You know, sometimes in life, opportunities come your way, and you just can’t let them slip by. This is one of those stories.
When an old luxury limousine that had been sitting idle for nearly 10 years due to its owner’s health issues comes into view, it’s tough to say no. This car belonged to a valued customer, and I had my eye on it ever since I first saw it back in 2015 when I started working for him. Even though it looked a bit outdated, I didn’t realise just how special this rare vehicle was at the bottom of its depreciation curve.
Originally purchased in 2001, a car that would be worth £100,000 today seemed like a steal, especially since I knew I could fix it up and restore it to its former glory, 25 years later.
In 2024, his widow reached out to me for some additional work on the property, one of which was to renovate the deteriorating carport roof. When it came time to move the car to get the job done, I asked if they had any plans for it, and they said it “had to go.”
I expressed my interest in taking the vehicle off their hands and asked what they wanted for it. They told me to make an offer, so I did, and they accepted it right away.
Then began a saga of smoke, corroded wiring, and parts replacements over the next five months… and it’s still ongoing. My partner was not pleased at all, as she was really upset that I prioritised this project over other commitments we had supposedly agreed to tackle that year.
I just couldn’t bear the thought of letting this “ugly” car go to scrap, especially since it had a 3.7-litre V8 engine with only 60,000 miles on it, all for the low price of £500.00.
And so it begins….