Company History

Continuing the Family Tradition. Founded in 1904 by the Wilkinson Family as repairers and manufacturers of horse drawn vehicles, the company developed to become coachbuilders to the motor trade as it emerged in the 1920's. After two generations, the Wilkinson family was joined by the Gilbert family when Frank Gilbert's Grandfather became a director in 1931. Frank, the third generation of Gilberts in the company, joined his father in 1960 and began to specialise in vintage cars for which he had a personal passion. From restoring vintage Rolls Royces which were made in the same city of Derby decades earlier, Wilkinsons developed over the last 40 years by restoring and building coachwork for a wide variety of quality vintage cars with clients around the world from America to Australia and from Sweden to Japan.

The company is now owned by the Jones Family. Andrew Jones served his apprenticeship and has built up several years experience at Wilkinsons and now leads the company forward into the 21st century. He shares the same passion for the beauty of the finished product and continues the company tradition of care in the making of each item as perfect as it was in the early years of the 20th century.

Our Policy. Unlike modern mass-produced cars, each vintage car is individual. Our policy is to respect the special characteristics of every car entrusted to us and to return it to its original condition without "over-restoring" it. We work closely to our clients specifications and instructions and welcome involvement at every stage of the restoration programme, keeping a detailed up-to-the-minute account of costs involved. We would be delighted to discuss your car with you without commitment and invite you to visit out new premises, where you will see work in progress and can study records of past restorations.