Overdrive Classic Cars Ltd - Kieren Harper Classic Coachworks (Bucks) LtdVintage Dubs LtdKieren Harper Extracted my money, didn't complete the agreed repairs and severely damaged my car - a conman and incompetent body shop company Milton Keynes United Kingdom

My unfortunate dealings with Kieran Harper and his classic car restoration company - Overdrive Classic Cars Ltd - started in January 2014 when I agreed with Kieran Harper a minor body restoration and complete repaint of my valuable Jaguar E-type Roadster that would include the body being media blasted down to the metal and the necessary repairs to any corrosion found when the paint was removed.  

I delivered the stripped body shell, bonnet, doors and boot lid in January as agreed, but after 3 months NOTHING had been done to the car at all!  He claimed he was having trouble getting a contractor to shot blast the body shell and would start stripping the old paint manually. Eventually, another MONTH later, I was informed the paint was all stripped off.  

It was then requested that I pay an interim payment of 20% to pay for materials and paint, I was emailed an invoice from Overdrive, but the payment was to be made to a different company bank account "Vintage Dubs Ltd", this was evidently a previous company name?  I hesitantly paid the invoice. 

I then went to examine the bare metal body, which proved to be in remarkably good condition.  There were some minor corrosion holes in the wheel arches and floor that he said would now be immediately repaired prior to priming the car and commencing 'body-shaping' to get the line of the body and panel fit of the bonnet, doors and boot lid to show standard. He said this would take two weeks.

Yet another month later, and no contact, I paid a surprise visit to him and found my valuable car pushed into a corner a full of junk! Kieran Harper explained the car was now in 'final primer' and ready for top coat.  It was apparent from inspecting the body that the car had been given a amateurish thick and messy coat of grey primer despite the fundamental welding work to the corroded panels NOT being yet done or the panel gaps being worked on.

The car was a COMPLETE mess.  He explained that the corrosion and body shut lines are going to be sorted before final colour painting and that it would be ready in two weeks, he then asked for ANOTHER 10% up-front payment before he could commence as this would be to pay for paint and materials - again!  I had no choice but to agree to his demand or otherwise he would not continue with the job.  Again I received an invoice from Overdrive asking for payment into Vintage Dubs Ltd bank account.  I very nervously paid up.

After another month, and no contact, I emailed him to find out what was happening and to express my serious concerns. He replied saying that he could no longer continue the job as it was "...to big for him" and "...I don't have the resources or tools necessary to complete the job to the required standard", and therefore come and collect your body.

I emailed him and said I would collect the next day as I was concerned for the safety of my very valuable body shell.  I arranged for a specialist company to collect the body and I would meet them at Overdrive Classic Cars Ltd to help.  When I arrived the following morning I saw the body for the first time in a month and was appalled at the state of the body! There were now serious dents in the previously perfect bonnet and boot lid, which looked as if it had been dropped on to its edge from a quite a height, and one front sill leg was badly dented and mis-shapen. Several irreplaceble parts were also missing and the body was in a filthy state, I was totally devastated.

The body was taken straight to a well-known E-type restoration specialist, who gave a report on the work carried out which concluded that NO repairs had been carried out and some extensive damage had been done to the sheet metal which would require £4,000 to rectify BEFORE the original works could commence and painting begin.

Harper agreed at the point of collection that he would refund my upfront deposit payments due the state of the body, he asked for two weeks grace as he had no spare money.  Needless to say, that was over a month ago and no refund has been received and despite my constant efforts to contact him, he will not reply to my emails or letters and he does not answer his phone - it goes straight into message mode! - and has not contacted me.

On investigating his company, I have now discovered he has set up a NEW company called CLASSIC COACHWORKS (BUCKS)Ltd, and he has applied to Companies House to have Overdrive Classic Cars Ltd struck Off!!  He obviously is now planning to walk away from his responsibilities.

Since my traumatic experience with this conman and fraudster I have had many sleepless nights and have posted my experiences with him onto several forums and classic car websites to warn others of this incompetent crook.  This has now resulted in FOUR other victims contacting me.  We are all working together now to get justice and to ensure others will not become victims of his latest phoenix company - Classic Coachworks (Bucks) Ltd. - BE WARNED!!

If anyone reading this has also been a victim of Kieran Harper or his numerous companies, please contact me.  Together we can get justice and prevent him ripping off others.