Meet David Barber Restoration: Preserving Britain's Classic Sports Cars at Leeds East Airport

David Barber Restoration at Leeds East Airport

Could you start by telling us a little bit about David Barber Restoration and the work you do here at Leeds East Airport?

Although David Barber Restoration has just started its twelfth year of work, I have been professionally restoring cars since the year 2000. If I were to sum up in a sentence what the business is all about, then it would probably be… “The service, restoration, repair and recommission of 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s British Sports Cars”. 

What first drew you into classic car restoration? Was there a particular car, person or moment that sparked your interest in historic vehicles?

I suppose that my father sparked my interest in older cars. I was fortunate that Dad was an agricultural engineer by training and could pretty much fix anything. My Father’s first car was an Austin Healey Sprite back in the early 1960’s and there were some of his old Motorsport magazines from that era in the house. When my cousin bought his first sportscar I was in my mid-teens, that was it, I was hooked on this generation of cars. My first car was a thirteen-year-old MG Midget that I worked on myself to keep it on the road. Back in 1984, as things were, it was just another old car. Now, a few years on (I am trying not to count!), this generation of old cars have turned into classic cars with a great following. Following in Dad’s footsteps, I am also an engineer. I have a HND in Mechanical and Production engineering and ran the drawing and design for a manufacturing company. That was a perfectly acceptable job, just nothing to do with old cars! I went on to complete the restoration course at Leeds College of Technology. A three year stint at an Aston Martin specialist followed by nine years at an Austin Healey specialist led me onto setting up David Barber Restoration.

Do you have a favourite kind of car to work on - whether that’s a particular brand, era, style or type of project?

The nearer that a car is to a machine, the more I like it! I am always drawn to sports cars as they seem to have more of a purpose than say, a saloon car. If the sports car is then also an historic rally car or track car, that is even better. There are two types of project that I really do enjoy; the first is where I am asked to recommission a car that has not been on the road in years. There is a great feeling of bringing something back to life! The second, I am probably best known for restoring Austin Healeys. I am absolutely delighted if somebody brings me a total basket case Austin Healey 3000 in tea chests, cardboard boxes and carrier bags… there is nothing better than handing a customer back a fully restored car to enjoy.

We’ve seen references to some really special projects, including an Austin Healey 100 five-year rebuild. What has been your favourite restoration to date? And do you have clients from all over?

The clients are from all around the UK and occasionally abroad (a Triumph from Germany and an Austin Healey from France). My favourite restoration? Now that is a good question and the answer is probably unusual. My favourite restoration or individual job is the one I am working on at the time. I suppose that all businesses are built on reputation. On that basis, the car I am working on today, no matter its make or value, is the most important car that I have ever worked on because today’s work is tomorrow’s reputation. So that means that I should apply my best efforts to that car and in doing so it becomes my new favourite. 

Is there a project that stands out as especially memorable, either because of the car itself, the story behind it, or the work involved?

The most challenging restoration and probably the one that stands out over the years, was a Jaguar XK150 drop head coupe. I had restored an Austin Healey 3000 for this customer who then asked me to restore the Jaguar. That project pretty much had it all. There were technical challenges and problems to overcome resulting in almost building the car from scratch. The car was from the late 1950’s so very much a functional machine, even if quite a plush one! All the effort paid off and I was able to hand the customer back a very nice car (even if I do say so myself!).

The Jaguar XK150 Drop Head Coupe

This is the 1973 Earls Court Motor Show MGB GT V8. The V8 version of the MGB GT was launched in August 1973 and this car appeared at the show in October the same year.

What are some of the biggest challenges in classic car restoration?

The practical answer is in sourcing some of the rare or obsolete parts for these cars and although that can be tricky at times, it is not the biggest challenge. That falls to every business’s issue of managing customer’s expectations but possibly not in a regular business way. It is more to do with the finished car. When a customer climbs out of their air conditioned, armchair comfort of their modern everyday car with stability control, traction control and a whole host of other advancements; a car from the 50’s, 60’s or 70’s can seem a touch unrefined. However, the fun of applying yourself to driving one of these machines and immersing yourself in the whole experience is the true joy of what it is all about. A well-sorted classic should be a pleasure to own.Leeds East Airport has its own heritage and sense of history. What is it like working from a site like this?

It is truly fantastic to work here. Some of the cars I work on are over seventy years old and the heritage of the airfield stretching back to 1937 mirrors their history. As you drive past the old guard house and the original hangars, you get a sense of that past. There is a great feel and atmosphere to the place. There is a great community with all the other businesses based here and always something going on. The Spitfire flights are a joy to be around but the annual testing of the Le Mans style race cars is a sound all of its own. We are back to machines again!

What makes a restoration truly successful in your eyes?

It has to move your soul! When I walk up to a restored car and think, this is lovely, sit inside and think, the office looks great today, and then enjoy the whole experience of driving it… now that is a successful restoration.

Finally, what is next for David Barber Restoration? Are there any projects you are particularly excited about at the moment and how can people contact you?

You would be disappointed if I did not say the cars I am working on now but it is actually true. I am finishing the restoration of an MGB GT V8. This is an original factory built V8, one of only 2600 cars made. I am also in the early stages of a full restoration of a very early MGB which was built in 1963 and has been in the same family for around fifty years. To say I do not advertise is not factually correct. There are window stickers with my details in a lot of the cars that I have worked on. Mind you, they are only an inch and a half square!

I am old school with no website but you can contact me on email; davidbarber91@aol.com or by phone on 07762 114213 or on WhatsApp.

Even better, walk in and say hello!