Eight years of exacting craftsmanship.

After years of searching around the world, on the internet, at car auctions and through magazine advertisements, Hans Eméren telephoned one day to say he had found the ideal project. It was in Sweden.

This was the car Kent acquired in March 1997. Its original colour was Cotswold Blue, with a black hood and grey interior. The wire wheels were painted in the body colour rather than chromed, and the tyres had white sidewalls.

That was exactly how the car was to look again. Reaching that point proved to be a long journey.

When work began, the car was rusty and could not be driven. Everything was still in place and, apart from an earlier repaint, no previous owner had attempted an extensive restoration.

The sills had deteriorated badly. Kent recalls that the car separated into two parts as dismantling began, although the chassis frame was sound. Disassembly started in August 1998.

Almost everything was available as newly manufactured parts, but fit became a recurring problem. Much had to be made in the workshop instead. Kent cites the expensive grille that had to be discarded as an example.

Hans Eméren drilled out the spot welds and dismantled the entire car before the body panels were chemically stripped to bare metal. Reconstruction then began, part by part.

Kent describes screws and individual components being reworked to as-new condition. Anything that could not be restored was sourced again or made afresh. The gear lever and speedometer were retained to preserve a sense of the car’s origins.

The change of ownership in 1997, dismantling from August 1998 and completion in May 2005 mark the stages in Kent’s account. Between them lie thousands of hours of work.

Kent describes use after the restoration as short outings and journeys to nearby restoration judging events and car gatherings. Contact Kent for the current mileage and details of subsequent use.