Lotus Club Queensland
Dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of the Lotus experience
Login
Register
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Membership
    • Member Login
  • Events
    • Calendar
  • Motorsport
    • Lakeside DTC Timed Laps
    • LAKESIDE DTC RESULTS
  • Magazine
  • For Sale
    • Merchandise
    • Classifieds
  • Posts
  • Galleries
  • Directory
    • Suppliers & Parts
    • Advertisers
  • Archives
auto-craftsmen-banner

Shed Tour to Automotive Craftsmen

March 2020

By Craig Wilson.

It is always interesting when you are invited into a business and find an owner who is not only a master of his trade, but a young lateral thinker with a 20-year vision mapped out.

This was my privilege in 2018 when asked by a mutual friend, Alistair Rees to talk with Adam Doyle-Smith about his business – Automotive Craftsmen in Browns Plains, Brisbane – and his vision to create not only a world class restoration business, but an institute to bring back the art of proper coach building, learning and restorations. Embracing the age-old artisan skills of metal forming with modern technology is the essence of this young man’s dream.

He started out as a schoolboy working in his school holidays in Brisbane or travelling to Melbourne (courtesy of his Mum, Sharon who joined us) and other places to learn the art from people like Peter Tommasini – Classic Car Restoration & Panel Fabrication Melbourne, Nick Contarino – Exclusive Auto Centre Brisbane, and work on some exquisite cars with Wolf Grodd – Sleeping Beauties Brisbane.

One of the recent projects was driven there by Wolf on the day for us to see. The 1925 Lorraine Dietrich is just amazing and a tribute to all those craftsmen who have worked on it. Adam built the body from the firewall back and it is spectacular workmanship. These cars won Le Mans in 1925 and 1926, so a pretty special car.

Long time friend and Lotus man, Alistair Rees is mentoring Adam on his journey and the development of the business. They have plans to reintroduce and develop the coach building trades and introduce specialist composite repairs and new technology including their current specialised IT solutions in the future.

When I visited in 2018 Adam was finishing off two US made Ferrari California replica alloy bodies which were not correct, and thus were entrusted to him to remake true to the original. He did a beautiful job on them too.

Adam, and his business associate Luke have spent four years restoring three 1960’s Lancia Flaminias – 2 GT Coupes and a convertible which is the last one to complete. As usual the Italian metal has rusted away to lacework and Adam has completely rebuilt the body structure and remade the alloy panels. Luke has completed much of the assembly and they are better than new.

And to the Lotus scene.

Many of you will know that Ashton Roskill’s Eleven met with some unfortunate body modifications en route to the Lotus 2019 Nationals in QLD. I recommended Adam to Ashton on the Lotus 2019 weekend and eventually Shannons Insurance gave the go ahead for Adam to repair and rebuild the car.

It looked very sad but is coming along nicely. Adam gave us a very noisy master class in how to transform a flat piece of alloy into one of the original 18 sections of the Eleven bonnet. It was truly mesmerising how he beat this piece of alloy on a tree stump with a hammer, shrinking and stretching the alloy into the shape then created a beautiful piece by manipulating the metal with the English Wheel. It is an art and he said it keeps him very fit.

Tony Galletly also bought along his pristine S2 Eleven for display. Looking beautiful as always. Thanks Tony.

For an old lean and continuous improvement specialist, it is great to see a workshop so well organised with a place for everything, clean light grey floors and everything in its place, even on a casual drop-in visit. The workmanship is amazing, the attitude is welcoming, and we hope the vision comes true.

Thanks to Adam, Luke and the Automotive Craftsmen team for a very enjoyable shed tour and we look forward to progress on the Eleven project.

