Nickri

 

NICKRI LAMINATES
NORTH ROAD, HAVERING, ROMFORD, ESSEX

A recently advertised Spyder complete with factory windscreen

I'm not too sure when Nickri Laminates started to produce their Spyder, but it was the shell that new magazine "Car Mechanics"  decided to use when they did one of the first serialized vehicle builds from September to December 1958.

The Car Mechanics Spyder

Designed to fit the Ford 8/10 chassis and priced at £75 ex works, it came complete with full floor, bulkhead, wheel arches, spare wheel platform, occasional seat pans, rear bulkhead, dashboard and choice of colour. All edges were trimmed and flanged and it could be lowered onto your chassis in 30 seconds.

Updated Spyder

From September 1959 an updated version of the Spyder was announced, now with a more conventional headlight arrangement and a bonnet bulge. It was advertised as being also available for the longer 7`10 Ford chassis and would accommodate 2 adults and 2 children. The price was now up to £80.

Nickri`s adverts were a few and far between, but their advert in Practical Motorist from December 1959 stated that the Spyder could now be purchased for as little as £59 for the bare shell. The list of extras also included this hideous hard top.

Nickri Alpine roadster

In April 1960 the Alpine was announced. Priced at £89 the Alpine was more inline with what the other glassfibre companies were doing. It had a tubular steel mounting frame, radiator grille, dashboard, internal door pockets and for an extra £10 you got the inner wheel arches, and a bulkhead with battery box and header tank platform. At the Super Accessories concourse of May 1961 the Alpine pictured above came second behind a Falcon Caribbean although Tony Bostock of Car Mechanics reported it as a TWM. An easy mistake as the two do look very similar.

Nickri Alpine hardtop

Challenger

By May 1961 the Spyder had been updated again into the Challenger, although it was now only available for the 7`6 chassis it could be bought for as little as £45. Also announced at this time was the Belford chassis. Made from 2.5" square E.W.steele tube, 10 s.w.g.,to fit all Ford E93A parts without any modification and priced at £27/5/0.

The Nickri Belford chassis

Nickri Champion

In 1962 Nickri announced the Champion. This  was a complete four seater shell for any chassis of 7`6 or 7`10 wheelbase. Specification was as the Alpine with the addition of polished alloy window frames with sliding windows, quarter bumpers, badge bar and a chrome strip running along the top of the front wing line. The price for the Champion was £149 including the hard top.
Both versions of the Spyder are known, but no Challengers, Alpines or Champions are thought to exist.
Or so we thought!!! January 2004 I had the great news that this Champion had just re-surfaced. Also yet another Spyder has come to light. There must be loads more Nickri's out there, please get in touch if you own one. I would especially like information on anyone who  owned or worked at Nickri Laminates.

Newly discovered Nickri Champion
Thanks to Rick  www.oldclassiccar.co.uk for the picture