Sunday, October 29, 2017

Charles Clark - Triumph car dealer 48

This article is about Charles Clark and is number 48 in my continuing series about Standard Triumph car dealers.
Charles Clark window sticker
Charles Clark window sticker
Charles Clark Wolverhampton window sticker
Charles Clark operated over a number of different sites. I have listed the subsidiary companies as they were in 1981 later in this article.
the Charles Clark Group window sticker
the Charles Clark Group window sticker
The company branding has changed over the years. Sometimes known as Charles Clark, the Charles Clark Group and later as Hartwell Charles Clark.
Hartwell Charles Clark window sticker
Hartwell Charles Clark window sticker
Currently there is a business trading as Charles Clark.
Charles Clark modern logo
Charles Clark modern logo

Brass Badge

1934 dealers badge from a 1934 Austin Seven image provided by T Bonne.

Coach builder

Early in their history the company was a coach builder. This Rolls-Royce Phantom II was sold for around £1 million in 1986 and subsquently auctioned by Bonhams.
The 1926 Phantom I has frescoes on the ceiling, a drinks cabinet and rear seats which took more than nine months to create.
Commissioned by Clarence Gasque – a financial director of Woolworth’s – as a surprise gift for his wife Maude, it has been described as a palace on wheels.

Gasque, a London-based American, bought the chassis and drivetrain from Rolls-Royce for £1,600, and ended up spending a further £5,000 on the project, creating the world’s most expensive car.

He gave it to coachbuilder Charles Clark of Wolverhampton with the demand the car’s design must be French.
Craftsmen from Aubusson, France, spent nine months working on the tapestry for the rear seats, costing £500 – the same price as the average home at the time.

As passengers sit on the back seat they gaze upwards at the naked cherubs painted on the ceiling.

Charles Clark Woverhampton

Charles Clark, Wolverhampton Rover Group advert
Charles Clark, Wolverhampton Rover Group advert
Charls Clark Merridale Road Wolverhampton
Charls Clark Merridale Road Wolverhampton
Whilst the Wolverhampton branch on Merridale Road, Chapel Ash stood empty the building was damaged. The local authority served notice for work to be done to protect both the building and land in 2005. The company failed to comply and was fined £2000 with £600 costs.

Triumph TR7 

Like many car dealers Charles Clark placed adverts in football match programs.  I particularly like this advert from a Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester United programme from 1978 which includes a scarf billowing from the window.
Charles Clark - WolverhamptonWanders1978 Program advert
Charles Clark - WolverhamptonWanders1978 Program advert

Charles Clark, Wolverhampton address stamp on TR7 brochure
Charles Clark, Wolverhampton address stamp on TR7 brochure

Rally support

Austin Westminster rally barge

Austin Westminster rally barge image 2
A Charles Clark Group sponsored Austin Westminster estate car was used as rally service support vehicle.

Subsidary companies

The Charles Group consisted of business at many different locations. In the company accounts for Charles Clark & Son Limited for the year to 31 December 1981: Alexander Finance Company Limited, Charles Clark Commercial Vehicles Limited, Charles Clark Drive Hire Limited,
Charles Clark Group Fleet Limited, Charles Clark Newtown Limited, Charles Clark Shrewsbury Limited, Charles Clark Stafford Limited, Charles Clark Telford Limited, Charles Clark Walsall Limited, Charles Clark West Bromwich Limited, Charles Clark & Son (West Bromwich) Limited
Charles Clark Woverhampton Limited, Dartmouth Contract Hire Limited, Dulac Garages Limited,
Enterprise Garage Bridgenorth Limited, Enterprise Garage Chester Limited, Meiron Motors Limited.
Charles Clark Austin Allegro advert April1979
Charles Clark Austin Allegro advert April1979
This Charles Clark Group advert for the Austin Allegro from April 1979 includes a list of branches:
Bullstake, Darlaston; Pool Road, Newtown (Powys); Roushill, Shrewsbury; Lichfield Road, Stafford; Market Street, Wellington, Telford; Hatherton Road, Walsall; High Street, West Bromwich; Chapel Ash, Wolverhampton.
Charles Clark Shrewsbury
Charles Clark Shrewsbury

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about the Charles Clark group, photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

Further information and sources

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to face book page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr gallery of images I have found on Flickr.

