When it comes to classic car restorations, the competition is fierce. Big names such as Equipe Europe and Vink Motorsport are commonly the first to come to mind, yet the majority of the industry is made up of smaller individuals. One of them is Competition Classics, the brainchild of Chris Greenwood. Based in Hartfield, East Sussex, they are a renowned specialist in classic car restoration and historic race car preparation. With over 50 years of combined experience and having worked on more than £400 million worth of rare, exciting, and valuable race cars, they are certainly worth a visit. But before we can understand the company and their way of operating, we need to understand the man behind it. After all, a specialised company like this is merely an extension of the individual who started it.

THE EARLY BEGINNINGS
To understand the whole story, as is the case with all of us, we have to rewind the clock to the early 80s, when Chris was still a little boy, the age when dreams and passions take shape. “When I was five or six, I started venturing into my dad’s garage and took apart the lawn mower. It wasn’t long before I’d be taking apart anything with an engine in it.” Probably out of fear of soon being unable to drive his own car, Chris’ dad bought him a blown-up lorry engine when he was seven years old. “It wasn’t like an Arctic lorry; it was a lot smaller; I think a Nissan or something. He paid £20 for it, and we put it in the garage as soon as it arrived on the pallet.” In the months that followed, the pair stripped it down completely and eventually discovered the problem, while Chris learned about every single component that came out.

The newly found knowledge was soon put to practice when he decided to buy a Ford Escort Mk2 with a blown engine with his own money saved up from summer jobs. “I remember paying £120 for it. I stripped it down, found another engine, and got it all back working.” Soon, Chris took his new creation out up and down the local lanes and farmer’s fields, solidifying the foundation of his future automotive career.

“The day I left school, we moved up to Scotland, where I began writing to every car dealer in the area – I think I must have written about 20 letters.” It wasn’t long before Chris found himself an apprenticeship at Rover & Land Rover, which kept him busy for the next four years before being fully qualified. “We went to college for the first two years before being able to join the Rover apprenticeship scheme at their factory. They also ran a nation-wide contest called the ‘Young apprentice of the year’ award.” Chris had done well and came second. “To this day, I still remember what I did that stopped me from becoming first. Oh well, it was still pretty good.”

Looking to expand his horizons and experience, he began looking for new opportunities once the scheme had finished. “I began working for Ford for a period, but it wasn’t for a dealer. I worked for a subsidy, working on their brand-new vehicles, press cars, adverts, and TV promotions. And when a limited-edition model came out that was obviously for the bosses, we’d get those cars ready for them.”

Now old enough to drive legally, Chris began looking for his own car. And despite working at Ford, he ended up with a BMW. “In 2001, I was given a 2002, and it was a bit of a restoration project. Over the next nine years, I would spend free weekends and evenings working on it. I welded the car up, got it all working, and turned it into an FIA race car. It was a stunning car and extremely fast.” Surprisingly, though, after spending an absolute fortune on the car, he never got to race it. “I married in 2010 and decided to sell the car to release some finances, but that’s life. Funny enough, though, the car appeared back up for sale a few weeks ago, still owned by the guy who bought it from me. It’s good to see the car is still out there, participating in the Masters. It’s a shame I never got to drive it after spending so many years doing it up, but I learned an awful lot, and I realised how good BMWs were back in the 70s.”

On the 19th of May 2016, Competition Classics was born. “I came up with the name before that, around ten years ago. I checked online and it was available, so I bought the domain and kept it until I was ready to start up again.” Unsure whether Classics & Competition was perhaps a better name, Chris spoke to a few friends before agreeing that Competition Classics was best. “There was a company in the States called Competition Classics, but they had closed down the year before, and I bought the domain. The rest is history, as they say.”

“The logo was done by a customer of mine, Martyn, for whom we’re currently building a ’63 Corvette Grand Sport. He did several designs, and I liked the one with the racing CSL on it the most.”

Before moving on to the business itself, we asked Chris why BMWs, particularly the E9. “While I worked with Alex, all we did was BMW. They were just miles ahead of anyone else in their build quality, the simplicity of how everything worked, even the racing cars. I mean, the race cars were so far ahead in their technology. For example, you take an M12/7 engine that was literally designed to go racing, and despite being a little 2-litre engine, it produced over 300 horses! Even with the M49, a 6-cylinder 3.5-litre powerhouse revving at 9000 RPM, they were getting ahead of Ford. The cylinder head design and the shape of the combustion chambers are quite incredible. Let alone the look of the aero-shaped wings.”

