MAYFAIR CARRIAGE COMPANY (UK)

[jscheib]

I wonder if someone can help with this. In Hershey this year, I met a gentleman from the Netherlands. He has a 1931 Buick with a Mayfair custom body on it.

We know the Buick was an export model, and are trying to gather info on the body work. I did learn that the Mayfair Carriage Company existed until into the 1970s, but there does not seem to be information on their work documented.

I did also learn that they built bodies for RR and Bentley, and at least one Mercedes (car worth about $1M)but also quite a number of bodies for Alvis and Lagonda.

We tried learning more in the Buick forum but I thought maybe we could get pointed in the right direction regarding the Mayfair Carriage Co. from some readers here.

Thanks for any help.

John

[jscheib]

I am bringing this back again to the top in the hope that there may be some readers that have not gone down far enough to read it previously.

We are trying to find some means to obtain more information on the Mayfair Carriage Company in England, Any hints or sugestions would be appreciated.

Thanks, in advance.

John

[Dave@Moon]

They must have been a very small operation. The best book on custom bodies of this era, <span style="font-style: italic">The Custom Body Era</span> by Hugo Pfau, makes no mention of them. Neither does <span style="font-style: italic">The Olympian Cars</span> by Richard Burns Carson, <span style="font-style: italic">Motorcars of the Golden Past</span> by Ken Purdy, <span style="font-style: italic">A Century of Car Design</span> by Penny Sparke, <span style="font-style: italic">A Century of Automotive Style</span> by Lamm and Holls, or the 24 volume British series <span style="font-style: italic">The World of Automobiles</span>.

You might try posting inquirys with the CCCA and marque specific clubs. They may be able to put you in touch with a few owners who'll have more information.

[jscheib]

Dave,

Thanks so much for this info. I do not have access to most of those books you noted, but I do have some info coming from another book.

It is strange that they apparently built quite some lovely bodies on the more "up scale" cars, and this from the 20s until the business folded in the 1970s. I have no idea what they did after the war but they ran a business for apparently 40 years.

When I learn more I will post it on this formum if someone else is interested.

John

[Guest carmagreviews]

Hi - There probaby is a History on Mayfair in The Automobile Pre 1960 the British magazine which I am Currently Indexing as well as 60 other publications in some cases down to chassis numbers ; registration details that which i been doing for 34 years since I was 12!

Is your Buick the one that turned up for sale in Germany in 1989 and was listed as 1 off with Mayfair Body

listed for sale

Buick 8/67 Conv 31 4 seat RHD 1 off Mayfair June 1989 Throughbred & Classic Cars (GB) Page 159 Vol 16 Issue #9 it was a classified x Royal Family connections from a private collection - Hamburg Germany Mayfair Carriage Co ;London

Mayfair Carriage Co not onlt Did Bentley & Rolls Royces but work on Alvis and Mercedes Benz

They also did work on Fiat 500 4 seater coupe 1939 a used test was conducted on 27JUL 1951 Autocar V96 #2904 P891

Used Test #12; Reg ED E7;42100miles; Jul 39; Mayfair Garages LTD

Then was even a 500 Coupe that was Supercharged 1939 for sale in 1950 30JUN50 AC V95 #2852 PSupp 23 (As they sold Fiats New)

I get the impression that they coachbulder/car dealer until just prior to world war 2 and later a car dealer only through the 50s and erhaps the early 60s

Cheers Julian from New Zealand

[Argyll]

This is the entry from “BEAULIEU ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE AUTOMOBILE COACHBUILDING”.

Editor: Nick Georgano. Published: The Stationery Office, London. 2001.

“<span style="font-weight: bold">MAYFAIR (GB) 1925 – 1948</span>

1925 – 1929: Progressive Coach & Motor Body Co., Kilburn, London.

1929 – 1934: Mayfair Carriage Co. Ltd., Kilburn, London.

1934 – 1948: Mayfair Carriage Co. Ltd., Edgeware Road, London.

This company is one of two to have emerged from a third, original firm named Motor Car Industries. The partners split up in about 1925; one went off to form Carlton Carriage, and the other remained in the Kilburn, West London premises to form Progressive Coach & Motor Body Co. The new company started exhibiting at Olympia two years later, in 1927. The name changed in 1929 to Mayfair Carriage Co. Ltd. Initially its associations were with <span style="font-weight: bold">Buick</span> and Minerva, but from 1930 on it moved to using Humber and Wolseley chassis.

