One classic car. One festival. Three days to restore a vehicle using parts bought exclusively on eBay.
That was the challenge at the recent Silverstone Classic and a team of expert mechanics were up for the task.
The Silverstone Classic is an annual motor racing festival attracting over 100,000 car enthusiasts and their families.
In addition to being the exclusive parts and accessories partner for the event, eBay’s tent also featured the “Restoration Challenge,” an endeavor to restore a classic 1983 Range Rover purchased on eBay with parts bought exclusively on eBay as well. The project was the first ever of its kind in the history of the Silverstone Classic.
“It’s always great when we get to bring the eBay brand to life,” said eBay’s Abbi Hague, one of the event’s organizers.
Led by expert mechanic Fergus Walkinshaw, the team completely restored a 1983 Range Rover in just three days. They began work early Friday morning and worked through the weekend, walking the live audience in attendance through every step of the restoration.
Effectively a complete overhaul of the vehicle, the restoration used 118 parts bought from 80 different sellers on eBay and included fundamental updates like replacing the car’s suspension and infrastructure as well as totally replacing the interior.
The festival also welcomed David Newell, the winner of the eBay Car Challenge. Similar to the Range Rover restoration project, eBay gave three car fanatics in the UK $4,000 to purchase parts on eBay and restore their respective vehicles. David’s 1973 MK3 Triumph GT6 beat out the competition and awarded him a spot at Silverstone.
The weekend’s activities were eBay’s first appearance at the Silverstone Classic. Matt Wilkin, from the UK eBay Motors team, described the weekend as a “fantastically well-organized event which united motor racing enthusiasts of all ages.”