Lotus Club Queensland
Dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of the Lotus experience
Login
Register
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Membership
    • Member Portal
    • Join the Club
  • Events
    • Calendar
  • For Sale
    • Merchandise
    • Classifieds
  • Posts
  • Business Directory
    • Suppliers & Parts
    • Advertisers
  • Galleries
  • Magazine
    • Magazine 2022
    • Magazine 2021
    • Magazine 2020
  • Motorsport
  • 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

dtc-banner

DTC, Events, Homepage

Lakeside DTC Timed Laps

emr-banner

EMRs, Gallery 2022, Homepage

Mt Glorious EMR – April 2022

gear-banner

Articles, Gallery 2022, Homepage, Racing

LCQ was invited

Random images

IMG_0329
F1000022
lec_0194
IMG_0273_1
2006_08_27_Gympie_Skid_Pan0066
P1010410
IMG_4840
Jeff-receiving-last-minute-advice-from-Steve
Darryls-Exige-
Penny-and-Maree-
Giles-laying-down-the-rules
main-13
main-17
Mar-main-102
Losing-the-hay-bale
P9190091c1
IMG_8565
IMG_8579
0087
DSC03835
IMG_0529
IMG_0535
IMG_8012
IMG_8070
IMG_0931
Caterham_BDR
P1090172
Club_Lotus_Dec_08_010
Fazer_Nash_John_Lungren_s_7_7
006_6
081_81
P1060244
P1060267
IMG_1351e
IMG_2562
IMG_5213
IMG_6301
IMG_6734
IMG_7125
IMG_4427
McL_07
IMG_8786
002
IMG_0007
Such_a_stunning_butterfly
8.Penny-John-Ken
the-lid
18-Nightcap-before-bed
Daryl-Moira
Food-line-up-Angela-Clive-Wybe-Tony
Receiving-last-minute-instructions
15-Martin.jpg
waiting-for-rest-of-the-group
The finished billy cart
DS7_3440_full
Ormiston-16
dtc-15
Half a pound down Jon
Garry-James
gw-Rob and John
Alan Newitt
Kisses
IMG_2468
Martin-OBrien-chased-by-Clive-Wade-photo-by-Trapnell-Creations
Mike-Goodfellow-getting-into-it-photo-by-Trapnell-Creations
IMG_1410
Carolyn-Elisa-Craig
Digging-the-Exige-out-to-start-the-day
3
Jason
Mixed-Field
Coffee Stop
Jen-and-Sam-Murphy-At-the-original-GP-Track-Airfield
Jon-heading-for-a-run
winner-steve-lennox-europa
Craft-Beer
Evans-exige-adding-its-own-lightness-by-spitting-the-inner-guard-out
img_2041
73-04-Oldina-JG
The-ever-competative-clubbies-line-up
DSC_0354
old-and-new
main-13
Vyvyan and Patrick
The Winners
Steve & Clive_gw
Rob - how many
Pat-the-Winner
20140304_192936
flying-roo
IMG_6139
_MG_9900 as Smart Object-1
20181111_144309
ratty
M100-1
main-78
Vyvyan in his Elan Plus 2
main-62
20170709_104548
Chris and Patty

Recent Articles

  • Lakeside DTC Timed Laps
  • Mt Glorious EMR – April 2022
  • LCQ was invited
  • GT Auto Garage LTD
  • HSCCQ Khanacross – April 2022
  • A Series – Morgan Park Sprints
  • Recollections of Les Mellor
  • Super Sprints B Series 2022

Latest Gallery Images

rack3 rack4 rack2 rack1 Evaporator-box IMG_3229

Search articles by category

Archived articles

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