As you would expect, Chris’ daily drivers are BMW too, perhaps not an E9, but still classics in their own right. “I’ve got an Alpina E30 C2 Touring, which I bought from a customer. He’s a good friend, and he popped in one day asking if we could do some work on his new car. We looked after it for a few years before he decided to sell it, and I’ve had it for the last 15 years. It used to be my daily driver, but we started stripping the car when the MOT ran out in 2014. It’s been sitting like that since, although I aim to have it back together for Alpina’s 60th birthday next year. I also have an E30 M3, which I didn’t mean to buy, but I saw it when collecting a CSL for a customer. Long story short, after a bit of wheeling and dealing, I got a good price. Nowadays, the values have shot through the roof, but back then, you could pick them up for ten grand.”

RACING BEFORE RESTORING
What began with two customers he worked with at Roundel Racing soon grew. “The first CSL we looked after was the Dieter Quester/Toine Hezemans one (24H Le mans ’73 class winner) that Adrian Brady owned. We also had the 535 Martini car, owned by Bill Cutler. So, we ran those two cars for two years before the CSL went back into storage when Adrian decided he wanted to return the car to ’73 spec, and Bill took his car home for a while – I believe his only came back to Europe last year. After that, we kept growing.”

You would think that with a full-time business, there’s little time left to go racing yourself, and you’re right. Nonetheless, Chris tries to take his MGB race car out on track whenever possible. “When I initially wanted to go racing, I wanted to buy a mini and participate in the Mini Miglia series. I rang Simon (Alexander) and asked if HTM would sponsor me. He immediately replied that I shouldn’t drive minis; they’re dangerous. ‘Why don’t you race an MGB instead?’ So, he lent me his red MGB to get my licence, and we ended up doing the Spa 6hrs and a few others.” Chris had caught the bug, and it was no longer just restoring customer’s cars. “Simon Potts, my friend who sold me the Alpina, showed an interest in racing. A green MGB came up for sale, and I said, ‘Why don’t we go halves on the car? You buy it, and I’ll do it up.’ We bought the car, Simon got his licence, and we raced at several events. And then his direction changed with family and everything else and he decided he didn’t want to continue anymore. I bought the car from him and did a few races myself.” With time being a valuable and scarce commodity, priority was given to customer cars and race support, which meant that few weekends were left to take the car for a spin. “When a customer came in one day who’d damaged his car beyond repair, it suddenly hit me. Why not rent the MGB because I didn’t have the time to race it myself.” Sadly, though, the car would return to the workshop sooner than anticipated, as it crashed badly on the first test day at Brands Hatch. “We spent all of this year repairing the car. It has a whole new back end and two new rear quarters. It’s nearly ready for paint, and hopefully, we will have it assembled early next year. If time and funds allow, I might do a few races; if not, I’ll probably rent it out again.”

Taking the MG out on track helped not only in the fun department but it soon began bringing in customers. “I was at a circuit one day when two customers approached me, and I ended up looking after their MGs as well. One of them was Steve, who’s a great customer and now has two cars with us, as well as his private cars we look after. Long story short, we now run and look after 5 MGs, which wasn’t planned; we just happened to be at the right place at the right time.”

For anyone who’s ever raced, you can imagine the workload that comes with it. Yet, on most occasions, it’s just Chris and Dom who go to support a car. And it’s not unusual for them to run multiple cars at different events. “It can be quite a lot for one person, but I’ve been doing it for so many years. You just set yourself a list and go through each item. It makes life a lot easier and less stressful because you can keep track of what you’re doing and still need to do. For instance, once you’ve done the fuel, you do the tyres, check the pressures, and check the torque. So, you have this little routine before the car goes out. It’s when you find a problem or have a problem, and it becomes a bit busy and sometimes causes a bit of panic. But thankfully, the team is always available to deliver the parts we need if we can’t find them locally.”

One such moment was during the Silverstone Festival testing day when we met Chris and saw him in action. The car he was looking after, Simon’s CSL (see “Contemporary Twist on 70’s Racing“), came back into the pits after the first run, and we spotted that the left brake cooling duct had ripped off. Thankfully, the local shop had the necessary parts in stock, and Chris was able to quickly mend the problem. “Unfortunately, we ran into a bigger problem during the second testing when the front hub gave way. We managed to source a replacement, and one of the guys drove it up on Friday morning.” Despite missing the qualifying session later that day, the car was ready to go racing the following morning. Sadly, the weather didn’t play ball and the race was red-flagged before the end.

