The Neon Dream For All Car Automotive Enthusiasts

Ben Atkinson, the driving force behind SEVEN82MOTORS, hails from Adelaide. A stint in Central Queensland eventually led him to the Gold Coast. Armed with extensive background in airbrushing, marketing, and sign writing it was time to leave the hometown and chase some city lights. In 2006, this desire crystallised into a mechanical workshop at unit 7/82 Ferry Rd, Southport — the birthplace of the now-iconic Seven82 name. Thanks to a relentless commitment to quality and family by his side and one loyal mechanic he moved Nerang to a larger showroom in 2009, expanding the business again soon after taking the building alongside and adding a few more to the crew and expanded with business opportunities.  

Fast forward 10 years of trading and Ben’s obsession for old skool signs, neon lights, collectables, and a random purchase of a museum on Route 66 during a road trip his collection was growing faster than ever, and room for storage was running out. It was time to get a place where Ben could showcase his collection the way he always wanted. Fast forward to 2019 and Ben was ready to expand yet again.

“The real estate guy was showing me a workshop in Nerang and as we passed the one that sold not long ago, I pointed it out and said that’s the one I wanted. The guy said that sale fell through for certain reasons, that’s when I knew I had to make it happen.”

In 2019 just prior to the announcement of covid the sale went through, and Ben was now the proud owner of the workshop he’d wanted for so long, as the world stopped, he kept going and while everyone was scared, they had no work Ben was employing people left right and centre. The demo and rebuild was done in an amazing four months from keys to first public opening. His dedicated team quickly turning this old-style 3 level building into the Auction House you see today. This retro style building used to be the old Tafe of Nerang which already had some cool car history of its own, as it’s where the Red Falcon XY GT cover car of 94’ June Street Machine was painted in the automotive workshop.

“The funny thing is, to this day I have the design that I dreamed up on a piece of paper years before it came on the market. Even crazier that it’s nearly exactly how the design is on paper to what you see today.”

The design of the building stood out to Ben thinking it never suited being a Tafe, instead he always envisioned the curves to be highlighted with retro neon’s and Seven82Motors sign lighting up the night sky. The inside structure has been altered dramatically knocking out many classrooms and offices. The main inspiration for the workshop new design was the wall and industrial cross-bracing of the roof in the centre of the structure. Ben really went all out on the fit out trying wooden panel feature walls to false brick, not cutting the mustard he decided to stick to the authentic look of real brick with a mixture of tin sheeting. 

This look flowing through the showroom tied the three main themes of America that Ben wanted to bring to life from all his travel across the US collecting memorabilia and vintage cars, the New York, Las Vegas and the Los Angeles themes. Loads of stylings going into the New York backdrop such as the custom-made apartment style staircase, old windows and fixtures sourced from marketplace, the barber shop and DJ Booth in the upstairs apartment. You’ll notice as walk around quirky little things from Ben’s love of the Beasty Boys (from New York) throughout the showroom from the ‘Check your head’ on the bottom of the staircase to the naming of the Brass Monkey barber shop itself.

“It’s the small details, the place is full of triggers to remind you of something you may have forgotten… If it jogs a memory or reminds you of a feeling, you’d forgotten then that’s priceless… and free.” 

The Vegas theme spreads across the main entrance wall with custom graffiti from Gold Coasts talented artist Jamie from Lost Soul Art, also painting the LA themed wall in the back part of the showroom which is inspired by Ben’s trips with mates and flows to the workshop below. The LA theme getting a brand-new addition recently, a real-life Ruby’s diner from Irvine California. 

“It all started when I found a Ruby’s Diner sign for sale on marketplace. Ended up the seller was involved in the liquidation of another Covid casualty, and I ended up doing a deal to buy every single thing left in the diner. I had some guys go in and dismantle it and shipped it out to Australia. It was just going to be a display, but we built it so proper it needed to run so the logo was flipped upside down and renamed Big Benny’s.” 

 The Big Benny’s Diner sign is now another neon that lights up the sky in Nerang and sits over his shopfront with a stunning glass brick façade, stainless double doors, and more neon banding. 

This whole place comes to life every second month on a Thursday for ‘Late night shopping’ and Saturday ‘Show Day’, while in auction with crowds gathering on the Thursday with the gates opening to the sweet sounds of Motley Crew ‘Kick Start My Heart’. Once inside that’s when you get a sensory overload of the automotive wonderland, stunning vehicles up for auction, neon signs, roller girls and even the upstairs DJ cranking the tunes who just happens to be Ben’s good friend from school. 

Saturday ‘Show Day’ starts with the gates opening to the sweet sounds of Motley Crew ‘Kick Start My Heart’, bellowing across the carpark, Big Benny’s Diner serving up some great American style eats, the barber shop runs and is open for appointments and walk ins and the DJ brings the Rock while the Rolla Girls bring the roll.

Ben transformed his business into every car enthusiast’s dream Garage, with a passion for giving back to other car enthusiast through his auctions. 

“We are different from other auction places, seeing everyone enjoy the cars and memorabilia that are available in a fun environment is what it's all about. My favourite part of this is the kids that come through, you can see the inspiration in their eyes which is priceless.”

There is a lot that happens behind the scenes to make sure this massive auction house run smoothly with a fully equipped workshop, trips to the states at the start of every year to source the best new pieces for auctions from Longbeach, Pamona, Barrett Jackson Museum even hitting the antique malls. Not to mention the other events you would have seen the Seven82 Motors truck at supporting local gatherings, this year Cooly Rocks was big and even bigger will be The Gold Coast Supercars late October. 

Ben is extremely grateful for the team that are more like a big family to him, with about 14 members on a normal day and over 20 on open days, each one as important as the next.  

The future for Seven82 Motors is as bright as the neons, with lots of things Ben stilll has in the planning stages. From what we have already seen we can only assume there is great things in the works for this expanding business and also for us all to enjoy in years to come.