Repair Shop: Flying Circus English Cars Limited, Durham, North Carolina, USA

Flying Circus English Cars services and maintains all models of English cars from prewar Bentleys and MGs to the latest Land Rovers and Jaguars.

As a cost-effective alternative to dealer service, they perform factory scheduled maintenance for Jaguars and Land Rovers still under warranty. For new models or older models with more extensive service needs they can usually repair or replace even the most difficult-to-obtain items in just a few days.

They have built upon the factory-specified checklists for older models to include items that experience has shown to be needed for long-term reliability. They design and build special equipment and tools to maintain these cars far beyond the lifespans anticipated by the factory checklists.

They have developed procedures for repairing accident damage and rust damage and can handle the entire process of repair from retrieving the car to painting and final detailing. They take great pride in performing repairs that maintain the originality of the vehicle through the use of OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts and replicating factory welds and seams.

They can provide special equipment and components that are no longer available including telescopic shock absorber conversion kits that bolt in place, custom roll cages, sheet metal replacement parts, floor pan replacements and much more.

Their popular "Pre-Buy" inspection report has been a valuable service to many people who needed to better understand a used car's condition before purchase.

Theyoffer several levels of vehicle "detailing" to keep your car looking great, from a wash and vacuum to a full detailing including treatment of leather and thorough steam cleaning of the engine bay and undercarriage.

Flying Circus grew out of Toby and his brother Simon's longtime interest in restoring English cars. After years of the family driveway being filled with various English cars, Toby, Simon, and Alan moved the fledgling company into its first premises on Brewer Lane in Carrboro, NC - a 4 car lockup industrial building that they rented from their good friend Max Scroggs at A Better Wrench. They had few tools, few manuals, no lift, but a wealth of knowledge and passion for English cars - and for helping their customers enjoy owning and driving their cars.

The rapid and tremendous growth of the company over the next few years required more staff and sister Sarah joined to keep up with the needs of Flying Circus's growing base of customers. In September 1994, Flying Circus English Cars moved to its present location on East Pettigrew Street in Durham.

Siblings Toby and Sarah Briggs own and operate Flying Circus English Cars. Their involvement with English cars continues a long family tradition. As a young man, father Alan Briggs was apprenticed as a draughtsman to Morris Motors Engines Branch in Coventry. The Engines Branch made engines and transmissions for Morris cars and trucks back when Coventry was the English equivalent of Detroit. Alan moved up to production efficiency management at the Engines Branch and later consulted for TRW and Jaguar. Mother Patricia Briggs grew up near Coventry, daughter of a Rover car dealer. Great Grandfather John Hill and his brother built horse-drawn carriages and, later, did custom coachwork at their Hill Brothers Coach Builders in Warwick from the early 1900s to just after World War II. Grandfather Alan Huckvale operated H and H Transport (later H and H Motors) selling and servicing Rovers and other English cars in Kenilworth from the 1930s to the 60s. And Uncle Gerald Huckvale recently retired from his own garage in Bredon, Gloucestershire.