ASHRIDGE AUTOMOBILES

Work log

A record of the Ashridge work since the summer of 2005

Log compiled December 2012

Cramped conditions for taking patters and measurements!

Riley Brooklands

Details of the frame were taken from an original model.

Working drawings produced and templates developed. Lower photos show trial and error stages for lateral bulheads and double curvature door development.

This work was necessary to ensure the front to back curvature was right and the barrel shape of the body was not overdone.

Templates were made for the 9hp model but some had to be extended as the first actual frame made was to be for a 14hp ‘6’.

Finalising body shape

First mock-up built up in softwood to ensure the template curves were correct.

Final patterns and templates made for retention.

N.B. It became necessary to remake templates several times as wear and damage made them unusable.

First ash components made for the 6 cylinder chassis.

The first of the Ashridge Brooklands frames was made for a Six Cylinder version of the car. This was for personal use and was sold shortly after completion.

Building the body meant extending the body length by 4” and entailed separate patterns for scuttle and doors.

The designs for the ash framing, seats, trimming details and dashboard layout were developed on this project

Brooklands Nine frames.

Two frames were made to be mounted on original Brooklands chassis. One was a professional restorer and one for Jim Runciman. In between these a third was made for a non original chassis which was sold seperately.

The Runciman car had to be sent to Australia in kit form which made it necessary to include a set of assembly instructions.See page 19

14/6 Lynx

This was the ex John Flitcroft car which was in poor condition when we acquired it. Much work was done on the trimming and the dashboard, including new glove pockets.

The car was sold to Jim Runciman in Australia and made a useful ‘container’ for sending out the component parts of the Brooklands body frame.

Amilcar

Fully trimmed cockpit and seats . The seats were interesting in that they were ‘stepped’ to provide shoulder room for driver and racing mechanic.

BMW/Frazer Nash

Interior trimming, seats and cockpit.

Assisted Percy with body filling and preparation prior to painting

Delage

New dashboard made in Mahogany and all instruments fitted.Ammeter dismantled and face refinished in silver to match other instruments.Stripped, sanded and polished all show woodwork. New seat frames and tipping mechanisms made.Jacqui shown seat pleating and trimming method.

Lynx Sprite

Back half of ash frame stripped out and rebuilt in new ash.

Glove pocket facings stripped and re-veneered using Burr Walnut veneers.

Glove pockets re-covered and show wood polished.

Cockpit edge padded and bright work fitted.

Interior trimmed to match seats. 

Riley ImpA sad story

We had what we thought was an original Imp chassis and so set about building up a full car.

Patterns were taken and a mock-up body in softwood made.

An ash frame was then made including the scuttle tool boxes and aero screen storage. A fully instrumented dashboard was also constructed.

Original wings and bonnet were acquired at which point we sold the car, it being realised that it was far too small for any of us to get into!

Body frame mock-ups for hire

The Imp mock-up is still available from Ashridge Automobile s and has so far been hired out on five occasions.

The Gamecock frame, originally made for GY63 and donated to AA, was hired out on one occasion and was never returned.

Two styles of Brooklands frame also shown here.

Green and Cream Kestrel 9

Seen in the background of the photo below this car needed a new rear window frame prior to fitting a new headlining. The original ash had been very badly infested by woodworm.

In the foreground is the ‘Whitcroft’ Brooklands 1932 TT winning body on original chassis 8060. It was from this car that our racing body was made.

Brooklands Racer

A thorough measure up of this original body was made and drawings and templates were completed for future use. Tony trimmed the seats under guidance from me while I made up the instrument panel.

The car was sold without paint which would have hidden the provenance of the historic body.

Brooklands Racer body

Several of these bodies have now been made, by Mike and Bob under instruction from Geoff. The model has no doors with their double curvature design so is very much simpler to make.

This particular frame was made by Geoff when AA was commissioned to make a short tailed version as opposed to the normal longer tailed version pictured below.

Dashboard design

A variety of dashboards have been designed and made . Here are shown four different finishes, polished aluminium, black painted, polished walnut and swirled aluminium (not used)

John Tew’s Alpine Saloon

This car came in to have its doors adjusted and finished up having to have major elements of doors and body altered. It was even necessary to make a new dashboard because the one on the car was too wide!

The commission increased from just door adjustment to a full finishing job. Tony did the fabric covering and head lining while I did the body alterations and made a new sliding roof.

Nigel Trotman’s Alpine Tourer

Glove boxes relinedRunning boards made and paintedRunning board rubbers modified with inserts of Riley diamond motif and tread squares. 

Nigel Trotman’s Stelvio

New door card frames made to enable original leather trim panels to be used. This entailed decreasing the border widths to hide the edge defects.

Ashridge made new leather backing panels for the wood trim and fitted carpeting to the door bottoms.

Matthew’s Stelvio

New ‘B’ posts made to replace rotted originals which were causing door hinging problems.The intricacies of Weyman body construction were gleaned from this car before it was sold on.

12/4 Merlin Special

A Restorer`s buck for the body of this special was reproduced for AA’s use. This was originally done in 2010 and again in 2012 because of changes made in chassis design.

This buck and templates for chassis rails and bulkhead supports were made.

Kevin Copleston’s Merlin special below. Dashboard made and instruments fitted. The trimming, including tonneau , arm pads and tool box was done by Sharon and Geoff as a joint project. 85 hours recorded.

Under seat boxes

Boxes made to fit under the passenger seat of the Merlin and Brooklands specials. Lined for use as tool boxes or for personal effects.

Hero Alfa Romeo Guillietta Spider

Fitting of rubber seals around doors. Extremely difficult and time consuming!

Computer workWebsite design with DavidAA logo designAA invoice designSketches and component listsCritical Path AnalysisBrooklands Assembly Guide

Mike Wilmott’s 9hp Merlin

New ash frame made and fitted for rear window and boot lid surround.New cant rails made and fitted near and off sides.Assisted with doors and bonnet alignment.Job ongoing, 75 hours recorded to date.

Further ongoing jobs :- Road going Brooklands frame for Steve Hughes New body design for Sprite chassis.

Model making

This 1/8th scale model of the short tailed Brooklands frame was made to display at exhibition venues and attracted a lot of attention at its first outing.

All made in ash with ‘upholstered’ seats and proper dashboard it is mounted on an aluminium chassis made by Glen.