Our petrolhead mechanic team

You get to deal directly with passionate car enthusiasts, petrolheads that love anything automotive, so come meet the team.

Noel-Mews

Noel Mews – Senior Mechanic

Where were you born and where did you grow up
Born in Sydney. Grew up in Blacktown and have lived in Auburn and Five Dock. True Sydney boy.

First car you drove and did your parents know about it at the time
Too far back to remember

How old were you when you learnt to drive

16

First car you owned
Austin Freeway

What cars do you own now?
1954 Hillman Minx

1979 MGBGT

2015 Nissan Navara

First motorsport event
Speedway at Sydney Showgrounds, age about 11

Best motorsport moment
I always loved watching Bathurst. The year I finally went they moved the V8’s & the 2 litre Touring Cars were on. I had come down from QLD to see the V8’s live.

Favourite colour
No favourite colour and no favourite on a car either

Favourite car or type(s) of cars
Favourite was my XB Fairmont 76 hard top, burnt orange with a vinyl roof

What do your mates call you and why
Mewsy. Typical blokes, easy nickname to remember.

Best car you’ve ever driven and why
Honda Accord Euro. Owned and loved that car. I had a Volvo wagon that was ugly as sin but I loved it. Navara is my current car, best car I’ve driven in a while 

Mechanical specialities
All rounder, will give anything a go, but love the classics 

How long have you been qualified and how long have you been in the industry
Started in 1975, been in it on and off ever since. Went into automotive retail for a couple of years but found my way back to the tools 

What do you do when you’re not working on cars
Sleep, and dream about classic cars 

Anything else we should know about you?
Loving being part of the Peninsula team. Great group of people here.

Brandon-Boudville-1

Brandon Boudville – Mechanic

Where were you born and where did you grow up?
Perth, WA. Made the move to Sydney in October last year, but Perth is still ‘home’

First car you drove and did your parents know about it at the time
94 Toyota 4runner. They knew that I had the car but never knew I would to take it out before I had a licence

How old were you when you learnt to drive
15

First car you owned
94 Toyota 4runner

What cars do you own now?
2005 HSV VZ Senator

1987 Holden VL Berlina

2005 Toyota Corolla Sportiva

1989 Toyota Corolla MkII

Favourite colour
Purple

Favourite car or type(s) of cars
All-time favourite is the JX100 chaser. My favourite cars are any 4 door Toyota. Partial to any Japanese or Australian car really.

What do your mates call you and why
Brandito. Best mate Jack called me that one day and it just stuck

What got you hooked on cars and/or motorsport
My grandad, my dad and my uncles. My grandad was a mechanic and the family were always mucking around with cars at the front of his house. Have nice memories of that. Love anything with a motor and wheels. It’s in our blood.

What type of cars/boats/bikes/machines etc have you worked on
All types ranging from 4WD’s, trucks, one tonners, motorbikes and dirt bikes

Mechanical specialities
Anything turbo related. I was a turbo technician for 2 yrs

How long have you been qualified and how long have you been in the industry
Qualified in 2013 & completed my apprenticeship in 2010. Been in it ever since.

What do you do when you’re not working on cars
Look for car parts, but don’t tell the wife haha

Anything else we should know about you?
I  just got married!

Patrick-Connolly-Peninsula-Sports-Cars-mechanic

Patrick Connolly – Apprentice Mechanic

Where were you born and where did you grow up?
Born and grew up in Sydney and always lived here

First car you drove and did your parents know about it at the time
First car I drove was 1976 Honda Civic and yes my dad taught me to drive in it

How old were you when you learnt to drive
16

First car you owned
Mini Moke Californian

What cars do you own now?
1962 MGA Deluxe (very rare only 3 in Aus)

1948 MGTC

2005 VW V6 Multivan

First motorsport event
Bathurst 1000 in 2003 a great weekend sleeping on the hill trackside Saturday night to get position

Best motorsport moment
Peter Brock’s Memorial at Bathurst 2006 Amazing to be there as thousands remembered and celebrated a true Australian legend

Favourite colour
I like Red and British Racing Green

Favourite car or type(s) of cars
My favourite car is my father’s MGTC also enjoy a good old Holden V8

What do your mates call you
Moses for my beard

Best car you’ve ever driven
MGA Mk2 a great balanced comfortable driving experience where I really feel connected to the car

Mechanical specialities
Have been playing with cars as long as I can remember and finally starting my mechanic training officially

What do you do when you’re not working on cars
Windsurfing is my sport and I’m back competing at the nationals after a long break

Anything else we should know about you?
Already teaching my 10yo son to be a car nut like me…

Radford

Radford – Apprentice Mechanic

Where were you born and where did you grow up
Sidcup. South East London UK

First car you drove and did your parents know about it at the time
Porsche 924. No they did not know

How old were you when you learnt to drive
17

First car you owned
1972 Mk1 Escort

What cars do you own now?

