drains slow new rust. - /blog/porsche-leichtbau: Porsche Leichtbau: A History of Lightweight 911s (Guide). Leichtbau is German for lightweight construction. At Porsche it describes road cars made faster by carrying less weight, from the 1967 911 R and the 1973 Carrera RS 2.7 Sport to the 86 lightweight 964 Turbo S cars of 1992 and 1993, and the idea continues in Porsche's RS and GT models. Key points: Leichtbau means lightweight construction; 1967 911 R: 800 kg, 19 production cars; 1973 RS 2.7 Sport: 960 kg, 200 built; 964 Turbo S lightweight: 86 built, 381 PS; Check identity labels and history. - /blog/bmw-333i-e30: BMW 333i: South Africa's 3.2-Litre E30 (Guide). The BMW 333i was a right-hand-drive E30 that BMW South Africa began building at Rosslyn in 1985, using the 3.2-litre M30 straight six and parts from Alpina. Only 204 customer cars were made, so a genuine one is very rare and its identity is worth checking before anything else. Key points: Built at Rosslyn, South Africa, from 1985; 3.2-litre M30 six, 197 hp (146 kW); Alpina and BMW Motorsport parts; 204 customer cars, all right-hand drive; Air con or power steering, not both. - /blog/why-classics-feel-so-special: What Modern Cars Lost and Why Classics Feel So Special (Guide). Classics feel special because more of the machine reaches the driver: steering without electric assistance, engine sound that is not piped through speakers, and no electronics to catch mistakes. Modern cars are far safer in a crash, but they filter out much of what makes an older car absorbing to drive and simple to understand. Key points: Steering you feel through the rim; Engine sound that is real, not piped in; No ABS or stability control to lean on; Carburettors and points you can adjust; Modern cars are far safer in a crash. - /blog/mad-not-to-own-a-classic-car: Why You Would Be Mad Not to Own a Classic Car (Guide). Owning a classic is more practical than its reputation suggests. Cars built before 1 January 1986 can now be taxed free in the historic class, cars over 40 without substantial changes need no MOT, specialist insurers offer agreed-value and limited-mileage cover, and historic vehicles are exempt from London's ULEZ and England's Clean Air Zones. Key points: Built before 1986: no vehicle tax to pay; No MOT at 40 unless substantially altered; Agreed-value, limited-mileage insurance; Historic class is exempt from the ULEZ; Buy on structure, not on shine. - /blog/art-of-classic-car-restoration: Classic Car Restoration: A Stage-by-Stage Guide (Guide). A good restoration starts with a clear aim, an honest survey of the structure and a full record of everything removed, with bodywork finished before paint or mechanics. Replacing a chassis or bodyshell must be reported to the DVLA, and substantial changes can end a classic's MOT exemption. Key points: Decide: preserve, restore or modify; Survey the structure before buying parts; Photograph and label every part removed; Tell the DVLA about a new bodyshell; Changes can affect MOT exemption. - /blog/maintaining-classic-cars: Maintaining Your Classic Car: A UK Owner's Guide (Guide). A classic needs servicing by time as well as mileage, because oil, brake fluid, fuel and tyres all age while the car stands. Use oil with enough anti-wear additive for an older engine, run E5 super unleaded rather than E10, and keep the car roadworthy even if it is exempt from the MOT. Key points: Service by the calendar, not just mileage; Use oil with enough ZDDP for flat tappets; Run E5 super unleaded, not E10; Renew glycol brake fluid every two years; MOT exempt still means roadworthy. - /blog/history-british-sports-cars-automotive-heritage: The History of British Sports Cars (Guide). The British sports car boom grew out of the post-war export drive, when steel went to makers who sold abroad and America bought MGs, Jaguars and Triumphs in large numbers. By the early 1980s regulation and underinvestment had ended most of the famous lines, but strong parts supply and specialists keep them usable today. Key points: Makers exporting 75% of cars got steel; Jaguar E-type: 72,512 built, 1961 to 1974; MGB: 513,276 built, 1962 to 1980; Disc brakes proven at Le Mans in 1953; MGB and Midget bodyshells still made. ## Cars for sale Listed at /cars, and refreshed here whenever the website is updated. Prices are as advertised. - 1936 Rover 10/4: £7,500 - 1975 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow: £12,500 - 2001 Mercedes SLK: £1,950 - 1956 Bentley S1: £17,250 - 1937 Austin 14 Goodwood: £9,500 ## Social - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/classicandretroautosltd/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classicandretroautosltd/ ## Important notes - Founded August 2015. Family-run. - Parts sourcing and fabrication is not a standalone service. It is only available for vehicles currently in our workshop undergoing restoration or servicing. - We offer a door-to-door collection and delivery service. - We provide regular updates with photos and detailed invoices throughout any project.