Once the weekend is over, the process reverses itself, and it’s time to pack everything up again and drive it back to the workshop. “We offer the full package, starting with maintaining the car in-between races, prepping it before the event, taking it to location, setting up, racing, packing it up, bringing it back again, repairing if necessary, and getting it ready for the next race.” As with everything else in life, preparation is critical. “Again, you have set procedures we follow in the build-up of an event, same as we would do when we’re there. We begin by checking every component from front to back, checking and bleeding the brakes, the bearings, every nut and bolt, the settings, etc. Having it in your head is all very well, but having a list provides that extra security, so you don’t need to worry. Plus, it adds to the overall safety. The trailer is loaded the same way each time, as is the truck; everything has its place. That way, we know the weight distribution is correct, and you don’t forget anything.”

Nonetheless, nerves and stress factors still play a role. “I still get nervous, not about the car or the race, but the travelling. I worry about the ferry, customs, and that sort of stuff. What happens if the engine breaks in the truck or the axle falls off the trailer? Just these hypothetical things. Once there, you’re like, ‘Yeah, that was easy’. I probably sound like an old lady, but I do stress about it. I think it’s all part of being professional, worrying about every eventuality and planning how to overcome those problems when they do present themselves. I think that’s the difference between someone who does it for fun and someone who’s charging customers and makes a living out of being professional.”

THE RESTORATION SIDE OF THINGS
It wasn’t long before Chris’ racing customers sought a place to rebuild and restore their cars. “They rang me up and said, ‘I hear you’ve set up again. Would you be able to sort my car out?’. And so, we started that side of the operation. Our first car was a Ferrari, and now we’re working on a Corvette Grand Sport. Over the years, we’ve done a couple of Aston Martins, E-Types, and all sorts of cars. I think the balance used to be 50-50, but now we’re probably more 75% racing and 25% restoration.”

When working with two different principles within one company, we wondered if there was a particular routine they followed. “Not really. We all come in. I’ll check in with the boys, making sure they know what they’re doing and are happy. Then, I’ll probably head up to the office for half an hour to sort out a few emails before heading back downstairs and working on whatever I’ve set for myself that day. Mondays are slightly different, as we use part of the morning to plan the week, including any race prep when necessary. We work on a priority-base principle, where we work on whatever needs finishing first, provided it doesn’t affect the deadlines of other projects we’ve got on the go.” Undoubtedly, one element must be better than the other. “I enjoy both aspects of the work for different reasons. In the summer, the thrill of racing is exhilarating—travelling across Europe, competing, and achieving great results. We’ve had some fantastic wins over the past few years, which makes all the effort worthwhile. But when winter comes, it’s refreshing to close the doors and dive into a restoration project. There’s something satisfying about methodically working through a build and having a car ready to go by early spring.”

Despite the primary focus being on E9s, the team works on all brands of cars. “I love the E9, and then I also like the 50s and 60s Ferraris a lot. They’re fantastic and quite simplistic, and they truly go with the saying that simple things are the best things. For instance, we’re currently working on a 1963 365 GT and an F3 race car, and we’ve even worked on some modern cars like the Honda Accord that belonged to David Leslie. Although I try to avoid getting too involved with modern, computer-heavy vehicles.”

Thankfully for us, their main focus is still our beloved E9. “We know our way around the CSL now and know what’s right, what’s period, what isn’t. When looking at other cars in the paddock, I can tell, ‘That was never original, that wasn’t right, somebody just put bits on to make it more of a race car than a period-looking car’. That’s probably why we put so much effort into the science of trying to make it look clean and flow naturally. When you open the bonnet, you don’t want to see just wires, fire extinguishers, cables, and pipes.”

We all know that the E9 is a difficult car to work with, mainly because of its double-skin design. On top of that, you’re looking at technology and design philosophies that are 50 years old. In those days, contrary to modern days, the body panels weren’t designed to come off by simply unbolting something. Add to this the fact that they weren’t designed to last either, and you can begin to understand why the E9 requires specialists to be worked on. And at Competition Classics, they have all the necessary tools and expertise in-house. “Aside from CNC machines, we have everything to do a full nut-and-bolt restoration, including any custom work. It’s not a car that allows you to walk into any garage and ask for a new A-pillar in your CS. It’s an awful lot of work that goes into placing it, holding it, and ensuring everything stays in the right position. Despite doing most, if not all, of the work themselves, Chris explains that 3rd party services are occasionally used. “Sometimes we outsource some of the work – it’s always horses for courses. If you have a concourse paint job, you send it to a certain guy. If it’s a race car, you might send it to a different guy. Budgets also come into play, and we ensure we do what’s right for each customer and car.”

