Pioneering Spirit
Customer profile - Paul Coghill
A long-time classic car racing enthusiast, Paul Coghill first came in contact with Kevin Telford in the late 1980s when he found the Triumph Vitesse he had purchased simply lacked the necessary oompf.
"I had bought the car thinking it had the 2 litre engine. But when I raced it at Teretonga, it went so badly people asked if it was a 1600."
Further investigations showed it was, so a re-power was in order and it was about this time that Kevin got involved, bringing about a series of improvements.
After initially upping the engine size to 2 litres, the power plant was eventually cranked and stroked out to 2.5-litres and other improvements were made, including a close-ratio overdrive gearbox from a Dolomite Sprint, rear suspension upgrade, and a limited-slip diff.
The changes to the car's performance were palpable. When Paul and Kevin teamed up to do the first-ever Targa New Zealand they came in 21st. When they did the third Targa, in 2.5-litre guise, they came in 11th overall and third in their class.
Paul is glad to report the car's Teretonga lap times have improved considerably too - from 1:38 to just 1:15.8.
A keen Jaguar fan, Paul also owns a 1956 Jaguar Mk1 that was re-built from a shell over just five weeks to get it ready for a National Rally in Hamilton in the early 1990s.
The car left Kevin's workshop at 6.30 one evening and headed off to Hamilton, giving a trouble-free run there and back as well as winning the motorkhana event for its class.
It has had a number of improvements with uprated brakes, suspension and power steering - all modifications done with Kevin's involvement.
Paul and Kevin have also worked together a lot on finishing the "Longmore Special", a Jaguar-powered single-seater based on a 1950s race-car, right down to the period finned alloy drum brakes.
The car had been started by a mutual friend, the late Barry Longmore, and after his untimely death they took over the job of completing the project and taking the car racing as a tribute.
Paul says one of Kevin's major strengths is his versatility.
"He is capable of thinking through and applying his skills. As well as being a skilled mechanic he is good at fabrication and general engineering."
"Kevin also has a very good eye for making sure enhancements are or appear to be within the period for that car. He has a functional approach and looks to make things easier and more practical."
Paul says he has enjoyed great reliability out of his cars. Used as a daily runner, the Mk1 has now covered 70,000 miles since its rebuild, proving to be as reliable as a modern car.
The Vitesse has now run up 60,000 miles, quite a bit of that due to the fact they drive it to racing events, and the only time it has had to be trailered home is when Paul has had the occasional 'off'.
"Kevin will aim for perfection and put the time and effort into making sure things work properly. After all, when you are racing it is important to know you are in something that is safe."
We Offer:
- Full restoration from the ground up
- Project management – including sourcing parts nationally and internationally
- Mechanical repairs – engine rebuilds
- Electrical restoration
- Engine tuning
- Fault finding and diagnostics
- General troubleshooting
- Pre-purchase check and evaluation
- Pre-restoration advice
- Clutch and brake repair/ upgrade/ replacement
- Gearbox overhaul and reconditioning
- WOF
- Preparation for VINZ certification
- Suspension modifications
- Chassis repairs
- Race development and preparation
Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you need any more information.