Performance cars ltd Brentford

[Dr Jekyll]

Back in the nineties I used to regularly use the A4 through Brentford and used to see a derelict car lot on the junction with Windmill road with the words 'Performance cars ltd' in faded red paint on a white wall. I often sat in traffic jams wondering how long it had been there and when it closed.

Last week I noticed it was still there and doesn't look any different. Does anyone know the story?

[Gilly1]

Performance Cars was a well known garage in Brentford specialising in Aston Martins. The site that you mention with the red paint on the wall is still owned by the same guy; although all that is left is the derelict house.

The Toyota dealer on the opposite side was the main showroom and was a very large garage that had not been changed since the fifties. All the shops on Windmill road next to the Toyota dealer were also a part of the garage. The Garage closed down in the late eightys and the site with the red paint on the wall operated for about 5 more years selling old cars from the sixties.

The guy that owned the garage owned large parts of Brentford he still lives in Brentord and can be seen driving a Roller from the sixties. He must be in his ninties now.

That garage was used for lots of tv and films due to it's period look.

[Dr Jekyll]

Thanks, that's interesting.

[rubyex]

does anyone know who owns performance cars ltd in brentford or have a number of contact as i am interested in the place..tnx

[crisc204]

Nope on the ownership but I went to High School just up the road in the late 80's and it looks pretty much the same now as it did then.
They only ever had normal run of the mill cars outside when I was about. if it was full of Astons then I wouldn't have got much work done...lol

I go past that site every now and then as my mate has a nice Bar/Restaurant in Brentford.

[Robatr0n]

For one reason or another, my Dad used to know the owner of Performance Cars so back in the late 80s my Dad took my brother and I along to the showroom and he let both of us sit in a genuine AC Cobra.

He also owned a pair of Mercedes Grossers (Großer Mercedes?) which he was absolutely gutted about selling as he undersold them and they sold for millions a fews years later. Infact, both of those cars alledgedly passengered Hitler.

When I get a moment, I'll have to ask my Dad if he can recall the name of the chap. All I remember was that he was very polite, knowledgible and eccentric.

One thing worth mentioning though, his showroom was always full of exotic cars which was never limited to just one brand.

[thatone1967]

I remember this place... vaguely... my fave place in the area for looking at decent motors as a kid was Straight Eight in Shepherds Bush though!

[macar]

Back in the early nineties he used to sell cars from the showroom on commission, tried to sell one of my TR6s through him. Remember there were two or three chaps involved, all in their 60s back then. One guy was distinctly a 'Battle of Britain' type, handlebar moustashe etc. The showroom was run down and was always full of 'middleweight' British sportscars, don't seem to remember any workshop facility.
I think the old garage was demolished in the late 90s, the Toyota garage being built soon after.

[Helsinki 275]

The owner of Performance Cars and surrounding properties was a Mr Goldsmith... who passed away a few years back. I'm planning to post a "distant" picture of the Car Showroom on the Flickr website in the next few days.

[deMohun]

The owner when I worked there in the early 60s was a guy called Goldsmith.The foreman at the workshops was Len Jones and the sales manager was a guy called Massey. Over the sales showroom was a couple of flats that the sales staff lived in. They specialised in most high performance cars Jaguar Aston Martin and many others. I have many happy memories of my days there .

[Ifinishposts]