Descrizione
A unique car with an amazing story. British specialist sports cars have always held a fascination for me and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of acquiring the ONLY Sportiva in the world sitting on it`s original extended chassis and running a correct, freshly rebuilt 1172cc Ford sidevalve engine. And it comes with the most astonishing back-story having been laid up in a barn from new for some 53 years before being discovered in November 2014. Since then, in the hands of essentially one family, it has been substantially yet sympathetically rebuilt to as close to original specification as possible whilst retaining in-period patina to bodywork and interior. It represents a mammoth labour of love with hundreds of hours invested with each stage photographed meticulously. Correctly road-registered, the Sportiva is now ready to be loved and enjoyed and offers a genuinely unique proposition to own a piece of British motoring history.
Britain in the mid-1950`s saw a boom of small-scale specialist car makers producing kits and fully-built cars using glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) bodies over simple Ford or Austin mechanics. GRP was a revolutionary new material and allowed these often back-yard operations to create modern body styling without the need of bending sheet metal over a frame. If supplied in kit form, they were also exempt from Purchase Tax and thus made them cheap to buy, build and run. Ashley Laminates was established by Peter Pellandine and Keith Waddington in 1955 in Woodford Green, Essex and started with a basic GRP body sat on an Austin Seven chassis. The Ashley 750, as it was known, soon became available on a longer wheelbase and production started from a small garage next to the Robin Hood Inn in Loughton. A year later, the partners parted company with Pellandine setting up Falcon shells and taking the rights with him for the original short-wheelbase 750. Waddington pushed on and expanded production taking on new larger workshop space in Upshire in 1958 whilst still retaining the original garage converting it to a sales showroom. A new body, the 1172, and new Regent chassis, followed and utilised Ford mechanics and offered both coupe and roadster styles with optional hardtop. In November 1960, the coupe version was lengthened and restyled becoming the Sportiva, available as either just a bodyshell or with Regent chassis. With production moving to Harlow a few months later, the Sportiva became available with a longer Mk. VI chassis providing an 8ft. wheelbase and improving driver comfort for those of taller frame. Two or four-seater versions as well as a drophead became available but production was sadly short-lived as changes to Purchase Tax in 1962 effectively put pay to all but ready-built cars. From 1963, the company was rebranded as Ashley Auto Improvements and mainly focussed on the manufacture of GRP bonnets and hardtops for principally small British sports cars made by Triumph and MG.
Our car dates from 1961 and was supplied new as a four-seater Sportiva coupe on the later Mk. VI chassis to a gentleman in Sidcup, Kent. From what is known, the Ashley was completed for road use and subsequently parked-up until discovered in a barn in late 2014. Paperwork suggests that ownership changed hands in April 1982 albeit the car remained in the same spot. When found 9 years ago, the tachometer showed zero miles with original tyres and brake shoes showing no wear whatsoever. A genuine barn-find of car that had never been driven. It was sold for £2750 to an enthusiast in Dartford who subsequently commenced a rolling 7-year recommissioning programme. Notable work included a full strip and rebuild of the 1172cc engine, chassis cleaned and repainted, fuel tank cleaned and repainted, reconditioned starter motor, all new braking system, reconditioned Panhard rod and coil-over suspension, retrimmed seats in leather on original sliding frames and 5 road wheels stripped and powder-coated in black. The car was worked on by both the owner and his friend, a retired Mercedes mechanic, with bills for parts alone exceeding £2000. Every stage of the work was photographed from “as found” through to it being a “driving project” when ultimately sold for £5000 to the owner`s second cousin in September 2021. Believing that he had purchased a rare and recently rebuilt British sports car that required some finishing, our now Doctor owner set about on what was become a substantial recommissioning exercise. Not satisfied with the engine performance, the 1172cc was removed and taken to Classic and Modern Engine Services of Bracknell who undertook a rebuild consisting of full rebore, new pistons, conrods and bearings with crankshaft reground and block refaced. Not stopping there, the gearbox was stripped and rebuilt, a custom full-width steel frame made and installed to support the steering column and wiper motor, reconditioned radiator installed with all new hoses and electric fan, new clutch master cylinder and all new pipework, refurbished brake drums with new seals, flexible hoses and cables, replacement loom with modern fuse box to serve 12V conversion with Dynomator, electronic ignition fitted, new wiper and windscreen washer set-up, replaced side-exit Datsun exhaust system, new tubeless tyres on all 5 refurbished wheels and new door and boot seals. The list is endless but this covers principal work and once again has been fully documented with photographs (both paper, 35mm and over 200 on a USB stick) and backed-up with a large file of receipts. Bills for parts alone run to over £3200.
In June 2022 and with the above work ongoing, our owner applied to the DVLA to register the vehicle for the first time. After an inspection undertaken by a representative from the Fairthorpe Sports Car Club, a NOVA was issued allowing the car to be registered as an Ashley Sportiva on a correct age-related registration plate. Our owner appears as the very first keeper. The opportunity for us to acquire the car has only come through the owner`s need to regain space in the garage. It has been a very reluctant sale.
The Sportiva today presents as seen in the photographs. The original unrestored GRP body with factory-finish green gelcoat is untouched and whilst carries small areas of crazing, it seems almost sacrilege to repaint it. This is part of it`s history and to respray would wipe away over 60 years of patina. But under these clothes sits an evidently rebuilt car with huge attention to detail with all work undertaken correctly and totally in the spirit of what the company originally intended. The Sportiva carries a Valuation for insurance purposes of £10, 000.
Pull the choke, flick the remote fuel pump and pull the starter and the freshly rebuilt 1172cc fires up immediately sounding lively and purposeful. On the road, the Sportiva moves up quickly through the 3-speed manual `box with eager performance, a firm but surprisingly comfortable ride and great handling. On a warm Sunday morning, I took the little car out for a blast across the West Dorset Downs towards Maiden Newton. I genuinely didn’t want to turn around! It is infectious and whilst still running-in, the freshly rebuilt sidevalve engine is an absolute joy.
The car comes with comprehensive history from the past 9 years including many full-size paper photographs of the rebuild, a small photograph album of 35mm prints and a USB stick with over 200 photos from the past 2 years, a full file of receipts for parts covering entire rebuild period, various literature about Ashley Laminates including Rod Ward`s book British Plastic, DVLA paperwork documenting the first registration, copies of the Practical Motorist (1950`s), handwritten notes and lists of work undertaken. In addition, the Sportiva comes with various parts and spares.
A unique slice of British motoring history. Sympathetically restored and ready to enjoy.
Shore Classics is based on the West Dorset coast within easy proximity of both Weymouth and the County town of Dorchester. As classic and vintage dealers, we offer full brokerage facilities. So if you require some help and guidance with selling your classic car or motorcycle, just give us a call today.
Deposit now taken.
