1960 Ashley 1172 Roadster
Registration No. AHM 304
.
It was in late January 2024 that I was
told about this Ashley when I received an email
from Melanie, the builders Daughter.
Hi Ivor,
This car belonged to my dad and was put together by him somewhere around 1960/61 as far as my mum can remember. I’d love to know more about it but have drawn a blank so far, until I was directed to your website. Any information you may have would be very much appreciated! And apologies for the poor quality photos but they are the only ones we have found so far. Many thanks,
Melanie
This car belonged to my dad and was put together by him somewhere around 1960/61 as far as my mum can remember. I’d love to know more about it but have drawn a blank so far, until I was directed to your website. Any information you may have would be very much appreciated! And apologies for the poor quality photos but they are the only ones we have found so far. Many thanks,
Melanie
I explained that unfortunately her Dad's Ashley 1172 Roadster, registered AHM 304, didn't appear on my Archive and I had no
record of it in my files.
However I could and did tell her the following:
"The Registration Number comes from a "Ford" donor car
first registered at the EAST HAM C.B. Council, sometime between
May 1938 & January 1939.
The 1938 Ford chassis, engine, gearbox, drive shaft, axles, wheels, etc, could have all been reused after the body had been dismantled, removed and replaced with a Fibreglass bodyshell made by Ashley Laminates,
in her dad's case it looked like an early 1959 bodyshell".
I explained that unfortunately her Dad's Ashley 1172 Roadster, registered AHM 304, didn't appear on my Archive and I had no
record of it in my files.
However I could and did tell her the following:
"The Registration Number comes from a "Ford" donor car
first registered at the EAST HAM C.B. Council, sometime between
May 1938 & January 1939.
The 1938 Ford chassis, engine, gearbox, drive shaft, axles, wheels, etc, could have all been reused after the body had been dismantled, removed and replaced with a Fibreglass bodyshell made by Ashley Laminates,
in her dad's case it looked like an early 1959 bodyshell".
Melanie had also scanned and sent some B&W photo's which I've
coloured and included above.
I also said that I would very much like to include Raymond's
Ashley story into my Archive and publish it on my webpage for
Ashley 1172 Roadsters
with her Mum's permission of course.
I also added that I would like a lot more information about it to
tell it's story fully.
The next day I got this reply:
coloured and included above.
I also said that I would very much like to include Raymond's
Ashley story into my Archive and publish it on my webpage for
Ashley 1172 Roadsters
with her Mum's permission of course.
I also added that I would like a lot more information about it to
tell it's story fully.
The next day I got this reply:
Hi again, thank you so much for getting back to me and the interesting read regarding the history etc, behind Ashley Laminates.
I now know a little more than I did previously, despite my dad’s old car not appearing on your archives or in your files.
Both my mum and myself are more than happy for you to include my dad’s Ashley story into your archives (including photos) and to publish it on your webpage should you be able to do so. We will help with any information we can, but I’m afraid we probably won’t have too much of that for you. But happy to answer any questions we can anyhow.
Many thanks again, Melanie.
I sent Melanie a list of questions asking about Ray's Ashley 1172,
saying there was no rush for the answers.
I also mentioned that I had checked the "DVLA GOV.UK Database"
for Dad's registration, unfortunately they, like me, had no record
of it on their database, indicating that it never made it onto the Electronic System in the late 1970's when all car registrations went
to on a central system instead of the local council office files.
A few days later I received this reply with as much information
as Jean, her Mum, could remember:
saying there was no rush for the answers.
I also mentioned that I had checked the "DVLA GOV.UK Database"
for Dad's registration, unfortunately they, like me, had no record
of it on their database, indicating that it never made it onto the Electronic System in the late 1970's when all car registrations went
to on a central system instead of the local council office files.
A few days later I received this reply with as much information
as Jean, her Mum, could remember:
The builder was my dad, Raymond Farrell, who also owned the car.
He was a mechanic at the time and did some work for my Uncle Victor at my uncles place (pictured) Panelcraft in Romford.
It’s possible that it was my uncle who made my dad aware of Ashley Laminates.
The build took a matter of months and every weekend and evening and every spare moment between was spent on the build according to my mum………. hence the rather glum face on my mum in the photo of her leaning against my dads car!
He was a mechanic at the time and did some work for my Uncle Victor at my uncles place (pictured) Panelcraft in Romford.
It’s possible that it was my uncle who made my dad aware of Ashley Laminates.
The build took a matter of months and every weekend and evening and every spare moment between was spent on the build according to my mum………. hence the rather glum face on my mum in the photo of her leaning against my dads car!
The build took place in a workshop at the bottom of my mums parents garden in Forest Road, Romford. It would have been mostly Ford parts used as my dad (Ray) had many of them laying around at that time. Unfortunately my mum (Jean) is not sure on what modifications there were, but (knowing my dad) she said there were bound to have been some! The car body was Red in colour.
Ray owned it for maybe six months or so after completion then he
sold it, possibly to his friend Danny Walker, although my mum isn’t 100% certain on that, he never kept cars for long back then apparently.
Sorry for the lack of more info, I know that had my dad still been with us now then he would of loved nothing more than to have given you many details about his build and the many cars he would have owned/worked on back then.
The build took place in a workshop at the bottom of my mums parents garden in Forest Road, Romford. It would have been mostly Ford parts used as my dad (Ray) had many of them laying around at that time. Unfortunately my mum (Jean) is not sure on what modifications there were, but (knowing my dad) she said there were bound to have been some! The car body was Red in colour.
Ray owned it for maybe six months or so after completion then he
sold it, possibly to his friend Danny Walker, although my mum isn’t 100% certain on that, he never kept cars for long back then apparently.
Sorry for the lack of more info, I know that had my dad still been with us now then he would of loved nothing more than to have given you many details about his build and the many cars he would have owned/worked on back then.
So Danny Walker if you did buy it or if anyone else
has in the past or if anyone has any
information about this
1960 Ashley 1172 Roadster car
Registration No.
AHM 304
(Donor car, originally registered by East Ham C.B.C
in between
May 1938 to Jan 1939)
please email me on
[email protected]
or
use the contact page on this site to contact me,
so that I can update this page.
has in the past or if anyone has any
information about this
1960 Ashley 1172 Roadster car
Registration No.
AHM 304
(Donor car, originally registered by East Ham C.B.C
in between
May 1938 to Jan 1939)
please email me on
[email protected]
or
use the contact page on this site to contact me,
so that I can update this page.