This Midlands company was responsible for an unlikely pair of conversions in the early 1980s...
Here we take a look at some of the independent coachbuilders who have sought to reinterpret a wide variety of BMC>Rover products.
Avon Coachwork
This Midlands company was responsible for an unlikely pair of conversions in the early 1980s... |
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Banham Conversions
Banham cut their teeth with some expensively-produced Jaguar conversions, before branching out into Metro-based sports car kits. They also produce a pretty cool roadster version of the Mini... |
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Coleman Milne/Woodall Nicholson
Woodall Nicholson/Coleman Milne have turned out a variety of BMC>Rover-based limousines and hearses. |
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Crayford
For many years, the Kent-based firm of Crayford Engineering virtually cornered the UK market for convertible and estate car conversions. During that time, several BMC/BL models received their attention... |
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Chris Humberstone
Humberstone chalked up a couple of notable BMC>Rover-related designs in the Seventies, before going on to lead the Rapport International operation (qv). In later years, he would revive the Harold Radford Mini de Ville conversion... |
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Lynx
Perhaps best-known for their stylish Eventer estate, Lynx also had a couple of other XJS-based offerings... |
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Midas
| Harold Dermott's cool and calculating kitcar powered by A-Series remains one of the most highly respected examples of its breed... and we tell its story. |
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Mumford
In the 1970s, Mumfords (a BL dealership with outlets in Plymouth and Penzance) offered a range of Marina-based conversions. |
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| Picture kindly supplied by Andrzej Bijowski |
Panther
Best known for their pastische retro-styled roadsters, such as the Lima and Kallista, Panther also produced a number of cars based – to one extent or another – on Leyland underpinnings... |
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Radford
Although the company was built on high-class conversions based on Rolls-Royce and Bentley saloons, in the 1960s Radford became a by-word for luxury Minis, with everyone from Peter Sellers to The Beatles beating a path to their door. However, the Mini wasn't the only BMC car to benefit from the Radford touch... |
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Rapport
Led by designer Chris Humberstone, Rapport tackled BL's range from both ends... |
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Thomas Startin/S McNeillie & Son
The coachbuilding division of Birmingham-based BL dealers Thomas Startin became synonymous with the production of hearses, before they began to stretch Rover saloons into limousines. Following a take-over by S McNeillie & Son Ltd, the 75 came in for similar treatment... leading to a surprise revival. |
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Torcars
Torcars of Devon did a nice line in Marina- and Sherpa-based campers, and also produced a Princess with added versatility... |
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William Towns
William Towns was a prolific designer of distinctive cars for a variety of companies, from Reliant to Aston Martin. He also turned his attention to modifying some BMC>Rover models... |
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Woodall Nicholson/Coleman Milne
Woodall Nicholson/Coleman Milne have turned out a variety of BMC>Rover-based limousines and hearses. |
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Wood & Pickett
The most famous converter of all? |
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