Ashley
SPORTS & RACING CAR BODY SPECIALISTS
ASHLEY LAMINATES
LIMITED
Ashley 750
Ashley Laminates were formed by Peter Pellandine and his friend Keith Waddington in late 1955 after the two friends had designed and built their first car using the new medium called fibre- glass to construct the bodyshell. The two set up a small factory at the Robin Hood roundabout at Loughton in Essex and started to produce shells in January 1956. The first shell, later to be called the Ashley 750, was based on the short wheelbase 6`3" Austin Seven chassis, although before the end of the year it could also be purchased for the longer 6`9" wheelbase chassis. The price of these two shells was £78 for the shell plus £25 for the hard top. Incidentally, the early hardtops had gullwing doors and it thought that none are in existence.
.jpg)
New Zealand built version of the Ashley 750 shell called the Tiki. Apparently moulds were made from an imported shell and about eight shells made.
Ashley sports racer bodied Elva
Shortly after the 750, Ashley introduced their next shell, the sports racer, which at £90 was made to accommodate wheelbases from 6`11-7`3". Peter Pellandine was to take with him the mould for this shell and also the mould for the short wheelbase 750 when he was to leave Ashley to form Falcon before the end of 1956.
It wasn't until August 1958 that Keith was able to launch his next shell the 1172. Designed initially as a roadster with detachable hard top, for the Ford 8 and 10hp chassis of 7`6"wheelbase, for which there was now a large market.
artists impression of 1172
Also in 58 Ashley advertised the Regent chassis. I think this was only available for a few months and believe that it was a product of another company rather than an Ashley product. I would be grateful for any further information on this chassis.
Regent Chassis
From early 1959 a fixed head coupe shell was available and from January 1960 the 1172 was also available for the 7`10" Ford Prefect chassis and of course any chassis of similar dimensions.
Early Coupe with wind up windows.
Ashley 1172 roadster
Fixed head coupe (Gran Turismo)
In November 1960 Ashley announced what was to be there last new body shell the Sportiva.
Ashley Sportiva
Initially an 1172 with a new front, later Sportivas had a revised rear and a longer wheelbase of eight feet to accommodate the new MkVI chassis.
Ashley MkVI chassis
It was also available in roadster form.
Body shells were available for a few more years but after Keith's death in the mid sixties only the vast range of bonnets and hardtops were advertised and the company was wound up in 1972.