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 thumbnails]
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

IMG_3619 Pat-Richards sam-murphy Mal-Wybe Ken-approaching-the-opposition MG_6592 jag-lemans-badge The_offending_joint CRW_6579_RJ Lotus_Toowoomba_1 P1020657 The-Dallara IMG_8431 image_249 image_164 IMG_5307 IMG_5300 IMG_5057 IMG_6627 IMG_0955 IMG_8893 IMG_3721 col-strolls-past-the-monaro-gts 20210911-Leyburn-B-241-By-Trapnell-Creations Photo-28-11-20-8-09-29-pm From-Targa-to-short-course Paul-and-Tony-on-top-of-the-mountain Jason-Patulo-taking-a-wide-line-photo-by-Trapnell-Creations The Crew 2 craig-mathie nathan-05 vb-Geoff Noble in the pit IMG-0155 IMG_9151 Male bonding Dick dtc-8 8. Just chatting & dreaming 20160522_103418 Phil Hart DS7_3467_full concours-11 Adam-Daryl Mal-and-Garry IMG_8472 main-38 main-9 Morning-Sunrise main-4 Mar-main-107 Mar-main-38 _Peter-&-Mal-lining-up-for-ice-creams main-39 PICT7314 Robyn-and-Chris IMG_3767a 2006_08_27_Gympie_Skid_Pan0048 Rus_and_Leigh_Carter IMG_0465_copy P1060114 MG_7012 Ploughman's Lunch IMG_0021 IMG_8063 IMG_3215 P1010010 P1020754 P1020782 P8310116 IMG_3932 P1060244 P1090178 P5250022 IMG_8049 IMG_0538 EMRb0412 IMG_8526 IMG_5131 IMG_5120 IMG_5089 IMG_3647 IMG_7362 Crown-Hotel-Lobby Dick and Daryl Another-Elan-back-in-service photo-14 IMGP8309 Jon-Young IMG_0512 Daimler Clive & Life Member, Craig_gw Europa parked-at-the-classic ferrari-enz084 happy-campers Transport-Museum-MGA Vyvyan in race gear main-45 main-78 IMAG6166

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