Let the Paynes take the strain
Article from "Classic & Sports Car" Magazine by Paul Hardiman
Tim Payne with Lagonda head on new boring machine.
It's encouraging for the enthusiast when the boss of an engineering firm has oil under his fingernails. And Tim Payne is most definitely a hands-on boss. He's the third generation of Paynes to run the family engineering business, taking over just a couple of years ago from his father John.
First he independently built up his own business designing and manufacturing overdrives for vintage Bentleys and Rolls-Royces, of which more than 100 have been fitted: "When the old man decided he'd had enough I bought him out and moved the overdrive business up here. We also do them for LandRovers now, after I became curious and fitted one to my own Defender."
Classics are in the family Tim has a 1937 AJS motorcycle in 'gentle restoration', a 1950 LandRover and an MGB. And while Paynes - established in 1914 as 'engineers to the motor trade' and probably the best-known engineering shop in Oxfordshire - will carry out any machining and engine reconditioning work, from cylinder boring to drum skimming, more time is being given over to classic specialist services, especially with many owners now clamouring for unleaded valve seat conversions.
