Whanganui's Taylor Engineering & Auto Radiators closing as owner Lee Taylor retires

Lee Taylor with one of his vintage cars that will keep him busy in retirement.

Long-standing Whanganui business Taylor Engineering & Auto Radiators will close its doors for the final time on Friday, December 21.

Lee Taylor started the business in 1978 and says the time has come to retire.

"I still enjoy the work and I've got lots of loyal clients," Taylor said.

"I'm retiring because I look at my wall and see my mates up there. I've got things I want to do before I shuffle to the end of my perch and fall off."

The wall Taylor is referring to is adorned with service sheets from funerals of his mates of all ages.

The Ridgway St workshop has a huge accumulation of machinery and equipment built up over the years.

"Lots of people have been offering to help me move stuff. I'm having a shed built and taking quite a bit of equipment with me but some is for sale."

Midtown Motors will take on the radiator side of the business but the precision engineering part is closing down after years of doing "the difficult stuff".

"We do anything to do with metal or plastic and machine and make parts for all sorts of things you can't buy. We work with the automotive franchises for difficult stuff or things that get broken like studs and bolts and we do work for garages. We seem to be the first port of call for the difficult stuff."

Taylor has also done work for the New Zealand Greyhound Racing Association, building starting boxes for tracks in Auckland, Waikato, Christchurch and Invercargill. The business also made a machine to pull gill nets on fishing boats and Taylor has seen these on boats around New Zealand from Bluff to Northland.

The business has had a number of homes over the years, starting out in Glasgow St between Keith and Harrison streets then moving to the former Dustin's Bakery building in Churton St. It moved to the former Williams and Kettle premises in Ridgway St when Taylor bought the building in 2003 and has been there since.

The business has been Taylor's second career. After he left school, he trained in Wellington as a civil engineer and draughtsman. That led to 15 years working for the Ministry of Works.

He recalls surveying in the Manawatu Gorge "on freezing winter days" and working on designing the alignment of the Massey University ring road. He also works for the ministry in Auckland and worked on the bridge design and drawings for the Tangarakau Gorge on the Whangamomona road.

"There were no computers or calculators in those days," Taylor said.

"We used slide rulers and log tables because those other things hadn't been invented."

Taylor credits his father with sparking his lifelong interest in engineering.

"Dad was an engine driver in the Railways, driving a steam engine, and I used to go with him to shovel coal. We'd go pig hunting at the weekends. He died at the age of 46. I miss the old man."

Taylor plans to continue working on vintage Model A and Model T Fords for himself and friends and says wife Karen "has a list of jobs for me".