It’s interesting to hear Chris mention this, as nowadays, it seems that customer service isn’t at the top of the list anymore. Everyone seems to receive the same treatment, irrespective of the car’s needs or the owner’s budget. “It’s not just taking the work; it’s always about trying to suit your customers’ needs and educate them along the way. It’s essential they go away feeling happy and that they’ve spent their money in the right places. Balancing the customer’s expectations within their budget restraints is a constant challenge. We take pride in what we do, and while we may not be the cheapest, the quality and safety of our work are never compromised. But it’s not always easy to convey this to the customer, especially when they may not fully understand why we approach a job the way we do. When I worked for Equipe Europe, money was no object for the customer. If a component like an alternator failed, the customer would ask for it to be replaced at each race without question, even if it was less than a year old. Not all customers have that luxury, and that’s where the challenge lies. It’s all about aligning their budget with their expectations, and our priority is delivering the best outcome within those constraints.”

Having been in the industry and working on a wide range of cars with all types of budgets, we asked Chris for his most memorable ones. “That’s a difficult question. Where do I start? Two stand out straight away; the first is the Ickx and Bell ’73 Le Mans CSL, and the other is a Group 5 320 with an M12 engine. That car had the striking Swedish flag livery and 19-inch rear tyres! We rebuild the car from scratch, including the wiring and addressing every detail. Seeing it perform flawlessly right out of the box was incredibly satisfying. Even compared to the CSL, it was a monster with its massive wings and rear arches.”

We then asked an even more difficult question: Which is your favourite customer story? “Definitely the Lotus Cortina. The customer wanted an FIA roll cage, so we constructed one out of T45 steel. The result was a piece of art – lightweight, meticulously TIG welded, and absolutely beautiful.” However, when the customer received the bill, he was less than pleased. Despite his initial reluctance, he took the car to Silverstone, where he got clipped and rolled the car multiple times. “By the end, the car was a ball, but the cage did its job. On Monday, he rang me, immensely grateful and saying he’d never complain about the cost again.” Chris’ response: “Thanks, but you didn’t have to go to these extreme lengths to test it…”

THE COMPETITION CLASSICS  PHILOSOPHY
When we look at the restoration industry, we quickly notice there is plenty of competition. Therefore, finding a way to elevate yourself above the rest is essential. After all, the company’s survival depends on it. “Everything we do is with the aim to achieve perfection, that natural flow of lines. When I’m building a car, it can take hours and hours of just routing and rerouting lines and pipes. You have to sort of stand back, look at it, and ask yourself, ‘Does that flow? Does that look smart, clean, and professional? Can I make it any neater?’ Sometimes, we might run it three times and still feel it’s not right, so it comes back out, and we try a fourth time. We continue until it looks right, neat, clean, and tidy; until it looks professional and perfect.”

Simon’s CSL is a prime example of their philosophy and approach to building cars. When you lift the bonnet, you’ll notice that there’s barely anything visible, yet it’s all there. “For instance, the fire suppression system is completely hidden; you can’t see any of it, but it’s all there. When we take the car to scrutineering, we often get the question, ‘Where are your fire nozzles?’. When I point them out, they all say the same thing: ‘Well, that’s cool!’ because it’s not just pipes and cable ties like you see in a lot of other cars.

And that mentality begins from the moment you start working with Chris. “I tell the guys on day one that we do not cut corners, even when you don’t see it. I often see others and competitors work with the approach of ‘why bother when no one will see it’, but not here. Because someday, somebody will take it apart, and they’ll see what you’ve been trying to hide. And they’ll go, ‘Who on earth did this? I don’t want it to be our name that follows next. It’s about setting a standard higher than your competitors.”

Say what you want, but their approach has proven itself time again. “We did an Aston Martin DB6 about five years ago. We’d never done a concourse car before, as it’s a different way of building. We were working within a tight timeframe and ended up rushing it a little. We made it in time and took it to the owner’s club at Newport Pagnell. We hadn’t even tested the car, and it literally started for the first time that weekend. You’re up against people who’ve been doing this for years and years, and to our complete surprise, we came third!”

