Ron Donders

My name is Ron Donders, workshop manager at E&R Classics. I am a first mechanic and master technician and have been working on vintage cars since I was 16. Tinkering with classic cars has always been a hobby for me and at a later age I made it my profession and focused on Italian classic cars such as Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia. In 2008 Ernest asked me to start E&R Classics with him and I have been responsible for the workshop ever since.

I bought my first car when I was 17 years old. It was a Mazda 626 that I completely refurbished myself. When I was old enough to get a driver's license, this car was completely fine and I could go on the road. I loved this and was very proud of my work. The first classic car I drove was an Alfa Romeo Giulia 1300 TI, with which I often went on weekends and went shopping with it.

My dream car is a Mercedes-Benz 190 SL in silver metallic with blue leather interior.

Suppose you had to give someone a lift. Who would that be and why?
I would like to give Max Verstappen a lift. People who know me, know that I have been a big fan of Formula 1 for years and that Max became world champion was of course fantastic. Maybe I can give him some tips if I give him a lift…

What is your best car related memory?
I have lots of fun car related memories. A few that have stayed with me are various restorations that I have carried out independently. From a Porsche 356 to an Austin Healey. They all arrived in pieces and have them restored. To this day I am still very proud of these classic car restorations.

I also love the contact with our customers. You meet so many nice people who all share the same passion for cars. Everyone has their own stories and that makes the oldtimer world so much fun for me.

What makes a working day at E&R Classics so much fun for you?
The diversity in my work is what makes a working day so much fun for me. One moment I'm helping customers who have a technical question, the next I'm tinkering in the workshop and managing our mechanics and later I'm making plans for the future together with Ernest. No day is the same and that's what makes working at E&R Classics so much fun for me.