James joined us our Stores Department as a Team Leader and has been responsible for creating this new department that has given our service departments increased efficiency and an improved level of parts, consumables, and materials stock. Along with the growth of Malton Coachworks, the Parts department has expanded as James stepped up to become the Parts Manager in 2025. The management and control of parts has become even more crucial as the business continues to grow. James has spent over ten years in the motor trade, working up from a Sales Advisor to Branch Manager before seeking a new challenge. Cars were the chosen career for James, for as long as he can remember he’s been fascinated by anything with an engine. James has a natural flare for customer service which led him into the motor trade as a sales advisor, combining his passions and skills.James is a true car fanatic, and in his own words…

I grew up with classics cars, my Dad had a Triumph Herald from when I was very young, I used to “help” whenever I could as he restored it. He also had a beautifully restored VW Westfalia Bay in which we had many a cramped family holiday, and he currently has a stunning Austin Maxi. When I was 16, we bought a Mini from a local scrapper with the intention to restore it as my first car. One rot hole led to another and we ended up finding a 1980 Russet Brown Mini Clubman Estate in much better shape for sensible money. We restored it together in the garage and slapped some L plates on it and away I went, I passed my test and before long I was looking at classic to call my own! Two Hillman Imps and thousands of miles later, I was at University studying Design for Digital Media and in a much more mundane and boring modern car. But that little brown mini never left my Dads Garage. Fast forward to 2022, my parents had moved up north and the mini was sitting in borrowed storage space, my T25 project had stalled with the amount of welding it needed (and maybe a totally unneeded engine conversion) so I decided to go dig the clubby out and get it on the road, as usual, the welding was twice what was expected but after a few weekends and evening of grafting later and its once again on the road and will be for as long as I can keep it there! To me, cars can be much more than a means of transport, they create memories, hold stories and steal hearts, this little brown car is a part of who I am and the story I have, and I think many people have the same link to their cars. It’s even on Instagram @thatbrownclubbyestate