I have a collection of Standard Triumph car dealer directories: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/triumph-car-dealer-directories.html

Picture credits:Charles Clark Wolverhampton window sticker David Rumens; Charls Clark Merridale Road Wolverhampton by Robert Francis facebook; 1934 dealers badge from a 1934 Austin Seven image provided by T Bonne; Rolls Royce images from Bonhams ;Austin Westminster rally barge image 2 Aaron Gee on flickr; Charles Clark, Wolverhampton Rover Group advert; Charles Clark modern logo from Charles Clark website; Charles Clark Austin Allegro advert April 1979 scan posted to facebook by Andy Grainger; Charles Clark - WolverhamptonWanders1978 Program advert posted flickr by Miles McClagan.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Leyland Special Tuning - Triumph TR7 and Dolomite Sprint

Many years ago I pick up this leaflet but it was not until very recently that I found some detailed inserts for both the Triumph TR7 and Triumph Dolomite Sprint. Thanks to Alan Bashford who posted them on facebook.

Leyland Special Tuning - Triumph TR7 Plusparts and Pluspacs

Leyland Special Tuning - Triumph TR7 Plusparts and Pluspacs
Leyland Special Tuning - Triumph TR7 Plusparts and Pluspacs

Leyland Special Tuning - Triumph TR7 Plusparts and Pluspacs 02
Leyland Special Tuning - Triumph TR7 Plusparts and Pluspacs 02

Leyland Special Tuning - Triumph Dolomite Sprint Plusparts and Pluspacs

Leyland Special Tuning - Triumph Dolomite Sprint Plusparts and Pluspacs
Leyland Special Tuning - Triumph Dolomite Sprint Plusparts and Pluspacs

Leyland Special Tuning - Triumph Dolomite Sprint Plusparts and Pluspacs 02
Leyland Special Tuning - Triumph Dolomite Sprint Plusparts and Pluspacs 02
 Does anybody have the corresponding price lists to share?

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Cyril J Deal Ltd of Kelvedon - Triumph car dealer 47

Cyril J Deal Ltd of Kelvedon near Colchester who were a Triumph car dealer are the subject of this short article.
Cyril J Deal Ltd window sticker
Cyril J Deal Ltd window sticker
A long standing firm that started out in 1919.
Hillman Imps outside the Cyril J Deal showroom
Hillman Imps outside the Cyril J Deal showroom
The firm have held many different franchises over the years including, Hillman, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Rover, Proton and Standard Triumph.
Ford cars in the Cyril J Deal showroom
Ford cars in the Cyril J Deal showroom

Many traders issue promotional material such as key rings.  Here is something less common a Deal of Kelvedon yellow duster.
Deal of Kelvedon yellow duster
Deal of Kelvedon yellow duster

Still in business

Now known as Deal of Kelvedon, the business sells new Great Wall trucks, used cars and does MOT's.  It also has a body shop and does classic car restoration.
Deal of Kelvedon February 2015
Deal of Kelvedon February 2015

Dealer listing info

I have the firm in many dealer directory covering the period from October 1955 right up to May 1991. Always at the same address: Cyril J Deal Ltd, Railway Garage, Station Road, Kelvedon CO5 9NR. The name changing to Deal of Kelvedon in the May 1991 Rover Group dealer listing.

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Cyril J Deal Ltd of Kelvedon, photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

Further information and sources

I wrote about Roy H.G.Tolley of Colne Garage, Butt Road Colchester earlier in this series.

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to face book page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr gallery of images I have found on Flickr.

I have a collection of Standard Triumph car dealer directories: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/triumph-car-dealer-directories.html

Picture credits: Ford cars in the Cyril J Deal showroom, and Hillman Imps outside the Cyril J Deal showroom images from Michael Trigger Carpenter on facebook; Deal of Kelvedon yellow duster from Tom Morley on facebook and Stil in business from google.