Aimee Reeson is Bodyshop Manager & Workshop Technician at John Brown 4×4, where she leads our bodyshop team and plays an important role in the preparation and restoration of the classic Land Rovers® we sell.
Aimee joined John Brown 4×4 in 2015, bringing with her a lifelong interest in all things automotive and, in particular, a passion for Land Rovers®.
Since then, she has built her specialist knowledge from the workshop floor up.
Working alongside experienced classic Land Rover® specialists, Aimee has learned first-hand what it takes to prepare, repair and restore vehicles that may already have several decades of history behind them. She has continued to develop her skills through additional training while gaining practical experience working with the wide variety of Series Land Rovers®, classic Defenders and other vintage models that pass through the John Brown 4×4 workshop. Aimee has been continually supported in her development by John Brown Snr, Founder of the company.
Today, Aimee leads our bodyshop operation and is responsible for ensuring vehicles are correctly prepared for spraying, as well as overseeing their reassembly and final presentation.
Aimee’s route to becoming a classic Land Rover® specialist has been driven by curiosity, enthusiasm and a determination to continually improve her craft.
Rather than approaching older vehicles in the same way as modern cars, she has developed an understanding of the materials, construction methods and individual characteristics found across different generations of classic Land Rover®.
That matters because working with these vehicles isn’t always straightforward.
Decades of use can leave behind previous repairs, corrosion, replacement panels, modifications and other surprises. Two Land Rovers® of the same age and model can arrive in the bodyshop requiring very different approaches.
Aimee’s attention to detail means understanding what is actually in front of her before deciding how the work should be approached.
It’s this combination of hands-on learning, continued training and genuine enthusiasm for the vehicles that has seen Aimee progress to leading the John Brown 4×4 bodyshop team.
Aimee describes her passion as restoring classic Land Rovers® to “better than original” condition.
That doesn’t mean removing the character that makes an older Land Rover® special.
For Aimee, good restoration and preparation are about respecting the vehicle while applying the level of care and attention available in a specialist modern workshop.
From preparing bodywork for spraying to overseeing reassembly, the small details matter. The objective is for the finished vehicle to look right, feel right and retain the qualities that attracted its next owner to a classic Land Rover® in the first place.
John Brown 4×4 operates its own dedicated bodyshop, which plays two important roles within the business.
Firstly, it forms an integral part of the process used to prepare classic Land Rovers® for sale. Bodywork and presentation can be assessed and, where appropriate, addressed before a vehicle reaches its new owner.
The bodyshop also supports customers after purchase through our dedicated aftersales service, carrying out appropriate bodywork and cosmetic repairs on vehicles previously supplied by John Brown 4×4.
As Bodyshop Manager, Aimee oversees this work and helps ensure the standards applied to vehicles being prepared for sale continue when those vehicles return to us later in their lives.
Much of Aimee’s expertise has been developed exactly where you’d expect it to be – working on the vehicles themselves.
Since joining John Brown 4×4 in 2015, she has had the opportunity to work closely with classic Land Rovers® in varying conditions and at different stages of preparation and restoration.
That practical experience has helped her develop particular knowledge around areas including:
Her workshop role also gives Aimee first-hand insight into the realities of classic vehicle ownership – including the importance of ongoing maintenance, preventative care and recognising when preservation may be preferable to modification.
“I love that every classic Land Rover® is different. Even when you’re working on two vehicles of the same model and similar age, their history means you can uncover completely different challenges. I’ve learned so much since joining John Brown 4×4, both from the people around me and from working on the vehicles themselves. For me, it’s about continuing to learn, paying attention to the small details and giving each Land Rover® the care it deserves.”
— Aimee Reeson, Bodyshop Manager & Workshop Technician
Classic Land Rover® Bodywork Preparing and restoring ageing bodywork while understanding the particular characteristics of classic Land Rover® construction.
Vehicle Preparation & Reassembly Responsible for the correct preparation of vehicles for spraying and overseeing their careful reassembly.
Restoration & Detailing Applying a meticulous eye for detail to the cosmetic preparation and restoration of classic Land Rovers®.
Rust & Corrosion First-hand workshop experience of the corrosion challenges associated with ageing Land Rovers®, including preventative care and recognising when existing deterioration requires attention.
Sympathetic Vehicle Upgrades Understanding how carefully selected improvements can enhance usability while retaining the character that makes a classic Land Rover® special.
LinkedIn profile: Aimee Reeson
