After completing an apprenticeship
in upholstery Russell ventured into
restoration, lead-light repair, and cane-
furniture repair and construction. Over
t i m e h e ’s e x p a n de d t h e b u s i n e s s t o i n c lu de
cabinetmaking as well as restoration,
boasting 50 years of experience together
with his onsite colleagues.
“We’ve been in that location for
22 years now,” says Russell. “We started
in a three-bay, half-round barn with
a block building attached. I built a
230m^2 workshop about six years ago to
accommodate bigger projects.”
Uniquely, his company now offers
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services, with more than enough room
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camper vans, and buses, and the
business has become a destination for
vintage motorhome enthusiasts.
“I’m self-taught. I grew up on afarm, so I guess I’ve inherited my
resourcefulness from my father,”
he says.The Cooper lab
The workshop is also Cooper’s
laboratory, and after projects including
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Crusader caravan and the construction
of the ’34 soapbox racer — built
from laminated ply in tandem with
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Repco Beach Hop’s Tot Rod class in
Whangamata, he turned his attention
to the barrel go-kart concept.
“I didn’t employ any unusual tools
or techniques, mostly just general
hand tools, plus machinery that would
be typically required for repairs to
motorhomes, caravans, and furniture.
I have been involved with different
codes of motorsport over the years, so I
acquired some engineering machinery
thanks to many good friends, including
an AC/DC TIG welder which I have beenLogically enough, a
furniture restorer
has the patience
and experience with
¿QHWLPEHUThe skeleton of the barrel racer is made from this Formula 1–replica kitset
(shown before surgery)
Go-kart suspension keeps spills
to a minimum
A French oak wine barrel was harvested to
form the body