Our Family Roots

The Formhalls family have always had a keen interest in engineering. Stan Formhalls (Terry’s Father) introduced Terry and his brother Ross to Grass track and engines from a very young age- a welcome distraction for 2 young boys come tear away teens. Stan himself was for many years Southern Centre Vintage grass track champion, and spent most of his life tuning and rebuilding engines. As a result of this, many of FVR's tuning "secrets" have been passed on by Stan, whose expertise has been the result of many years of experimental and development work, pushing engines to their limits in pursuit of their "reliable" maximum.

Terry Formhalls was a former technical adviser to Classic Cars magazine and programme leader for engineering at Southampton City College. He’s the author of "Engine performance analysis" and retired captain of Southern Centre Grass Track Riders Association. Terry is now a fellow of the IMI (Institute of the Motor Industry) and has worked with various charities- including help for Hero’s educating injured war veterans. 


Our company Development

Formhalls was incorporated on the 28th November 2001, with Terry as its sole employee. Our humble beginnings started in Terry’s back garden workshop in the New Forest little did he know then what the business would develop into. In the gallery above are some photos of Terry’s home workshop at various stages of development. Formhalls Vintage and Racings’ unrivalled quality bearings ensured word of our excellence spread fast and wide, this sudden demand for a skill that had been thought previously lost inundated our workshops with rare, historical and a large number of ‘well-loved’ engines. Terry eagerly grabbed this opportunity and worked with the new generation and leaders from other well-known machining shops to establish FVR as we know it today.

In 2011 Terry found Units 1 and 2 Parkers close in Downton Business centre , creating the perfect platform for the business to grow, in 2013 when unit 3 became available it was an opportunity not to be missed and since then FVR has remained at Units 1-3 parkers close. Profits were heavily re invested into the company as it grew; the organisation now boasts 3 line borers, 2 rod borers, 2 Colchester lathes, 5 Bridgeport milling machines as well as state of the art diagnostic equipment and much more! Our custom built casting shop is designed to the highest specification creating a safe, secure and above all clean casting environment.

Our Future

Formhalls plan to provide continuing support and excellent service for many years to come. We will always strive to be the front runners in keeping our historic cars on the road as we practise, preserve and pass on British tradition! We look for 100% customer satisfaction through the high quality of our work, the unrivalled techniques used to produce our white metal bearings and the undying enthusiasm and passion brought to our workshop by our engineers every day.