Turner Classics

Turner Classics Born out of passion for vehicles of the past, Turner Classics is a family run classic car restoration & servicing workshop based in Ramsgate Kent.

Local Business

13/08/2026

This is an exceptional and very special Mk1 Lotus Cortina.

HLO 1C is the only Monaco Red Mk1 Lotus Cortina sold into private hands. The other nine Monaco Red cars went to Ford’s Competition Department at Boreham, where they became Works rally cars and received the now famous ‘KPU’ registrations.

Built in March 1965, just a month after the nine KPU cars, HLO has a fascinating connection to the Works rally programme. Monaco Red wasn’t a colour that could ordinarily be ordered on a Lotus Cortina, and it’s believed HLO may have been used as a spare when one of the competition cars was damaged, with registration plates swapped over until the Works car was repaired.

When the car was found, it still retained several period rally modifications, including a Works petrol tank, sump guards and a hole in the roof for a spotlight. Removing its vinyl roof also revealed considerable evidence of a previous rollover, suggesting the car may well have seen competition itself.

During restoration it was returned to the correct period specification, using many original Works parts.

HLO 1C is now with us for storage and some paint rectification work. A fascinating car with a remarkable history.

30/07/2026

The paint stripping has now started on the Series 1 Jaguar E-Type that came to us from Spain.

Most of the paint has come off with very little effort however the products underneath it didn’t, requiring a lot of effort and heat to remove. The bonnet alone had at least 12 different layers of paint and other products.

Unfortunately the offside rear wing has had some poor repairs along with some damage in the past and is looking like it will need replacing.

It’s now waiting to be put up into the air for us to finish stripping the little patch’s of paint and filler left.

16/07/2026

Making the most of today’s sunshine is this stunning Daimler Double Six Coupe, which had undergone a full nut and bolt restoration by us 7 years ago

The restoration took around 1,800 hours, with everything from the metal fabrication and bodywork through to the engine rebuild carried out in house. Finished in Jaguar Racing Green and retaining its original 5.3litre V12.

26/06/2026

Another Jaguar E-Type has arrived at our workshop, this time a Series 1.

It’s currently in with us to have a new clutch master cylinder fitted after the original unit failed. Once the replacement has been installed and the system bled through, it’ll be ready to go back to its owner.

21/06/2026

We’re at Supercar Sunday today with two of our cars on display and will be here for the next few hours.

If you’re attending, be sure to come over and say hello, we’re always happy to chat about classic cars. Joining us today are our Jaguar XK140 and one of the team’s Mini.

We look forward to seeing you here!

19/06/2026

Freshly arrived from Spain is this Series 1 Jaguar E-Type.

It’s with us for a full bare metal respray after the existing paintwork began to suffer from peeling. Taking the car right back to bare metal will allow us to address any underlying issues which could be causing the peeling.

This weekend we’ll be attending Supercar Sunday at Manston History Museum, an event we’re proud to be sponsoring. The we...
17/06/2026

This weekend we’ll be attending Supercar Sunday at Manston History Museum, an event we’re proud to be sponsoring.

The weather forecast is looking fantastic, and with a great selection of vehicles expected to be on display, we’re hoping for an excellent turnout.

If you’re planning on attending, be sure to come and say hello. We look forward to seeing you there!

Our end of month meet isn’t far away now!We’ll once again be at The Flying Horse in Ashford from 6pm next Thursday.Pop d...
17/06/2026

Our end of month meet isn’t far away now!

We’ll once again be at The Flying Horse in Ashford from 6pm next Thursday.

Pop down, have a chat, take a look around the cars, and grab some food. Everyone is welcome, and we hope to see you there!

If interested please do RSVPP
[email protected]

As promised in our last post, here are a selection of before and after photos taken four years apart. A few of the most ...
15/06/2026

As promised in our last post, here are a selection of before and after photos taken four years apart.

A few of the most common questions from the comments:

How much did it cost?
This is something we can’t disclose, but to achieve a restoration of this standard you’re looking at well over 2,000 hours of labour alone.

What gearbox does it have now?
The original gearbox has been replaced with a GM400.

Where are the battery box and bonnet sound insulation?
Unfortunately, a number of parts for these cars are now unobtainable with the battery box and bonnet insulation being two examples.

What finish has been applied to the aluminium components?
The aluminium parts have been left as bare metal. They were stripped and refinished through a combination of media blasting and vapour blasting using various grades of media to achieve the final finish.

12/06/2026

Another car leaving us today, but this time it’s one that has been with us for quite some time.

This Daimler Double Six Coupe has been with us since 2022 undergoing a full nut and bolt restoration. In this video you’ll see the final walkaround before it is reunited with its owner.

When it first arrived it was without doubt the rustiest coupe we had ever seen. Nearly 1,000 hours were spent on welding and fabrication work alone. With many replacement panels no longer available, a large number of sections had to be hand fabricated in house.

Under the bonnet, the original 5.3-litre V12 has been uprated to 6.1 litres, while the rest of the car remains largely true to its original specification aside from a different gearbox.

Painted in Jaguar Portofino Blue and trimmed in dark red leather, it’s been an incredible restoration journey which we will do another post to show some before and afters.

We’d like to thank the owner for trusting us with such a special project, and we wish them many enjoyable miles behind the wheel.

Address

Unit 67 & 68 The Oaks, Invicta Way
Ramsgate
CT125FS

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+441843621650

Website

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