British Auto Specialists

There’s something special about British cars. Their style and feel have attracted plenty of enthusiasts and, for some, a British car is the only car worth driving. For Jay and Pat Chapman, their love of classic British cars turned from a hobby into a livelihood. Their family-run auto shop, British Auto Specialists, is Calgary’s only shop dedicated to repairing, maintaining and restoring British cars.

British Auto Specialists started in Okotoks in the late eighties but moved to Calgary in the late nineties. Jay became a patron and, when he discovered the business was for sale, he bought it. Being both a mechanic and a lifelong lover of British automobiles, it was a perfect fit. “Jay had always worked on these kinds of cars in our garage. It was his hobby,” says Pat. “He came home one day and said, ‘One day, I’m going to buy British Auto,’ and we did. Now, our son has joined the business, so it’s a real family legacy.”