Coachwerks Restoration Victoria BC
Restoration Excellence

Decades of
Restoration Excellence

The classic car specialists at Coachwerks, led by management team Scott Kerr, Dave Hargrave, Mike Grams and Eric Cherneff, are highly qualified and have extensive experience in both mechanical and body restorations. While our team of restoration specialists is made up of over 20 years of experience in their field.

Coachwerks was previously known as ‘Rudi and Company’, an established entity in the classic automobile scene, particularly in 300 SL circles. Automobiles restored by Coachwerks have proven time and time again to sell at an increased value, no matter where they are auctioned. At Coachwerks, we pride ourselves on quality without taking shortcuts.

The extra value our restorations achieve is a testament to our hard work and principles as we build your car from the ground up. Our close attention to body gaps, paint thickness, upholstery materials and overall craftsmanship are what make us the best and most authentic in the industry.

Evolution of Restoration

The Evolution of Restoration

As our industry continues to evolve, our team actively participates in regular classic car training, to stay up to date with the newest innovations and expand our knowledge. We work closely with MB Classic Academy in Esslingen, Germany while continuing to foster our close relationship with Mercedes-Benz Classic as well as the Porsche classic partner network.

Our Philosophy

Our Philosophy

Our clients come to us expecting the best and we always ensure to deliver.

For us, the automobile is founded on the constant pursuit of perfection, the hunt for excellence and the opportunity to make the impossible possible. Our clients expectations allow us to create, but the expectations within ourselves drive us to excel.

As a young boy, I loved combustion power. If it was moved by a piston and valve, I had to know everything about it. Some of my earliest memories are of watching diesel locomotives hustling box cars around the railyard not far from my home. Fascinated by the raw power and strength of these brutes, my affection eventually grew to include aviation, automobiles and nearly anything engine-powered.

Long before I was old enough to drive, I brought my first car home to my parents who looked more expectant than surprised. The vehicle was a classic and I was proud of it. Although I could not yet drive, I couldn’t wait to get elbows deep in old car improvements. From then on, whatever my allowance could afford was spent on making that car the best it could be.

After two years of amateur restoration, I sold the car to my neighbour for twice what I had invested at only fourteen years old. At that moment, I knew I was hooked, not by profit but rather the fact that someone else saw value in what I had created.

It wasn’t long after this that I took on a new project, somehow convincing my parents to allow me to perform a frame off restoration in their front yard, much to the delight of our neighbours. Under a tarp, in the dirt and armed with only a modest set of hand tools, I set out to prove to myself that anything was possible if I worked hard enough.

Seasons came and went in that front yard, and necessity gave way to ingenuity to overcome the ever changing conditions of the environment I was working in. Over the course of my work, I had made every mistake more than once, and was met by every obstacle. I restored every piece of that car two or three times to get it right, not willing to accept anything less than perfection. At the same time, my knowledge and understanding of automobiles was improving exponentially. I developed technique, instigated best practices, garnered comprehension and learned how to educate myself.

This process continued on for nearly three years, until there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel as we neared the finish line. I didn’t know it then, but I was slowly closing in on the final phase of the restoration. During this final 10%, you, as the restorer, are physically, mentally and emotionally finished but the restored vehicle is far from complete. This is the hardest part of a restoration and where most projects derail. This is where you truly learn if your planning and preparation was enough, where you fell short and whether or not you have to redesign the project to work around your miscalculations.

I learned a lot about myself during the last 10% of that project. I learned most of my friends and family believe I suffer from some form of obsessive compulsive disorder and that good enough is not in my vocabulary. The most meaningful lesson I learned, however, was that I was capable of creating, planning, and executing a vision to the highest standards.

At only 18 years old, I had completed the restoration. Since then, I have not stopped restoring classic automobiles. I still work by the same principles and philosophies today that I developed all those years ago and I guide my team by the same lessons I learned at such a young age. With over half a lifetime dedicated to these details, automotive restoration has become more than a passion, and much more than a profession, it has become my DNA.


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Our Vision

Our Vision

Today at Coachwerks Restoration the inspiration comes from the 50’s and 60’s European designs. Our focus is primarily postwar European sport. With decades of experience, we are one of a select few leading authorities in the preservation and restoration of Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing and Roadsters. Our vast combined experience doesn’t end there as our portfolio of hundreds of restorations also include Porsche, Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, Bugatti, Talbot Lago, Jaguar, and Alfa Romeo to name a few.

Coachwerks Restoration is more than a restoration shop. Our exceptionally skilled senior craftsmen offer an academy of learning for our junior technicians and apprentices ensuring the knowledge is passed on to the next generation of restorers.

Here at Coachwerks our mission has remained unchanged over the decades and that is to continue to provide the best possible restoration experience for our clients in the pursuit of excellence.


Our Craftsmen

Our
Craftsmen

Passion for the art of automotive restoration is what fuels and guides our highly qualified team in everything they do. Their drive for perfection first and foremost is how Coachwerks has remained prolific and relevant in the industry decade after decade. No other hands are better qualified to take care of your automobile.


Meet our specialists