Resto Hero

There’s Pug-mad, and then there’s the Kelly family – where Peugeot fever runs seriously deep

Found in a field, restored to glory – Liam Kelly’s Peugeot 405 Mi-16.

Liam Kelly stands outside his house, arms thrown wide in welcome, and then he only goes and says it: ‘Welcome to the Peugeotdome.’ As introductory lines go it’s a good ’un. Apt too, given the presence of the family’s vehicles. The star of today’s show his recently restored 405 Mi-16, christened ‘Grandad’, sits on the driveway. Just behind it in the garage is ‘Asbo’, the 106 GTI that’s his next resto project, while out on the road is his missus Kelly’s (so good, they named her

twice) 306 GTI-6 ‘Roary’ (more of that later) and their day-to-day 307 HDI schlepper. And breathe. Of course it continues inside. Peugeot posters, artwork (some of it Liam’s) and memorabilia abound. I’m led through and out to the garden where I’m seated on a black leather 406 driver’s seat – sourced from a chap building an F355 replica – and supplied with a cuppa. ‘I have plans to wire it in and have an electrical smoking chair – not sure if it will work outside, though.’