About us

Now in our 51st year of performance and vehicle engineering and tuning, Oselli can offer all facilities to the performance and classic car owner.

Oselli the company was born in 1962. It was conceived and started by two then Rover (BMC) engineers under the name of Oxford Engine Services (OES)

As an out and out engineering company it specialised in the tuning and enhancing the performance of MG Rover/BMC products.

Initially improving the performance of the Mini by way of porting and flowing of cylinder heads, fitting large valve heads and then increasing engine capacity.

A market had been identified. As such all other Rover/BMC products MG, Triumph, Austin Healey were all catered for. Oxford Engine Services had become established.

Into the 70's engineering services were in demand. Oxford Engine Services found it's products and services were required for all makes of vehicle. The company expanded and included such manufacturers products such as Ford , Vauxhall and so on.

With performance enhancement came motor sport. At this time the name Oselli was conceived as being more appropriate with motor sport, it was a derivative of Oxford Engine Services (OES or OSE) with an Italian ring to it (lli).

With the Mini and Ford Escort and Mexico all taking part in track and Rally sport such as the Monte Carlo the name Oselli soon became synonymous with motor sport .As such through out the 70's and 80's the company was associated with all areas from formula Ford to the Monte.

Through out the 1980's the company thrived moving into large purpose built premises in Oxford (the home of MG). The building including full engineering and machining facilities, engine build and engine dynamometer, vehicle workshops and four wheel drive 750bhp rolling road tuning facilities.

The late 80's and early 90's saw a difficult period in the UK industry generally and Oselli was not unaffected. The UK was in a recession!

As a result of the recession there was less expenditure on luxury and hobby type items and a big reduction in expenditure for racing. Clearly like so many other companies this effected Oselli dramatically. Cost saving plans were put into place and survival became the key objective.

Diversification and expansion into other areas was an option and in the early 90's the company was joined by David Eales, a senior manager with in Aston Martin.

David brought with him expertise in the sales and after-sales markets for high quality performance and classic cars. So Oselli was now also in the  business of car sales all be it the very specialised field of classic and sports cars.

Through out the traumas of the 90’s the company survived and finally in 2000 expanded and moved its complete operation to its current premises of Bridge Garage Witney just west of Oxford. Now under the complete control and ownership of David Eales, Oselli now not only has its vehicle service and restoration workshop, but still retained its engineering facility and also now has a vehicles showroom and forecourt where some thirty or more classic and sports cars are for sale at any one time.

 

Extract from  MGCC publication - Oselli's 35 Years www.mgcars.org.uk/news/news289.html Updated 25th April, 1998