Abbey (coachbuilder)
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on a 15-98 Aston Martin chassis
Abbey Coachworks Limited was a British coachbuilding business based in Merton, South West London and later Acton, North West London and was active between 1930 and about 1938.
Arthur P Compton set up several coachbuilding businesses, including Compton, Sons and Terry which was founded in 1929 in Merton, South West London. He left this in 1930 to set up on his own and the other partner D.H. Terry with D.H.B. Power renamed the company Abbey Coachworks. In 1933 the company moved to larger premises in Acton, North West London. In 1936 they took over the Wingham brand from Martin Walter and changed their name to Wingham Martin Walter. They exhibited at the 1937 London Motor Show under the new name but by the late 1930s custom coachbuilding on car maker's chassis was in terminal decline and they seem to have gone out of business shortly afterwards. Martin Walter themselves remained in business and after World War II made a range of motor caravans under the Dormobile name.
Abbey seem to have concentrated on short production runs rather than bespoke bodywork. Cars they equipped included the Wolseley Hornet Special, Rover 20 and various MGs particularly their MG Magna, Fords, Hillmans and Vauxhalls. Some of their production was for other coachbuilders such as Jarvis of Wimbledon and was sold under names other than Abbey.
References
- A-Z of British Coachbuilders. Nick Walker. Bay View Books. 1997. ISBN 1-870979-93-1
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