1964 MGB Roadster

1968 Mini Cooper S

2005 AC Cobra 5.0 ltr Boss

2021 Ford Ranger

First motorsport event
Banger racing at Arena Essex

Best motorsport or motoring moment
Doing 185mph in my TVR Cerbera

Favourite colour
Blue

Favourite car or type(s) of cars
AC Shelby Cobra. Most 60’s to 80’s cars

What do your mates call you and why
Rad, cos I am

Best car you’ve ever driven and why
Tough one between my AC Cobra and my TVR Cerbera. Both beautiful cars and wicked fast.

Mechanical specialities
Restoration and anything Mini

What do you do when you’re not working on cars
Work on Houses

Anything else we should know about you?
I love music, reading and travel.

Staff member repairing a car

Richard Blanks – Mechanic’s Assistant

Where were you born and where did you grow up
Aldershot (home of British Military)

First car you drove and did your parents know about it at the time
Ford Capri Mk2 1.6L (and yes)

How old were you when you learnt to drive
16

First car you owned
Ford Capri Mk2 1.6L

What car do you own now?
1966 Cortina GT MkII

First motorsport event
Banger racing at local circuit 10mins from home. Had events every Thursday night ranging from Mk2 Escort category to demolition derbies. Loved the smells, sounds and sights and really lucky to have it so close by.

Best motorsport or motoring moment
Attending a Santa Pod Drag Racing meet – Top Fuel and Funny cars are absolutely insane!

Favourite colour
Red

Favourite car or type(s) of cars
UK Fords (Capri’s & Escorts) and Jags

What do your mates call you and why
Blanksy (usual adding of a Y) or Woody (went to a fancy dress party thinking I’d nailed the Clint Eastwood look and a girl asked me if I’d come as Woody from Toy Story, mates weren’t going to let that opportunity slide!)

Best car you’ve ever driven and why
Lamborghini Gallardo – awesome sound and pure smile factor.

What do you do when you’re not working on cars
parenting, home renos, music (listening, vinyl stores, live gigs)

Anything else we should know about you?
Love my UK football (soccer 🙁) – Chelsea’s my team and have an affinity to WWII planes via my Grandad, my favourite being the Spitfire which I was lucky enough to fly in this year.

Ken-McFarlane

Ken McFarlane – Assembly specialist

Where were you born and where did you grow up
Born in Mater Crows Nest. Grew up in St George area

Where do you call home
Mona Vale. Nice part of the world

First car you drove and did your parents know about it at the time
The one I can remember is a very early model Torana. I recall going to the Caringbah drive in, about 16 yrs old, everyone was piled in the boot to sneak in & not pay for a ticket. Owner of the car was also in the boot! 

How old were you when you learnt to drive
16 yrs

First car you owned
1966 VW station wagon. I wished I had kept it. A great car. A young surfer’s car.

What car do you own now?
1968 MGB GT

First motorsport event
Never raced but my cousin lived with us in the late 60’s & he dragged me along to a few events. He stayed with us while posted in an admin role during the Vietnam war so loved some down time adventure. 

Favourite colour
Blue

Favourite car or type(s) of cars
I have an MGB GT which I love. Ferrari Dino – I would have one if I could. Or a Maserati Ghibli, add that to the shopping list.

What do your mates call you and why
Macca in the air force. 

Ken Wah – I have got a mate that shapes boards & he made a board for Tom Curran (famous surfer), a Ba Wah. We were talking about it & he made me a board & christened it after me – Ken Wah.

What got you hooked on cars and/or motorsport
As a young bloke in 1968, MG’s were recently introduced and it’s wasn’t long that they were in production until I fell in love with them. 

Best car you’ve ever driven and why
My VW station wagon. Throw the boards in the back and head off down the coast. I couldn’t afford a kombi but the wagon did the job.

Mechanical specialities
All rounder, but focus on reassembly 

How long have you been qualified and how long have you been in the industry
Auto mechanic since March last year, at Peninsula. Aircraft maintenance engineer by trade for over 40 years. Started off in RAAF in 81. 

