It was the restoration of a Leyland 285 Synchro which started the road to Tractor Spare Parts as it stands today. Andrew Griffin and his father, Michael, started the restoration as Michael wanted to use the tractor on the family farm and for his cabinet maker and joinery business. Having previously been a fitter for the Burgess group in their Leyland dealership in Derby Michael fancied a return to the Leyland marque after years with a Ford 5000 with a front-end loader. Little did Andrew and Michael know how difficult the restoration would be or what it would lead to.
Not being able to source a lot of the tinwork for the tractor, such as the door frames and the rear window, Andrew set about drawing the parts and making the tooling for their remanufacture; having trained as a tool maker with a well-known construction equipment company.