In 1931, however, the company began its most important link, with Alvis. Starting with a Silver Eagle sports saloon in 1931, Mayfair began to specialise in saloons, limousines and drophead coupes on such chassis as Crested Eagle and Speed Twenty, and then on the Speed Twenty’s successors – 3 ½-litre, Speed Twenty-Five and 4.3-litre. Mayfair’s designs of the 1930’s had a great deal of elegance about them – even the D-back limousines. Among the less formal designs, the 3 ½-litre Alvis sports saloon of 1935 was simply sensational, as was the 1936 coupe-de-ville on the 4 ½ -litre Lagonda. During 1935-37 Mayfair bodies several Siddeley Special and Armstrong-Siddeley chassis, all apparently limousines. It moved from its Kilburn premises to a new building in Edgeware Road in 1934, but had virtually given up car coachbuilding by 1939.

After World War II it was involved almost entirely in commercial bodybuilding, although it was persuaded to body two HRG’s in the early postwar period. By 1959 the business was only servicing and repairs and the company ceased trading in the 1970’s.

NW <span style="font-style: italic">(Nick Walker)</span>”

Argyll.

[jscheib]

Argyll,

Thank you so much for this info, and this is what we were looking for. Now, I hate to be greedy, but do you know if there is any way to trace who the customers for the bodies were? Specifically, we were looking for one on a 1931 Buick chassis that is now in the Netherlands.

John

[Argyll]

Hi John,

Please don't worry about asking - we've all been where you are.

I would reckon that The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu (the backers behind the book quoted) would be your first port of call, however they charge for their information. The plus side is Beaulieu has a huge information resource, but if it doesn't have what you're looking for then you've got a hunt in front of you.

When I'm in the museum today I'll access the specific make owners groups and see if I can get you contact e-mail addresses for Alvis, Armstrong-Siddeley, Lagonda, Humber, HRG, Minerva & Wolseley clubs.

If I think of anything else I'll let you know.

Argyll.

[Argyll]

Hi John,

Much to my surprise the specific marque clubs I mentioned above don't have any e-mail contact addresses, not one of them. All that is listed are their snail-mail addresses. This is the link to that list, the government's Department of Vehicle Licencing Authority (DVLA) web site that designates officially recognised authoritative clubs in the UK & NI - List of Vehicle Owners Clubs.

As an alternative I'm also a member of a UK based web site that has members on mainland Europe who may be able to assist. However, its a small web site, nothing like as extensive as this one, but perhaps worth try - Old Classic Car.co.uk

(Admin - I hope including these web addresses doesn't break any of this sites rules, however if it does my apologies and I will PM the other poster the information.)

Argyll.

[Argyll]

Just a wee taster of what Mayfair did with an Alvis -

<span style="font-weight: bold">1932 Speed 20 SA Mayfair saloon</span>

© Nick Simpson Collection.

Argyll.

[jscheib]

Thanks again for the continued update. I have not heard from Henk in the Netherlands lately, by my regular e-mail, but I am hoping he will add some comments on his car. I had posted a photo of the car and some he sent on the numbers on the Buick Club site, Pre-War Forum with last date of 11/6/2007.

You can see from the car photo, there are quite some similarities between the body on the Buick and the Alvis.

Henk is trying to find some history of his car and this should allow him to perhaps at least appreciate the petigree of the Mayfair Carriage Co. if not actaually able to trace the original car and possibly the original owner and its history. This must be a very rare car. The photo of the car, I was told, is at his daughter's wedding.

Thanks again.

John

[henk]

I am Henk from Holland and the owner of the Buick 1931 Mayfare. And I am verry glad with the information special from Julian. I send a mail to this company for more information. In the maintime I now that the car is in Germany match years and the last Germain owner are not speakful and dont have any information, this person or somewhoneals lost the papers, so he cant tel my enithing.

Sorry fore my Englisch but I am Dutchman,

In next a foto.

Have nice days en an happy new year.

Henk

[Argyll]

No need to apologise Henk, I promise you your English is a 1000% better than my Dutch!