What do you do when you’re not working on cars
Surf as often as I can. Yoga and Stretching classes. Did Bikram for about 5 yrs. 

Jack-McFarlane

Jack McFarlane – Mechanic’s Assistant

Where were you born and where did you grow up
I’m an Irish/Australian who was born in Saudi Arabia of all places! Moved to Sydney New Year’s Day 2002

First car you drove and did your parents know about it at the time
The first car I really drove and learned to drive was my old man’s 1969 MGB GT. My first and current car is my Subaru 2008 Impreza

First motorsport event
I visited a HSRCA event out at eastern creek a couple of years back. I have an interest in history also too, it was a real privilege to see two of my interests come together and come to life

Favourite colour
Green

Favourite car or type(s) of cars
I have a keen interest in classic rally cars, in particular the group B rally cars of the 1980s, love my MGs and old Datsuns of course!

What do your mates call you and why
Jack, Jacky, Jacky boy. It’s hard to keep track I’ve been called a lot of things in my short but colourful life!

Best car you’ve ever driven and why
MGB GT, don’t think I’ll ever get tired of driving one, real driving. And the MG Roadster my boss was kind enough to let me take for a spin 😉

Mechanical specialities
Learning from the best!

What do you do when you’re not working on cars
Video games of all things! I also work as a Chef in a commercial kitchen. On my days free I’m tinkering with my motorbike, building/painting model planes and things. Love skateboarding and bodyboarding and never miss an opportunity to head the snow.

Justin-Chamberlain-Herd

Justin Chamberlain-Herd – Mechanic’s Assistant

Where were you born and where did you grow up
I was born in Mona Vale, NSW and I grew up in Terry Hills, then Belrose and now live in Narraweena

What’s your favourite Colour(s)?
Right now its Orange and Black 

Favourite Type(s) of cars?
Old School Muscle Cars and maybe a few Supercars 

What do your mates and family call you and why?
It varies usually but I’m just called Jus around my family, my mates call me Justang the Mustang as like a cool rhyme 

What do you do when you’re not working on cars?
I play on the Guitar and Bass or I’m gaming on my computer and consoles 

What got you interested in cars?
My family has had good history with cars especially family over western Sydney, so I just followed along. I also got interested in cars when I saw this really nice Porsche 911 GT3RS go past my primary school one time and that ignited my passion for cars

What would be your ultimate career path?
To tour around the world playing music and restore old muscle cars

Geoff-Morse

Geoff Morse (Morsey) – Founder

Where were you born and where did you grow up?
Born Christmas Day 1948 in Sydney, grew up in the country around New England, Inverell. Now living in Davidson, Frenchs Forest

First car you drove
First I drove was a 1934 Chev, standard sedan, mechanical brakes, crash gearbox, purchased for 30 pound aged 15, followed by a 1952 MG TD both before getting my licence at 17

How old were you when you learnt to drive
Learnt to drive aged 12 around the paddocks of a property at Elsmore near Inverell. Model A ford truck from the late 20`s.

 

First car you owned
In the late 1970`s I competed in many hill climbs & super sprints in my Sunbeam Tiger. First full race meeting was in 1983 HSRCA Historic race meeting January at Amaroo

First motorsport event
Never won a race . however I did win the Group S championship in the early 90`s

Numerous accidents in the old Alpine, nick named Elvis {many hits ]

Favourite colour
I like my race cars blue, my lucky colour ?

Favourite car or type(s) of cars
Always been a Sunbeam man, Tigers my choice although all I can afford now is a Rapier.

What do your mates call you and why
Morsey

What got you hooked on cars and/or motorsport
Dad started taking me to race meetings when I was about 15 and I loved it. Never stopped loving it.

What type of cars/boats/bikes/machines etc have you worked on
Anything and everything classic, British and Sports – MG’s, Aston Martins, Austin Healeys, Sunbeams, Triumphs, Hillmans, Morris’ and so many more.

Mechanical specialities
Never been a qualified mechanic, but always done most of my own work including engine rebuilds

How long have you been in the industry
All my life, and that’s a fair while!

What do you do when you’re not working on cars
Now semi retired whilst not working I spend my time in the garden & enjoying time with my 5 grand children & hopefully more cruising the oceans when Covid allows

 

Come and visit the workshop. We’ll chat about cars, lament the rise of soulless, silent electric vehicles, & debate which model was best for each example of the cars currently in house.