Our mission is to provide you with the parts, expertise and information required to restore and maintain your British, European and Domestic exotic vintage vehicle(s) to the highest level of authenticity and originality.

We accomplish that goal through:

• an extensive knowledge of British automobiles and their history, culture, craftsmanship, marketing and manufacturing processes i.e. Carchaeology.
• a comprehensive inventory of parts — new-old-stock, used, new production and authentic reproductions.
• our passionate desire to promote and protect relics of our historical past.
• employing craftsmen and technicians that are passionate about  maintaining and restoring vehicles to the highest level of authenticity.

If you are beginning a restoration project, in the middle of one, or just maintaining your vehicle, give the experts a call for parts, service and technical help. After all, One Call Does It All!

OUR CARCHAEOLOGISTS

Today, Kip Motor Company employs twelve carchaeologist comprised of experienced journey men and women as well as apprentices and interns. By employing a combination of old world skills, our knowledge of period manufacturing processes, and cutting edge technology, we are able to ensure yesterday’s antique/collector vehicle can be restored,
maintained and preserved for current and future generations to enjoy.

Brandon Foster

Senior Sales and Customer Service Representative

Brandon is the senior customer service representative, but also has a lot of experience rebuilding parts – particularly electrical components, steering boxes and water pumps. Since joining KMC in 2004, he’s picked up quite a bit of British car knowledge on the job and is often referred to as the ‘stump meister’. An “Air Cooled” Volkswagen aficionado, Brandon’s dream car is a 356 Porsche, although anything fast makes his day.

Ian MacLeod

Service Manager, Master Carchaeologist

Iain oversees service projects at Kip Motor with engine and gearbox rebuilding amongst his specialties. He has experienced all elements of restoration and service during his career at KMC. He first joined KMC in 1999 as a customer service representative before moving into the service & restoration end of the operation. Prior to joining KMC, he worked in the retail auto parts industry. Born in Quebec, Iain is bilingual and can handle calls from French speaking customers. His wish list car is a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible – the epitome vehicle of the 70’s.

Juan Garcia

Master Carchaeologist, Body Restoration

First coming to Kip Motor as a body and paint apprentice in 2009, Juan has spent his years with KMC focused on honing his skills in the art of body restoration. He is now a Master Carchaeologist in charge of all metalwork, bodywork and painting for our restoration projects.

Dave Spradling

Director of Research & Development, Master Carcheologist

A very talented artisan, Dave holds degrees in Math and Physics from East Texas State University. Joining KMC in July of 1991, his primary responsibilities of product development and manufacturing consume most of his time, although his technical and training skills are likely to be engaged during any phase of vehicle troubleshooting, restoration and repair.

Gayle MacLeod

Senior Fabricator and Seamstress, Master Carchaeologist

An avid Studebaker fan, Gayle joined KMC in 2006 as an apprentice with Dave manufacturing rubber and plastic authentic reproductions. With her attention to detail, Gayle has produced some complicated lamp assemblies and bonnet badges and she has pretty much taken over the kitchen cooking up polymers. She also works out in the upholstery department assembling interior kits and does a fine job making wiring harnesses. A classic pre-war sedan; Packard, Pierce Arrow or Studebaker would make her happy. Are you listening Bob?

Bob MacLeod

Master Carcheologist and Restoration Technician

After fourteen years of answering technical and parts questions, Bob retired May 2012 from Kip Motor Company to tinker on his own projects – namely his Corvette, Studebakers and collection of model aircraft. He returned to KMC in 2014 to work part time on our restoration projects. A native of New England, Bob migrated around North America in his career as a computer service and support technician before joining Kip Motor Company in 1998.

Brady Ballew

Service Technician, Apprentice Carchaeologist

Brady joined KMC in the summer of 2019 as a mechanical intern studying Automotive Technology at McPherson College. At the end of the summer, he asked to stay on full-time as he wanted to focus on adding more mechanical skills to his experience bucket. Recently we discovered his knack for wood-working as he helped his Dad in his carpentry shop growing up. He is utilizing these coach building skills on several pre-war restoration projects. Currently, he and his Dad are working on restoring a 1937 Packard 120 Sedan.