With regard to the "lost information"; if you can, try and keep a line of communication open with the previous owner(s) by every so often sending him a picture, etc of it at events and so on. That way if something eventually does turn up in his paperwork he may forward it on to you. I had a similar circumstance with our Chevrolet and the owner sent me valuable paperwork nearly two years on from when I bought it - being pleasantly persistent sometimes works.

Looking forward to hopefully seeing a picture of your Buick.

Merry Christmas, Argyll.

[jscheib]

Argyll,

I had helped him and posted some pictures on the Buick site, Pre-War on 10/30, so you might check for thst. It is also Mayfair in the subject. If you cannot find them perhaps he can post some more.

John

[Guest ChrisSummers]

My copy of Bob Turquist's Packard book is out on loan to a friend at the moment, but it has photos of a Mayfair-bodied Packard Super Eight from the late-'30s.

[henk]

John,

Now trying this way

Henk

[henk]

I think i am happy, it kost my more then 1 hour, but i have something.

Henk

[Argyll]

Thanks Henk - your photographs are really helpful, I'm so much better informed now.

Argyll.

[jscheib]

Henk,

I do not know about the others, but for my computer, I was able to see only the first two photos, but not the last two. However, I have some of those you sent previously.

I just noticed that apparently there is only one side mount spare, that being on the right side as looking at the car, or left side from inside the car. Was that the way the car was made? Or is there just one spare miising from the fender well?

It is also interesting to note that I think you indicated that Mayfair installed Lucas headlamps, but they do seem to have the "Buick" bar between the lights. Perhaps these were Lucas lamps installed inside the Buick "buckets".

Maybe we should try to do an article on this car for the BCA Magazine, Buick Bugle, do explain the Mayfair Carriage procedures as best we can determine.

Please continue to keep us informed. I think Argyll in the UK would be the one to help you more about the Mayfair Carriage Company. You already have info from Dave Corbin that this may well be one of the earlist Buick 8 engines built.

John

[henk]

John,

it is right thar is only one sparewheel on the lefthand side from inside car, he has no more.

The headlamps and the small lamps on the mudguards are definitly from lucas the has an lucasembleem on his top.

The headlamp has an electrical magnet so he can change the position of his reflector for high and low lightning.

I am glad with the information from all of you and I mail to the Thorougbred cars in UK and ask any information of selling list so Julian said. Maby I must mail the magazine Classic&sportscars to.

I like your suggestion for an story in the Buick magazine, I hope they like it also.

Taco,

I had the same problem and make this pin by my owen, just with my fantasy and know-how, he is good working.

But I see you are also hollands call my on 06-20748011.

You are right this car has a Germany registration I dont no how long. HH-GM-94

Henk

[henk]

I think with an smaller file, the leftsite

[jscheib]

Henk,

It is working this way. Yes, smaller files seem to work. Despite what the people in Kentucky say about their blue grass, there is nothing like the grass in The Netherlands, Belgium and also Great Britain. Lovely Green.

John

[Dandy Dave]

But there's nothing in the world like listening to real Real <span style="color: #003300">Kentuky Blue Grass!</span>

Bill Monro and his Blue Grass Boys, Lester Flat and Earl Scruggs.......

Pass me my Banjo son! Dave!

[henk]

John,

I am still waiting on answer from thoroughbred-cars.co uk if she remember the selling list,

I think also to mail to the UK magazine classic&sports cars for information of this list en maybe also information about Mayfair carriages.

And I send a mail to Buickclub in Germany. So it's still this site but I think under construction.

And the restoration is still going strong.

Do you have my pictures on your prs. mail from the restoration

Greetings,

Henk

[Guest aprilian]

Bringing this thread back to life because I have information from my Dad about my Grandfather who was a carpenter/coach builder. This gives a bit more info on the small MCC. Although it makes no difference to the search, my Grandpa's name was Montague Ellis. I hope this helps some.

"Prior to working at Thrup & Maberley, he worked at the Mayfair Carriage Company during World War II building the wooden frames for ambulances. The Mayfair Carriage Company was also on the Edgeware Road, in Collingdale, about ten miles further out from the center of London than T & M. The MCC was housed in an old automobile sales showroom, which had been converted because there were no new cars available for sale."

[Dave Mellor NJ]

A quick search revealed this information, which you probably knew already Mayfair Carriage Company Ltd. - Coach Builder Information