29-03-2022, 10:58 AM
I am interested to know who may have built the body on my Ulster Rep. It is a very old body, at least 55 to 60 years to my knowledge. We can rule out the three leading makers, ie Roach, Rod Yates and Compound Curvatures.
The Ulster 'kit' came from the Ilkley area which had a 'mafia' of sporting Austin 7 enthusiasts in the 1960's and 70's, the Winder Brothers, David Laxton and John Kelly amongst them. I believe that Geoff Winder may have had some Ulster bodies made by a firm in Bradford.
I also understand that Stuart Rolt had some Ulster bodies made by a man in Shepshed, Leicestershire at around the same time. I think that Rochdale Panels also made a few Ulster bodies before closing down around 1972.
What do I know about the body on my car? It has a steel floorpan and alloy skin and is quite accurately detailed in many respects, but it has a distinctive deep humped tail. When I got the body it had never been properly fitted on a chassis and was in bare aluminium with the steel parts finished in red oxide. Inside the tail and on the underside of the spare wheel cover was written in marker pen 'Austin No.2'. The holes for the pedals were a mile out and the flitch plates had been altered during manufacture, suggesting that it was an early example with some teething troubles.
Also inside the tail was a stuck on paper label which said '****mount Panels' and part of a phone number. Unfortunately the label had been partly painted over with red oxide.
Can anyone cast some light on these early Ulster replica bodies?
The Ulster 'kit' came from the Ilkley area which had a 'mafia' of sporting Austin 7 enthusiasts in the 1960's and 70's, the Winder Brothers, David Laxton and John Kelly amongst them. I believe that Geoff Winder may have had some Ulster bodies made by a firm in Bradford.
I also understand that Stuart Rolt had some Ulster bodies made by a man in Shepshed, Leicestershire at around the same time. I think that Rochdale Panels also made a few Ulster bodies before closing down around 1972.
What do I know about the body on my car? It has a steel floorpan and alloy skin and is quite accurately detailed in many respects, but it has a distinctive deep humped tail. When I got the body it had never been properly fitted on a chassis and was in bare aluminium with the steel parts finished in red oxide. Inside the tail and on the underside of the spare wheel cover was written in marker pen 'Austin No.2'. The holes for the pedals were a mile out and the flitch plates had been altered during manufacture, suggesting that it was an early example with some teething troubles.
Also inside the tail was a stuck on paper label which said '****mount Panels' and part of a phone number. Unfortunately the label had been partly painted over with red oxide.
Can anyone cast some light on these early Ulster replica bodies?