MEET THE EXPERT

BEAUTIFUL STEEL AND ALUMINIUM BODYWORK GOES MORE THAN SKIN DEEP WITH COACHBUILDER PHOENIX AUTOCRAFT

Traditional panelbeating techniques are at the heart of Phoenix Autocraft. The fabrication and bodywork restoration company was founded in 2019 but the talents of director Jason Williams stretch back decades. He started his career in steel – founding successful classic car renovation firm Mobile Welding Services – before a 2009 QEST Scholarship introduced him to aluminium and the English wheel. The wheel sits at the centre of a Kidderminster, Worcestershire workshop that bristles with period equipment. The team strives for authenticity and can lead load panel seams for the perfect historic finish. And they’re just as skilled with TIG welding and laser cutting techniques. Phoenix projects define ambition in aluminium. The company is rebuilding a pair of 1957 Austin-healey 100/6s with ally bodywork, painstakingly adjusting each panel to fit the cars’ handbuilt dimensions. A 1961 Lancia Flaminia GT restoration is another recent focus. Phoenix has fabricated new doorskins, rebuilt the interior structure and rectified historic accident repairs to the single-piece aluminium bodyshell. Brittle post-war Birmabright, aeroplane panels and reskinning a T48 Corsa Spyder kitcar in aluminium are just some of the other challenges Phoenix has faced so far. With plans to expand tooling, the company is ready to take on everything from bespoke panel creation to full restorations. PHOENIX AUTOCRAFT 01299 266 572 phoenixautocraft.co.uk