old garages

[arnie]

Cogger & Hawkins

[arnie]

Austin cooper s

[mab01uk]

"There was a tempting array of used cars on the forecourt of Mann Egerton in Morden, Surrey - one bright morning in 1977.
What looks like a nearly new Maxi HL is priced at £2,685 but sadly the sticker on that lovely Series 1 Jaguar XJ6 (which clearly captivates the boy in the boots) is blurred.
A lot of money has clearly been spent fixing "Leyland Cars" signage on that fine art deco building. A mistake perhaps, as in that era of turmoil "Leyland Cars" was a short-lived name (introduced late '75 - dropped early '78) and a new corporate identity would soon be coming along."

(My younger brother Steve Bell, did his apprenticeship as a BL Mechanic at Mann Egerton in Morden, before starting his own garage business and racing Mini Se7en/Miglia).




Same Garage site in 2020 below...fine art deco building now gone.

[Pete]

Kennings Hull..

[mab01uk]

Austin dealership in Bridgwater, Somerset - in the 1950s. (now Malvern Tyres).

'British Leyland Chronicles' says:-
"This garage belonged to Harry Ball, father of Tony Ball MBE who played an important role in the history of BMC & British Leyland, helping launch the Mini in 1959 and later holding senior executive roles. He headed the BLEO sales & marketing division under Michael Edwardes during the period Metro was launched. Harry Ball's Grandson is West End singer and Radio Presenter Michael Ball!"

[MiNiKiN]

What a sacrilege that these art-deco buildings where demolished.
The lovely former art-deco cinema in Northampton (aka "the Deco") has at least been kept, though it was made into a "Jesus Freak Church"

['S'-type]

Austin dealership in Bridgwater, Somerset - in the 1950s. (now Malvern Tyres).

'British Leyland Chronicles' says:-
"This garage belonged to Harry Ball, father of Tony Ball MBE who played an important role in the history of BMC & British Leyland, helping launch the Mini in 1959 and later holding senior executive roles. He headed the BLEO sales & marketing division under Michael Edwardes during the period Metro was launched. Harry Ball's Grandson is West End singer and Radio Presenter Michael Ball!"

Wasn't Tony Ball responsible for this marketing stunt in the early days?

rsz_2incredible_austin_seven.jpg

One of the glut of mini restoration programmes featured it, and him, a few years ago. (May have been 'for the love of cars' proramme, can't remember).

[mab01uk]

Wasn't Tony Ball responsible for this marketing stunt in the early days?

Yes, he was.




"Tony Ball, managing director of Austin Morris, with his son Kevin Ball, in September 1979, celebrating 20 years of the Mini."

"Tony Ball is acknowledged internationally as one of Britain’s top marketeers and most popular public speakers. A brilliant motivator, humorist and raconteur, Tony started his career as an apprentice on the shop floor of the Austin Motor Company and rose to become its youngest ever Sales Director. He’s the man who actually launched the legendary Mini in the swinging 60’s."
http://www.tonyball.co.uk/page_1.html

[Pandora]

Same Garage site in 2020 below...fine art deco building now gone.

Was that not a bloody crime against Architecture, heritage, good taste, and just about anything else you want to list?

Al

[Pete]

This was Douglas Wilson-Spratt’s accessory shop attached to his Delta Garage Austin dealership in Leighton Buzzard. Not just famous for his streamlined WSM Sprites he did own and compete in a few Minis including my 1071...

[Pete]

Another pic outside Douglas Wilson-Spratt’s Delta Garage ..(BMC dealership). Just one of the Cooper Ss Douglas rallied and raced.

[agricola]

Douglas Wilson_Spratt also produced some gorgeous WSM one off Healeys and MGs
https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/visitors_wsm.htm

[Pete]

Douglas Wilson_Spratt also produced some gorgeous WSM one off Healeys and MGs
https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/visitors_wsm.htm

Ive been chatting to his son Tony who has built a nice website to document his dad’s competition cars, including the Minis, here : http://www.wsmcars.com/

[mab01uk]

Standard Triumph London Service Depot.
21st January 1960. Standard-Triumph International Ltd., announce that they have acquired the lease of the premises in Western Avenue, London, previously occupied by the Hooper (Coachbuilders) Ltd car-body building concern. The building will shortly be reopened as Standard-Triumph’s London.
The buildings were located on the junction of Dukes Road, Western Avenue, Acton.
http://www.triumphworks.co.uk/london-service-depot/



Later photos of building with British Leyland signage - Service Department & Specialist Car Division .

[dodge44]

Standard Triumph London Service Depot.
21st January 1960. Standard-Triumph International Ltd., announce that they have acquired the lease of the premises in Western Avenue, London, previously occupied by the Hooper (Coachbuilders) Ltd car-body building concern. The building will shortly be reopened as Standard-Triumph’s London.
The buildings were located on the junction of Dukes Road, Western Avenue, Acton.
http://www.triumphworks.co.uk/london-service-depot/

<snip>

Think I'm right in saying this was the only establishment you could buy a new warrantied Triumph Vitesse Estate from as it was not a factory option but could be ordered from the Western Avenue premises as they had an 'understanding' with headquarters.

[nick@dunsdale]

Always thought Hooper's were a small'ish bespoke company didnt relize they had premises as large as that at one time

[mk1]

Hoopers were a large concern in the 20's & 30's when most "decent" automobiles were purchased from the manufacturers as a chassis & then the had a body fitted by a coachbuilder.

Most of the large coachbuilders were killed off to a great extent by WW2.

https://www.herridgeandsons.com/a-z-of- ... chbuilders

Wannabe website, but info is broadly correct.

http://www.hooperinternational.com/hist ... ward%20VII.

[mk1]

Hooper's again.

HOOPER-48181-700x450.jpg

[Pandora]

Most of the large coachbuilders were killed off to a great extent by WW2.

Chronologically, yes, and the impact of the change to aircraft and munitions production during the war and the cost of going back to the old set up certainly had a massive impact, but by far the biggest (finely crafted, but mass produced) nail in the coffin was the post war developments in car design and manufacture towards standard bodywork and then towards unitary construction. What had been fairly commonplace became a specialism, with the economies of scale that brought about.

And it all ended up with those gurning cretins on TVs' chop shop........

Al

[mab01uk]

This appears to be The Western Avenue/Dukes Road site today?
(The buildings were located on the junction of Dukes Road, Western Avenue, Acton).