The Toy Shop

The Toy Shop We don't just restore classic cars. We rebuild the thrill. Euro & British restoration, preservation & care for discerning enthusiasts & collectors.

Your local European and British automotive specialists. Contact us for vehicle servicing, repairs, insurance work, restorations, parts and more.

Paint gets the glory, but prep is where the finish is earned. The 1950 Jowett Bradford Pickup has been blocked and sande...
14/07/2026

Paint gets the glory, but prep is where the finish is earned. The 1950 Jowett Bradford Pickup has been blocked and sanded by hand until every panel runs true. The foundation is set and the paint reveal is coming soon.

12/07/2026

Carpet rarely gets the credit. Nick, our interior specialist, takes us inside the 1984 Mercedes 240D Estate as the team strips decades of wear back to the floor pans before hand-fitting new, period-correct loop pile. An interior that exudes comfort and '80s style.

07/07/2026

Classic on the outside. Modern where it counts. The 1970 Volvo P1800's engine bay is coming alive in part 9 of our build series. Air conditioning, modern wiring and coil packs integrated so cleanly you'd swear it left the factory this way. Watch the full episode on YouTube – The Toy Shop Auto.

It's all about the details. Every curve and contour of the 1984 Mercedes 240D Estate's new carpet has been shaped and fi...
05/07/2026

It's all about the details. Every curve and contour of the 1984 Mercedes 240D Estate's new carpet has been shaped and fitted by hand. Period-correct loop pile, cut to follow the interior like it just drove off the factory floor.

02/07/2026

Few vehicles are reinvented as often as the Defender. Farm tool, expedition rig, style icon. Every generation finds a new reason to want one. Karl takes a look back at the 1991 example that we restored a few years ago. Proof that a Defender doesn't age, it just gets reinterpreted.

The 1975 Alfa Romeo GTV2000 wasn't stripped and rebuilt. It was gently preserved, then quietly improved. A modern sound ...
21/06/2026

The 1975 Alfa Romeo GTV2000 wasn't stripped and rebuilt. It was gently preserved, then quietly improved. A modern sound system behind a vintage Becker face. Speakers hidden in the door cards and under a bespoke perforated leather parcel tray. Every modern touch designed to sit inside the Alfa's classic lines.

The best additions are the ones that feel like they could have been there since the car rolled off the factory floor.

Some jobs earn no applause, just a tick in a box. The 1996 Jaguar XJS is in for compliance work after arriving from the ...
14/06/2026

Some jobs earn no applause, just a tick in a box. The 1996 Jaguar XJS is in for compliance work after arriving from the UK. It's the unglamorous part that stands between a car and the open road.

07/06/2026

Fabrication in action – bare metal, clean welds and nowhere to hide.

This is the stage most people never see. Hand-built firewall and trans tunnel, an extended cab for a proper driving position, and a narrowed tunnel to take the five-speed gearbox. Classic body, hot rod soul, with a 4AGE twin-cam underneath.

Progress doesn't always look like progress. The 1975 Alfa Romeo GTV2000 is in the messy middle. The stage where all the ...
02/06/2026

Progress doesn't always look like progress. The 1975 Alfa Romeo GTV2000 is in the messy middle. The stage where all the components start finding their way back to each other. It's not pretty yet, but it will be.

1952 and 2026. 74 years apart, same attention to detail.The 1952 Riley B Sports Saloon is complete. A handcrafted post-w...
31/05/2026

1952 and 2026. 74 years apart, same attention to detail.

The 1952 Riley B Sports Saloon is complete. A handcrafted post-war British touring car from the final era of traditional coachbuilt construction, rebuilt for the road again.

Built with a timber frame beneath its steel panels, restoring it meant rebuilding the foundation of the car itself. The original wooden structure was reconstructed by hand, panels brought back to millimetre-perfect tolerances, and a traditional vinyl roof laid and tacked the original way. The twin carbs were rebuilt and tuned, the wiring renewed, and the original water temperature gauge kept alive by reverse-engineering a modern unit to speak the same 1952 language.

Not a museum piece. A sympathetic resto revival built to be driven and enjoyed for many years to come.

Handcrafted then. Handcrafted again.

Address

188 McLeod Road, Te Atatū South
Auckland
0610

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 5:30pm
Thursday 8am - 5:30pm
Friday 8am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+648008697467

Website

, ,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Toy Shop posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Toy Shop:

Shortcuts

Share

Category