Dream workshop
TOLMAN ENGINEERING
Dream workshop
Warwickshire-based Tolman Engineering builds some of the most exquisite Peugeot 205 GTis. We take a look at the facilities where these perfect hot hatches are created
It’ s been five years since I last visited Tolman Engineering. A lot has changed since then. I don’ t just mean the recovering and readjustment from a global pandemic. Or the wave of companies restoring and modifying classics and modern classic cars, of which Tolman is a significant part. I mean a lot has changed at Tolman – a shift in the company’ s focus and a physical shift around of its premises, with new build areas and a fresh engine shop.
It’ s expanded, essentially. Five years ago, Tolman was predominantly a motorsport and race support company that built and ran historic cars to GT3s, but it had just finished building its first restomod. I’ m not sure I like that term. Restomod is far too broad and covers everything from the carbon-bodied engine-swapped stylised Porsche 911s that Singer reimagines to replacing some carburettors for an injection system on a Triumph Spitfire. But I can’ t think of a better term, so let’ s stick with it. Tolman’ s initial restomod was a Lotus Sunbeam. It was kitted out with GT3 spec components, high-end dampers, a sequential‘ box, and just about every mundane part of the original car that had been thrown out to make space for some trick bit of kit. It retained the 16-valve 2.1-litre slant four of the original car, but it had been made to run on modern fuel injection and a fully programmable ECU. It was a track car with a cage and bucket seats, a hardcore rally fan’ s version of a restomod.
It should have been an animal. Especially as I only drove it in the wet. But it was loyal and controllable, durable and yet still retained enough of the Sunbeam’ s silliness too. Know your Talbot Sport history well enough, and Tolman’ s next car, a Peugeot 205 GTi, makes perfect sense. It’ s the little Pug that was the catalyst in the company’ s shift. This restomod was just as in-depth, just as exacting, just as perfect down to the last detail as the Sunbeam. But rather than an all-out track monster,
48 The Engine Rebuilder Issue 01