Harold Radford

Harold Radford Coachbuilders was a British coachbuilders who produced 1948-1975 special bodies for Rolls- Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin. Special recognition obtained Radford Shooting Brake versions based on earlier Aston Martin coupes. A profitable business for decades were also the conversions of various minis.

Company History

The company has its origins in the London Karosserierwerkstatt Seary & McReady. In 1948, the London Rolls- Royce and Bentley dealer Harold Radford designed a special body for a Bentley chassis, whose production he commissioned Seary & McReady. The vehicle - one called a Bentley Countryman Wagon - proved so successful that Radford had to make several replicas. 1950 finally took over the majority in Radford Seary & McReady and changed the company name to Harold Radford Coachbuilders. In the following years, the company introduced her numerous other Countryman models, however, differed considerably from the original concept. As of 1958, the company was temporarily incorporated into the Swain group before it was sold in 1965 to the group of companies Bremer.

With the introduction of the Rolls- Royce Silver Shadow ended the production of Countryman models. Radford turned to focus on the refinement of mini- vehicles, which began in 1963 and by 1975 constituted a major pillar of the company. In addition, some special bodies created for Aston Martin. 1967 there was a bankruptcy. The successor company newly founded was renamed after it had acquired the former competitors Freestone & Webb, a little later under Radford Freestone & Webb and continued the production of mini - conversions. At the beginning of the 1970s Radford was increasingly under pressure from successful competitors, led by Wood & Pickett, in turn, offered mini- conversions, unlike Radford but also refined other vehicles. In 1975, Radford kind of operation, 1977, the company was dissolved.

Between 1990 and 2000 the name Radford returned to the automotive market. The British designer Chris Humberstone took over the naming rights and marketed under the old designation Radford De Ville appreciating Minis. The small-scale production, however, was carried out by external companies.

Models of Radford

Radford Countryman

The first car that carried the name Radford Countryman, was a 1948 two-door station wagon imagined based on the Bentley Mark VI or the Rolls- Royce Silver Dawn. The later "Mark I" called type had wood paneling on the side parts of the body and had a long rear overhang. The Countryman won the first prize at the Concours d' Elegance in Cannes 1948. Until 1950, a total of eight specimens of this type were produced at Seary & McReady.

After Radford had grown through the acquisition of Seary & McReady even for body manufacturers, he changed the concept of the Countryman fundamentally. The occasion was the fact that Rolls- Royce is now offered not just mere suspension, but also default setups. The standard steel construction of the Silver Dawn or Mark VI sedan remained largely unchanged; However, Radford installed a large tailgate, the two-piece opened upwards and downwards. The thus fully accessible trunk could be equipped with picnic utensils and even with folding chairs. Of these, 37 developed vehicles.

Even vehicles the Bentley S -Series or the Rolls- Royce Silver Cloud were revised in varying degrees of Radford. From the Silver Cloud formed a total of four tags. Individual received a combi - tail, while others were only equipped in the interior with picnic utensils. As far as the cars received a combined tail, carried the body conversion by HJ Mulliner & Co., while Radford each undertook the interior design.

Mini De Ville

From 1963 to 1975, Radford in greater numbers conversions of the Mini ago, which were marketed as a Mini De Ville. The vehicles received an upgraded interior that includes a leather and wood trim; the body has been through some attachments such as special bumpers revised. Some vehicles were also equipped with one above the other twin headlamps. Radford also improved the noise isolation. At its highest quality version than De Ville GT Mini also received a large one-piece tailgate, by the significantly increased the practicality compared to the standard vehicle.

More mini- conversions

Apart from the De Ville- filled versions of the conversion of Radford Minis special customer requests. For the auto enthusiastic actor Peter Sellers and his girlfriend Britt Ekland at times about the company constructed a mini hatchback.

Aston Martin Shooting Brake

1964 and 1965, Radford 12 copies in a two-door station wagon based on the Aston Martin DB5 ago, which received the designation Shooting Brake (hunting vehicle). The vehicles have an elongated roof line, a hatchback and a long side plate between the B and the C-pillar. Also other body corporate -produced Shooting Brakes on this basis - among them Coachwork FLM Panel Craft - who Radford versions but were mostly regarded as the most successful designs. The DB5 Shooting Brakes Radford were considered the fastest, most luxurious and expensive suits their time.

In 1966, seven Shooting Brakes developed on the basis of the newly introduced Aston Martin DB6. They differed from the DB5 version by a steep standing, provided with a tear-off edge of the C -pillar.

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