Proserpine’s Restoration Experts

The six and a half years Ash Barnicoat has been owner of Proserpine Smash Repairs & Restoration have seen him cultivate his passion for classic cars.

The qualified panel beater and spray painter of over 20 years “grew up in a wrecking yard around cars” where he learned to love the design and trademark ‘look’ of cars from yesteryear.

Now in Proserpine running his popular crash repairer business, he’s managed to find a perfect balance between his customer-base - the good, salt of the earth people of the sugarcane town – and his love for working on cars from a time when craftmanship was king.

“It took us two years to build up the business, and now we specialise in those old cars because I love them,” Ash said.

“We still do insurance claims; we still do those regular things, but the restorations are what really excites me. It’s the best part of my job.”

Ash, who runs his business alongside his wife of 28 years, Deb Barnicoat, said that she acted as the brains while he was the “peasant panel beater out on the floor”, and the pair were so grateful to be a part of Proserpine’s community.

“For us, it’s the small town that we really enjoy aside from the restorations. The people are so good: you can leave your keys in the car and no one will take it – that’s the kind of place it is,” Ash said.

“They’ve been good to us and I think we’ve been good to them. The Prossie people, they’re so down to earth and honest that it’s made it a pleasure to own the business here.”

Proserpine Smash Repairs & Restoration specialise in every facet of panel beating and repairs, working in tangent with insurance companies to get you back on the road, or helping you fix up your classic Mustang or Chevrolet.

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Proserpine Smash Repairs & Restoration owner Ash Barnicoat

Image: Declan Durrant