D74_9579_full
20200314_151052
Adams-handywork-on-the-Dietrich-by-Craig-Wilson
D74_9572_full
Beautiful-Lorraine-Dietrich-detail-by-Gavin-Goeldner
D74_9593_full
D74_9597_full
Adam-at-work-by-Craig-Wilson
Adam-master-of-the-wheel-by-Gavin-Goeldner
Adam-and-a-trial-fit-by-Craig-Wilson
Ian-Wright-and-Tony-checking-progress-by-Craig-Wilson
Two-stages-for-the-front-corner-pods-by-Gavin-Goeldner
Peter-Drane-tries-the-English-Wheel-by-Craig-Wilson
D74_9562_full
Eleven-gurus-George-Row-and-Tony-Galletly-by-Gavin-Goeldner
D74_9592_full
Tonys-Eleven-masterpiece-by-Gavin-Goeldner
Lancia-Flamina-lives-again-by-Gavin-Goeldner
Norma-and-Peter-Upham-checking-the-Lancia-by-Gavin-Goeldner
Norma-Sharon-Daryl-and-Craig-enjoying-afternoon-tea-by-Gavin-Goeldner

[Show slideshow]
DTC Report – 15 March 2020 Morgan Park Sprints Round 1, 2020

Related Posts

mp-banner

Events, Gallery 2022, Homepage, Racing

Morgan Park Sprints R4

kevs-banner

EMRs, Gallery 2022, Homepage

Kev’s Big Day Out

duratec-banner

Articles, Homepage, Technical

Duratec Elise – better late than never

Random images

Entering_Yackandandah IMG_4908 lunchtime-discussion MG_6711 20130814_093130 IMGP3410 14-Departing-museum sunbeam-tiger-donk 6.Mike-Michelle-Leigh 11-Michael-Ian-Moira-Daryl-Norma-Peter-Mal-Tim-Carol-Alex-Clive CRW_6398_RJ MGP2182 IMG_9041 IMG_3623 view_from_rockton 122_2204_IMG 121_2172_IMG IMG_4381 20170226_070529 20220220_093721 9 ICC-Car-Park Glass-House-Mtn-Tavern_gw Clive-Wade-Joe-Arico-Geoff-Noble-and-Rob-Stevens Battle-with-Lance Lotus everywhere evoras IMGP3420 Leyburn 2016 Lotus 2.11 One good belting Zaid _MG_4783 as Smart Object-1 _MG_4514 as Smart Object-1 Catching up with one and all The Sevens Lotus-12-View-1 main-35 IMG_7375 IMG_7359 image_114 image_066 The-saddle-challenge NSW-strategising Campfire-Dinner-3 Campfire-Dinner-2 main-14 image_231 The-pie-eaters Derek's-Elise John-followed-by-Mitch Greg-Bray-in-the-marshalling-area IMG_0033 P1080266 IMGP2250 IMG_0029 image_075 lot_016 IMG_7427 IMG_7415 34a IMG_7863 PICT7285 P8310147 IMGP7344 IMG_5167 IMG_7392 IMG_5128 IMG_5138 P5250040 IMG_8570 IMG_8050 IMG_6331 The-new-two-wheel-toy export1581298718571 just-a-few-of-the-many-forms-of-lotus IMG_4976-1 Peters-Elise esprit-turbo-donk Eleven-Interior IMG_4358 Lots-of-Lotus McLaren Ruebens_Sandwich 20200801_121900 Vyvyans-band-providing-the-entertainment Vyvyan-providing-the-entertainment Dick is Go Go Go Display-at-the-bowls-club Ready to Pack 20181111_144457 Topless-Cats-1 IMG_6176 Lucho IMAG5954 scimitar vyv's-plus2-1 Vyvs-Plus2 Vyv-Steve-Richard Love those Avons Replacing Geoff's suspension part

Recent Articles

  • Morgan Park Sprints R4
  • Kev’s Big Day Out
  • Duratec Elise – better late than never
  • Gold Rush Hill Sprint – 2022
  • Marburg Pub Run – 4 Sept 2022
  • Unique +2 Road Trip to Brisbane
  • Leyburn 2022
  • August 2022 DTC

Latest Gallery Images

20220220_093834 20220220_093818 20220220_093827 20220220_093743 20220220_093812 20220220_093730

Search articles by category

Archived articles

Lotus Club Queensland
© Lotus Club Queensland   |   Site by Black Eye Studios