Car Features
Modern Classic Cars is more than a resto business
This Sydney-based facility is much more than a conventional historic vehicle restoration and maintenance business, because the expert staff work in conjunction with the Modern Classic Cars Foundation.
This Foundation is an ACNC-approved Not-for-Profit Charity that is dedicated to training people in the skills required across various traditional trades. The Foundation’s aim is to ensure a supply of tradespeople, who can help restore and maintain veteran, classic, hot rod and muscle car vehicles.
The plan is to include motorcycles from 2026.
The Foundation provides fee-free skills training to apprentices across various trades and areas relating to the specialist vehicle industry. It aims to provide opportunities to young people looking to turn their love of classic cars into a career, making that task as supportive and easy as possible.
MCCF covers all its apprentices’ training costs, provides them with the tools, equipment and PPE required for their chosen trade. The Foundation also gives ongoing support and training opportunities as these apprentices complete their education and enter the workforce as qualified tradespeople.
Historic Vehicles’ Allan Whiting called into the Bankstown MCC premises in July 2025, to see how the business was going. The number of projects on hand suggested that the place was very busy and that was confirmed by the company’s founder, David Dyer.
The Modern Classic Cars workshop was full of projects that varied from nut and bolt restoration projects to routine maintenance for several classic vehicles.
There were also some vehicles being stored for their owners, including a very tidy Mustang rag-top and a 3.8 Jag.
The nut and bolt restoration projects included an MG B that was almost ready for the paint shop that’s remotely located, to avoid any dust issues. Another ground-up resto job was an International Scout that brought back memories to me of the less than successful Australian launch, back in the mid-1970s.
A LHD WWII Jeep was about to undergo the Modern Classic Cars treatment and the powertrain had been removed as a unit, ready for disassembly and rebuild. Hopefully, Jeep Australia – a division of the giant Stellantis Group – is helping with this task, because it’s destined for a charity raffle when the restoration is completed.
The ancient Jeep sat beside a restomod project that began life as a Mercedes-Benz Gelandewagen 300GD, with an in-line, five-cylinder diesel that produced a meagre 88bhp and 127lb ft of torque. We’ll do a story on this repowered, rebuilt and sensibly modified G-wagen, when the job is finished.
Speaking of sensible: I was impressed by a stock-looking Triumph Dolomite that sported the V8 it should have had from the factory, instead of a half-V8. Also desirable was an MG A that sported MCC’s coil-sprung and disc-braked rear axle kit.
Other treasures included a race-prepped Lotus Elan, a beautifully stock Triumph TR6, a neat MG Y, a very nice black MG TF, an original-looking Porsche 911 and David Dyer’s own supercharged MG TD.
David also walked me around a UK-sourced, Frontline Cars’ MG B Abingdon edition and it was love at first sight. MCC is an Australian agent for this restomod specialist.
Drooling over the neat installation of a 285bhp Mazda 2.5-litre, DOHC four in the MG B’s engine bay was a natural reaction, I reckoned and the beautifully appointed interior made mock of the original BMC-British Leyland efforts. (AW also remembered working on his mate’s oil-coated MG A Twin Cam many years ago, so the contrast was stark.)
Other improvements over the asthmatic original included six-link, coil-sprung rear axle, four disc brakes and a stiffened uni-body structure. We’re longing to get a little more familiar with one of these beauties.
However, this degree of mechanical and interior refinement doesn’t come cheaply, so you’ll need more than 200 grand in reserve. Of course, if you’ve got even more readies, you could always opt for the Frontline MG B GT LE60, with enhanced, 375bhp, 4.8-litre aluminium V8 engine!
In the meantime, like all Not-for-Profit Charities, the Modern Classic Cars Foundation needs support in ensuring the future of the specialist car industry. Whether you’re able to donate, volunteer your time or become a business partner, your generosity will help MCCF train and educate young people to share our passion for classic and heritage vehicles.
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