Born into a family with a Grandfather as a celebrated WWII Dutch Resistance hero, it is no surprise that Ernesto Kloostra, owner of Garage Ernesto's, is passionate about the past and understands that adrenaline can be a good thing. 

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With adventure in the genes, the Kloostra family relocated from Utrecht in Holland to Saint Chinian in the South of France in the late 1980's. On a mission to restore a wine domain and develop wine trade from the region to the Netherlands and Belgium, there followed many years of hard work under hot sun, but the Kloostra family home was as much about petrol as it was about wine. For Ernesto, precious childhood memories were formed from trips to school on winding roads through vineyards in a V8 engined Triumph driven by his Mother, and a birthday gift of a Citroën Dyane from his Father for his 6th birthday. By the age of seven, Ernesto was driving and learning to repair his Citroen, while his school friends were only just starting to ride bicycles.

 

In the early 1990's, Ernesto trained and qualified as an automotive mechanic, launching Garage Ernesto's in 1999. Over time, the business has grown and developed, today seeing a skilled and dedicated team offering a complete range of restoration, repair and maintenance services, and sales for all types of historic vehicles. 

 

More recently, our appetite for adventure has continued through active participation in motor sport events at Paul Ricard, Angouleme and Pau, providing a clear understanding of exactly what is required in mechanical preparation for ultimate performance. Adrenaline and experience has also  come in other ways, through the high-profile brokering of historically significant racing car sales, including a GT40 with important racing history and a number of famous Formula 1 Grand Prix cars. 

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From special operations in WWII, to a seven year old driving a Citroen Dyane through vineyards, to servicing and selling important classic vehicles, it's an insight into our story so far, and the ingrained qualities that lead our business and drive the passion that we share with you.
 

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