About

Based in Battle, East Sussex, Kingswell Coachworks is renowned for producing award winning restorations. Our reputation within the classic and sports car industry has been built by our ability to deliver authentic and high-class body and paintwork on all of our projects. We undertake extensive research into the originality and history of each car, working closely with our clients to ensure the final finish is to perfection.

We are proud to have restored many historic racing cars and iconic classic cars, many of which have appeared in the motoring media and on many racetracks around the world.

Kingswell's highly experienced team can provide all aspects of classic car body and paintwork, whether it be a minor accident repair or a full body shell rebuild and repaint. As well as our full restorations and repaints, we regularly undertake a variety of other work, including bodywork modifications, race car preparation and post race body repair. Our paint shop can also produce original and bespoke racing colour schemes, with all of stripe work being hand-painted.

Quality checks and pre delivery inspections ensure that no car leaves our premises until we are 100% satisfied we have met all the client's requirements.

To view more of our previous projects please visit our Gallery

Meet the Team

Nigel Baker

Managing Director

With over 39 years within the vehicle body industry, Nigel turned his focus towards classic car restoration in 1993. He then went onto establish Kingswell Coachworks in 2009, which has built a reputation for its high standards of workmanship.

Andy Sharp

Foreman & Paint Shop Technician

Andy has 28 years experience in the paint refinishing industry, including 10 years at Eagle E-Types. He assists Nigel in the running of the workshop and applies his considerable expertise in painting our projects.

Lee Ellis

Paint Shop Technician

With over 25 years experience in automotive refinishing, Lee has an extensive knowledge of vehicle preparation, paintwork and finishing with an excellent eye for detail.

Dean Bennett

Body Shop Technician

Dean joined Kingswell in 2013 and bought with him over 28 years experience in vehicle bodywork, including 10 years at world renown Eagle E-Types. He has a reputation of working at the highest level.

Chris Jeffery

Body Shop Technician

Chris has spent his entire career within the motor trade, working as a fully skilled panel beater and mechanic, his versatile skills allow us to undertake a wider range of restoration projects.

Alex Warrington

Body Shop Technician

Alex came to Kingswell in 2015 as an apprentice panel beater. He has since qualified as a fully skilled body technician and is a valued member of the panel shop team.

• Our process starts with the removal of all paint, filler and underseal to allow us to fully inspect the integrity of the bodywork below, this is done through the procedure of glass or plastic bead blasting.
• Once a full assessment has been completed of the bare metal shell and checked for any corrosion, we are then able to re-evaluate the amount of replacement panels required. At the same time ensuring that as much of the original bodywork is retained and preserved.
• Where parts are too corroded to be saved, we will source genuine or reproduction parts, if these are unavailable our skilled team will fabricate new panels in-house to original specifications.
• The rebuilding process then starts with the cutting out of all corroded areas and the fitting of the new panels, this is achieved using the latest water-cooled spot and TIG welders. All panels are pre-treated with anti-corrosive primer to ensure they are fully protected for years to come.
• With all chassis and inner panel work completed, our next step is for all outer body panels to be fitted and aligned to ensure we achieve a precise body fit creating perfect body gaps.
• The fully repaired and complete body shell is then passed over to our Paintwork team for further inspection before the painting process can begin.

Paintwork Services

• With an immaculately repaired body shell received by the paintshop, it is now down to our paint technicians to begin the lengthy task of transforming the body into a work of art.
• Before any perfectly matched top coat can be applied, our focus first turns to rust prevention. As with any type of metal be it steel or aluminium, our biggest enemy is corrosion. Over recent years, there has been great advances in rust protection coming in the shape of epoxy resin primers. These primers are highly anti corrosive and seal the metal against salt and chemical attack.
• We apply two coats of epoxy over the entire body, coating every part of the bare shell, which is then baked at high temperature in our custom built low bake oven, preserving it for many years to come.
• Now protected, any imperfections in the panels will be smoothed out and body gaps realigned. Multiple layers of primer are then applied giving the perfect foundation for the colour of your choice.
• As with many of the top restoration companies around the world, we have chosen LECHLER coatings as our preferred paint supplier, with a huge range of products specifically designed for the restoration industry. All our colours are mixed in house using the latest solvent based technology. This allows us to control and document every mix of colour so we can reproduce any colour in the future.
• We use the latest colour matching software, containing over 30,000 samples of colours dating back to the 1940's right though to the most up to date shades and effects. Through consultations and guidance from our technicians we can assist you to find your perfect choice of colour, be it an original shade or a unique one off paint finish.
• Your chosen colour is now applied in our low bake oven, sealed off with multiple layers of clear coat to achieve that glass like finish. As well as achieving a concours show winning finish, where a more aged look is required, we have developed processes to produce a patina effect giving the appearance of an unrestored barn find.
• With all processes complete, it is now time for hours of polishing and final inspections to ensure we deliver the perfect transformation, over and above our client's expectations.