ILKLEY’S vehicle servicing, MOT and specialist car restoration garage, Lessian Motors, is celebrating after a classic Porsche 911 they played a role in restoring was entered for sale at the prestigious Bonhams auction house, which took place last week at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The rare 1969 Porsche 911T was purchased by David Graves Specialist Cars of Ilkley in 2011, but required a full strip down and rebuild. With every part of the classic supercar being renovated or replaced during its restoration, David Graves said: “We chose Lessian Motors to paint the newly restored car bodywork because of their expertise and reputation in classic car restoration.

"When we acquired the car it was white – not the original colour, so we decided to return the vehicle to its original ‘Blood Orange’ factory colour.”

The car was spray painted to exacting standards by Lessian Motors, using their specialist ‘low bake’ paint oven and using period-correct ’68 Line’ Glasurit paint formulations, again, supplied by Lessian Motors.

After painting, Lessian engineers also refitted the car’s major mechanical parts such as suspension, engine and gearbox, before returning it to David Graves Specialist Cars to complete the restoration task.

So exacting were the standards of the restoration that the vehicle was awarded the prestigious ‘Certificate of Authenticity’ by Porsche prior to its sale – confirming that it was restored to the factory’s own high standards, and adding further to the car’s value.

After the car’s sale at Bonhams auction, David added: “I am over the moon at the quality and attention to detail the Lessian Motors team delivered on this project. I can’t praise the standard of their craftsmanship high enough. The garage is a gem of an asset for anyone living in or around Ilkey who need to find a quality vehicle servicing or car bodywork and painting provider.”

Lessian Motors was founded in 1977 at its original location in Booths Yard, Nile Road, Ilkley. After many successful years trading and with an expanding customer base, in 1999 the business outgrew its original premises and moved to its current location on Little Lane.

A family-run business with an assurance of quality and service, today, the company is headed by Gerard Simpson, son of its late founder, Les Simpson.