In the end, even the most well-thought-out car won’t reach perfection. “You never stand back and look at something you’ve just finished saying to yourself, ‘That’s perfect’. You always think of things you’d do differently next time. It’s the same with artists when they finish a painting. You’re always evolving and improving, trying to do better next time and work towards that perfect car.”

Whichever way you look at it, they must be doing something right. In this industry, success often spreads by word of mouth. “It’s funny; I frequently bump into people who know who I am, even though I’ve never met them. It’s nice to know people are talking about us positively.”

It’s not all about achieving perfection with the actual build of the car. “We prioritise educating our customers, ensuring they understand what their car truly needs. We see it all the time: a customer brings their car in with minor rust, but it turns into a much larger job once we start inspecting it. It’s important the customer understands what work and costs are involved before we continue, as there’s no going back once you’ve started. As I mentioned before, we’re not about taking on any job; we’re here to ensure the customer feels confident they’ve spent their money wisely, and sometimes that means delaying certain projects until the client is ready for it.”

MODERN CHALLENGES AND THE FUTURE
As for all companies, it’s a delicate balance between preserving the authenticity of classic cars while integrating modern technology where appropriate. “The bulk of the work is all old school, like beating panels into shape. However, modern advancements can enhance performance and safety without compromising the car’s historic value. For example, we use modern sealers and adhesives to protect the bodyshell. And for the electronics, we use modern connectors and wiring.”

That being said, the future will be challenging, particularly for smaller operations like Competition Classics. “I suspect that with the struggle of finding the right people, the big boys will get even bigger, and us smaller companies will have to join forces or possibly even shut down.” As for the future of classic racing, the shift will continue to include newer models as time moves on. Cars once considered modern, like the E30 M3, are now seen as historic, with enthusiasts in their 40s returning to the cars they admired in their youth. This trend will likely continue, with cars from today eventually gaining classic status in the next 40 years. “I doubt that any modern mass-produced car will hold the same appeal as the current classics”.

Perhaps it’s not the future that plays the most prominent role in historic racing, but more so the economic situation we find ourselves in. “Historic racing is predominantly self-funded, with enthusiasts personally covering the costs. This starkly contrasts modern car racing, where everything relies on sponsorship deals and corporate backing.” We can only hope that passion prevails and those who can afford the sport will continue to do so.

“It’s obvious that Simon’s CSL is one of our most notable and high-profile projects and draws the most attention. But it represents only a fraction of what we do. If there’s one thing we need to spend time on in the future, it’s showcasing the smaller, less glamorous jobs to highlight the full spectrum of the company’s capabilities.”

A LEGACY
At some point, the cycle of life will catch up with us all. And that brings us to our last question: What legacy would you like to leave behind? “I’d like to be remembered for building quality cars.” Their relentless dedication to excellence is evident in every car they touch. “As long as a seasoned scrutineer, someone who has inspected hundreds of cars, perhaps thousands over the years, turns round and says the car is absolutely stunning and beautiful, we know we’re doing it right.” It’s not just the restoration side of things that Chris wants to leave a mark on; the racing scene forms the other side of the coin. “In racing, it’s all about successful teamwork. While the car may be the best in the paddock, the driver plays a huge role in any win. We know our cars can lead the field, and with the right drivers, we do win.”

CONCLUSION
Over the years, Competition Classics has grown from a one-man operation into a respected name in historic motorsport, balancing both racing support and car restoration. Chris’ journey began at a young age and saw him work on notable cars like the ’73 Le Mans CSL and 535 Martini car. Despite the demanding nature of the business, their hands-on approach and meticulous attention to detail have earned them a reputation for excellence, especially when it comes to working on the E9.

The business has evolved to handle not just the mechanical aspects but also the intricate bodywork and custom fabrication. With a philosophy that centres on perfection, they focus on clean, professional builds that honour the car’s original design. Beyond the daily routine of working on the cars, they are passionate about keeping the art of classic car restoration alive, passing down these skills to the next generation.

At the heart of Competition Classics is a commitment to meeting and exceeding the customer’s expectations. And it is safe to say their choice of approach has led to success within the classic car community, both on and off track.

COMPETITION CLASSICS LTD
Chris Greenwood
Uckfield, East Sussex (UK)

Phone: +44 (0)1892 771293
Mobile: +44 (0)7980 851394
Email: ch***@********************co.uk

Website: www.competitionclassics.co.uk