Jon Waldron

Master Carchaeologist

Kip Motor met Jon when he was restoring his MG B back in 2014. Jon evaluated several vendors to perform body work and paint on his “B” and liked the talent he saw at Kip Motor. A year after the body shell was painted Iris Blue, Jon returned to show us his assembled and running MGB. We were thrilled to see his accomplishments (you can see his photos on our restoration page).
Several years after he retired as a design engineer for Flextronics in the telecommunications industry, Jon joined Kip Motor Company in 2017 and brought with him his mechanical expertise in all things MG, Jaguar, and Triumph.  Since then, the Dallas native keeps busy on return-to-service projects and restorations and is our go-to master for carburetor tune ups.

In his spare time, Jon tutors math at Richland College, plays saxophone in his religious organization’s jazz band and enjoys driving his Iris Blue MGB around Dallas.

Luke Lindley

Parts Production Specialist, Apprentice Carchaeologist

A 2020 Graduate of McPherson College with a BS in Automobile Restoration Technology, Luke joined us as an Intern the summer of 2020 in our Parts Production Department. With a mechanical knack and desire to understand how all things work, Luke fit right in with our Production team. By the end of the summer, he was promoted to Apprentice  making authentic reproductions for both Kip Motor’s restoration projects, KipAero’s aviation projects and for our customers. As Luke states, “crafting or making things give me a satisfaction that not much else does.”

In Luke’s spare time, you can find him playing or programming video games, fixing his Corvette and tinkering on his Jeep. The car of his dreams is a Willy’s Jeep MB like the one his Grandfather had teaching him how to drive.

Kip Lankenau (aka Yoda)

Chief Carchaeologist & Restoration Manager, Co-Owner

Founder and driving force behind KMC, Kip is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Business Administration. A member of the Antique Automobile Club of America by the age of five, antique automobiles, history and flying are his lifelong passion.

Retired from serving Circle Ten Council BSA as the OA Chapter Advisor and various other District positions,  Kip is focused on fulfilling the required 40 hours of flight time in his authentic reproduction Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter for certification. Kip has served on the board of directors of a number of charitable and other groups, including the British Motor Trade Association and as Director of National Activities, Central Division for the Antique Automobile Club of America, also having served several terms as President of the Texas Region AACA. It is not uncommon to find him on the phone with Rolls-Royce or the National Museum of the United States Air Force, or similar organizations, discussing issues with various aviation artifacts or just walking them through the proper procedure for starting an early aero engine.

Debra Lankenau

Chief Administrator, Co-Owner

A graduate of Texas A&M University, Debra’s responsibilities include: marketing, web-site management, event coordination, service scheduling and back office project management for Kip Motor Co. and KipAero.

For years, her daily driver was a Humber Super Snipe Series III, although on weekends she might be spotted in her Metropolitan convertible or the family 1957 Lincoln Premier (lots of space for the kids when they were little). Now days, Debra’s daily driver is a  modern vehicle, a 1997 Jaguar XJ6.  Currently, she is still active in scouting, serving as Committee Chair for Troop 759, a scout group for girls 11-18 through Boy Scouts of America. In her spare time, she serves as a crew member with Kip’s Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter project.

Curren Harris

Service & Restoration Technician, Apprentice Carchaeologist

Curren first joined Kip Motor Company as an Intern during his Junior summer while attending McPherson College. After graduating with a BS in Automotive Restoration Technology in May of 2020 and visiting family in Virginia, Curren joined us full-time as an Apprentice in our Service & Restoration department. Curren enjoys diagnosing engine and mechanical issues and loves to solve problems.

As a youngster, his Dad taught him how to handle a wrench working together on the family’s TR8. Since that time, Curren has been working on car related projects ever since. His dream car is the iconic 1965 Shelby GT350 with its distinct sound; however, his 1967 Mustang will suffice for the time being. An Eagle Scout and active in his High School Marching Band, Curren enjoys hiking; however, nothing in North Texas compares to the hilly Appalachian trails back home.