E. D. Abbott
E. D. Abbott Ltd, coachbuilders, of Farnham
1929 Company started trading when Edward Dixon Abbott, who had been London Sales Manager of coachbuilders Page and Hunt, took over their Farnham works when that business failed.
Many of the early orders were for commercial vehicles which kept the business afloat during the worst of the depression but some car-body making continued.
A major part of their output was under sub-contract to motor vehicle manufacturers.
1932 Constructed the Scud II sailplane to the design of L. E. Baynes; this was half the weight and size of contemporary sailplanes[1]
1934 Abbott won a contract from Lagonda to provide all the bodies for the new small Rapier; also gained work from Frazer-Nash for coachwork on imported BMW chassis.
1937 Aircraft designers and manufacturers. "Scud" Sailplanes.
WWII the company manufactured experimental radar aerials for the Royal Aircraft Establishment.
After World War 2 the company restarted its coachbuilding activities building production runs of coupés for Sunbeam-Talbot and Healey - see Healey Abbott, as well as some special bodies for Jowett, Bentley and Lanchester.
Large orders gained from Ford for estate car versions of their Consul and Zephyr models during the late 1950s and early 1960s, after which Ford's estate production (aside from the Corsair) was done by Ford themselves.
1963 Motor Show exhibitor. Ford Zephyr and Zodiac with bodywork converted.
1972 The business closed.
A Scud II built in 1935 is still airworthy, and is believed to be the oldest flying glider in the United Kingdom.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Flight 16 September 1932