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November 14, 2025
Known for their award-winning restorations and second-to-none craftsmanship, Hilton & Moss tell us the stories of their favourite classic car restorations.
A true icon and often considered as the world’s first supercar, the Mercedes-Benz W198 300SL Gullwing is an automotive masterpiece. This particular Gullwing has been subject to an extensive nut and bolt restoration, a project that has taken over 3 years and 4,000 hours to perfect. No stone was left unturned with this car, and the talented technicians at Hilton & Moss went great lengths to preserve original markings, stamps and factory features. Finished in period-correct DB180G Silver-Grey Metallic paintwork paired with 1079 Red leather with complementing Rudge wheels, it is a timeless and authentic combination that perfectly captures the spirit of the 1950s.
Every element of this car, from the chassis and body work, to engine and running gear rebuilds and interior trim was all done in-house by the Hilton & Moss team.
One of the standout projects in our top five restorations is the complete colour transformation of a Ferrari Dino 246 GT. Originally finished in Nuovo Giallo (20-Y-490), this beautiful example underwent a full respray at Hilton & Moss to the legendary Rosso Chiaro (20-R-190). Every panel was carefully prepared and refinished to concours standards, capturing the timeless allure of Ferrari’s most iconic shade. The result is a stunning Dino that perfectly showcases our team’s craftsmanship and attention to detail, breathing new life into one of Maranello’s most celebrated designs.
Another highlight among our top restorations is the beautiful Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider, meticulously restored and refinished in a modern Alfa Romeo colour, the stunning three-stage pearl Etna Red. This vibrant shade adds depth and richness to the car’s elegant lines, blending classic Italian design with a contemporary twist. Every element of the restoration was completed to the highest standard by the Hilton & Moss team, resulting in a car that celebrates Alfa Romeo’s timeless spirit with a fresh, modern finish.
Not only was the car body restored and repainted, the running gear and suspension was also subject to restoration. This also included a number of suspension and brake upgrades using specialist Alfaholics upgrade kit.
Among our standout Mercedes-Benz projects is the complete cosmetic restoration of this elegant W126 560 SEC. Already in good condition, the car was entrusted to Hilton & Moss by its enthusiastic owner to be returned to its original “showroom fresh” appearance. After a thorough inspection, our team focused on the bodywork, carrying out a full disassembly and repaint in DB199 Gloss Black, alongside meticulous preparation and refinishing of the two-tone Sacco panels using Mercedes-approved materials. Every detail was restored to perfection, including new trim clips, weather seals, badges, and re-veneered interior woodwork. Once reassembled, the car received a full service, detail, and ceramic coating, ensuring it looks and drives as beautifully as the day it left the factory.
This beautiful F355 is finished in one of the most striking colours, Le Mans Blue. The commission for this car was to visually refresh the paintwork after many years of stone chipping and use. After a comprehensive disassembly, a detailed parts list was compiled to ensure smooth reassembly.
With this era of sports car, many plastic trim clips were used that became brittle over time, so all were replaced during assembly with genuine Ferrari items. The bodywork of the car was carefully assessed for previous repairs and damage before primer and paint preparation by our expert team. As with all older vehicles, they do not respond well to repeated cold starts, so we used the latest equipment from Stringo to transport the car into our paint shop without running the engine.
The highest quality paint materials were used to achieve the best possible finish, followed by many hours of polishing to leave a result even finer than factory quality and free from orange peel. During reassembly, every component removed was cleaned and treated before being refitted. With the panels off, the engine bay and inner sections were also deep-cleaned and detailed.
The Hilton & Moss Pre’63 Jaguar E-Type Race Car was restored to full pre-’63 race specification, demonstrating not only our depth of expertise in classic Jaguar restoration but also our capability to prepare, run and maintain a competitive period race car. Finished in the ultra-rare colour of Roman Purple with a silver hardtop and a complementing Harris Tweed interior, this distinctive E-Type attracts attention wherever it competes and has become a standout presence on circuits across the UK.
