{"id":7865,"date":"2020-10-12T08:07:29","date_gmt":"2020-10-12T08:07:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/?p=7865"},"modified":"2024-09-12T10:19:53","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T09:19:53","slug":"iain-tyrrell-classic-cars-british-eccentricity-with-an-italian-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/iain-tyrrell-classic-cars-british-eccentricity-with-an-italian-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Iain Tyrrell Classic Cars – British Eccentricity with an Italian Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"

The thing about classic cars is that nobody needs<\/em> one. They are a toy, a luxury, a thing of passion and heart, not bought through sound logic and reason. We might need a car to get to and from work, or do the school run, and while it may be exciting to use an E Type, it\u2019s not a firm prerequisite. Classic cars let us explore our automotive passions, they remind us why we love cars, they remind us that despite being nothing more than a mass of metal, rubber and leather, they can be members of the family. They can be personalities in their own right. <\/p>\n

\"Iain<\/p>\n

Take a German classic. Staid, solid and unerringly reliable. They can be beautiful, but they are restrained with it. A British classic conjures up a personality of being plucky, keen and eager to please but capable of falling over its own feet in a heartbeat. Then you have the Italian classics. Soulful, bellowing personalities wearing a sharp suit and only ever seen in the most prestigious of settings. Okay, we might be stereotyping a bit there, but the bedrock of the sentiment remains – different classics have different personalities. <\/p>\n

\"Iain<\/p>\n

It\u2019s with that thought that we turn to Iain Tyrrell<\/a>. He is, make no mistake about it, a larger than life character. But not in a brash or imposing way. Instead, you find yourself hanging onto his every word as he talks of his company\u2019s offerings and current projects. As we sat there, listening to Iain answer our questions, the passion with which he spoke was gripping. He\u2019s brimming with enthusiasm; he clearly lives and breathes for the incredible machines sitting in his workshop, and he most definitely has a huge deal of personal investment in the quality of what he and his company does. The business bears his name, yes. But it\u2019s the man behind the name, for whom this business is so obviously an extension of his very being, that\u2019s what makes this place special. <\/p>\n

\"Iain<\/p>\n

\"Iain<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been nutty about cars, the first word I said was car!\u201d Enthuses Iain, as he begins to tell us how he got to where he is now. He admits to always having a passion for engineering and mechanics, and as such, studied both art and engineering for his A Levels. It was a positive choice of subjects, as he soon landed a job with a Rolls Royce Service Centre, namely the one his parents used for their Silver Cloud II.<\/p>\n

\"Iain<\/p>\n

\"Iain<\/p>\n

Iain started as a trainee mechanic at the age of 19, but it wasn\u2019t long before he felt the need to brighten his horizons, so at the age of 21 he set up his own company, Tyrrell Engineering, from which he would be able to truly make a name for himself. \u201cWe did all kinds of mechanical work on all kinds of cars. From Bristols to Lotus Cortinas, we\u2019d do it all. But the first car I actually restored from the ground up was a 246 Dino. I walked into the guy\u2019s office in Birkenhead and said \u2018if I can convince you I know what I\u2019m doing, can I work on your car?\u2019\u201d Quite a bold move for a fellow in his early twenties, but it paid off. Iain got the job. <\/p>\n

\"Iain<\/p>\n

Things grew from there. Tyrrell Engineering existed from 1984 through to 1996, and during that time the company\u2019s profile grew to such a level that it was appointed as the only external agent cleared to carry out warranty work on behalf of Rolls Royce and Bentley. But after this, things took an interesting and somewhat different turn. Iain was able to put his vast knowledge to good use by working as an expert consultant on cases involving high-end machinery, most notably being the Lord Brocket case. <\/p>\n

\"Iain<\/p>\n

Soon though, there was a need to get back to cars and with it came an important evolutionary step in Iain\u2019s vehicular offerings. In 2004, Cheshire Classic Cars was born, occupying the same place as today. The idea was simple in that Iain and his small but incredibly knowledgeable team would offer a complete service facility. That meant buying, selling, service, repair; the works. <\/p>\n

However, the sales side wasn\u2019t something that ever really \u2018did it\u2019 for Iain. \u201cIt was moving away from my sweet spot, which was the technical side of things. It was too sales orientated, too big.\u201d Looking back on the time, Iain expands \u201cit seemed like a good idea at the time, I could fall back on my technical knowledge. But ultimately, the sales weren\u2019t where my heart was. I still do the odd deal here and there, of my choosing, but it\u2019s more for fun now than as a business function. That\u2019s where the business as it is today comes in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In 2018, the business evolved into its current guise. A landmark destination for owners of some of the world\u2019s rarest and most highly sought-after machinery. Iain has never once taken his journey here for granted, and has instead learned and adapted, and discovered where best his talents, abilities and passions lie, resulting in the business in place today. And certainly, the clients Iain attracts would stand to cement the company\u2019s reputation. <\/p>\n