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In the Shed

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Club Triumph forum - People - In the Shed - Triumph Car Dealers
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"Dan16v"
posts: 231
non member
 posted Tue 10th Nov 2015

I’m not sure if this is the right place for this topic, but I spent an interesting afternoon looking at the build archives at the Heritage Motor Center and tracked down the shipping slip and build slip for my GT6.

The dealer is listed as Carrs Auto Sales LTD Croydon, I can find a little bit of info on the net that they were a big Triumph dealer back in the day and an address that doesn’t exist today (2 standard house, south End, Croydon)

But I can’t seem to find much else, does anyone have any info?  Some pictures of the dealer’s stickers would be a great addition to add to the car.

Dan
Tags - In the Shed
"JohnD"
posts: 5464
non member
 posted Tue 10th Nov 2015 reply 1 of 110

Gone US-side?

http://www.carrsgarage.com/

 Serial Vitesse racer.

Old Blue.  1995-2001
Silverback. 2001-2007
SofS. 2007 - to date.
Tags - In the Shed
"JohnD"
posts: 5464
non member
 posted Tue 10th Nov 2015 reply 2 of 110

Rufus Carr, Clitheroe?  Ford now.

 Serial Vitesse racer.

Old Blue.  1995-2001
Silverback. 2001-2007
SofS. 2007 - to date.
Tags - In the Shed
"JohnD"
posts: 5464
non member
 posted Tue 10th Nov 2015 reply 3 of 110

Carr's of Exeter, Purveyors of luxury motor vehicles to the discerning rich - Ferraris and Maseratis (And, ahem! VW vans)

 Serial Vitesse racer.

Old Blue.  1995-2001
Silverback. 2001-2007
SofS. 2007 - to date.
Tags - In the Shed
"vitessesteve"
posts: 2378
Website Administrator
Website Moderator
Isle of Wight group
joined on Mon 16th Oct 2006
 posted Tue 10th Nov 2015 reply 4 of 110

According to http://www.companieslist.co.uk/00424966-carrs-auto-sales-limited a company with that name is trading.  However company names change over time and registered address does not equal place where business actually trades.

PLEASE help us to maintain a friendly forum, use Report post button if you see anything you are unhappy with. Thanks.
Steve Weblin - AKA vitessesteve Forum Moderator

Cars - Valencia Blue 69 Vitesse Mk2 Saloon since 1991 and a TR7 Sprint.

blog http://vitessesteve.blogspot.com/ website http://www.vitessesteve.co.uk/

Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK based - studied class car restoration at Leeds City College

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin
Tags - In the Shed
"Dan16v"
posts: 231
non member
 posted Tue 10th Nov 2015 reply 5 of 110

Quoted from vitessesteve
According to http://www.companieslist.co.uk/00424966-carrs-auto-sales-limited a company with that name is trading.  However company names change over time and registered address does not equal place where business actually trades.


I did see that, but checking your link again the company director is listed in old Coulsdon, which is strangely the same town that the first owner of my GT6 came from, so it must be the same one.

I think they must have been fairly big, the engine inmy car is not the orginal one and I managed to track the car the engine came from and it went to the same dealer almost a year later
Tags - In the Shed
"Stu 1986"
posts: 1357
non member
 posted Wed 11th Nov 2015 reply 6 of 110

I didn't know that you could go through their archive, I'll have to see if I can get there at some point to have a look myself. I'm quite curious about the supplying dealer for my car and when it was built.

Tags - In the Shed
"Mark Hammond"
posts: 3371
non member
 posted Wed 11th Nov 2015 reply 7 of 110

Frank Carr of Carrs Auto Sales Croydon was a well known Triumph Dealer back in the 50's, 60's and 70's.  He was well known to Triumph top brass and as we all know the the Herald was named after the boat the Alec Dick owned at the time, well it was Frank Carr who sold him the boat!  I'm not sure whether Frank is still Alive, if he is, he'd be terribly old now.  On another subject I know someone who worked for Jack Brabham in the early 1960s..........

Mark

 Herald 1200 Saloon, owned (in the family) from new, Royal Blue/Black trim
[color=purple]MX-5 Z-Sport (Tweaked to 200bhp)2007,
Suzuki Vitara S Auto, Cosmic Black, 2017.
Tags - In the Shed
"Dan16v"
posts: 231
non member
 posted Wed 11th Nov 2015 reply 8 of 110

Quoted from Stu 1986
I didn't know that you could go through their archive, I'll have to see if I can get there at some point to have a look myself. I'm quite curious about the supplying dealer for my car and when it was built.


you have to book before hand, but they will let you search through the old microfiche scans for your car, you can find the shipping document and the build slip, its a lot more interesting than just seeing it written on a heritage certificate.  They are closing for refurb from the end of the month till feb though.
Tags - In the Shed
"Dan16v"
posts: 231
non member
 posted Wed 11th Nov 2015 reply 9 of 110

Quoted from Mark Hammond
Frank Carr of Carrs Auto Sales Croydon was a well known Triumph Dealer back in the 50's, 60's and 70's.  He was well known to Triumph top brass and as we all know the the Herald was named after the boat the Alec Dick owned at the time, well it was Frank Carr who sold him the boat!  I'm not sure whether Frank is still Alive, if he is, he'd be terribly old now.  On another subject I know someone who worked for Jack Brabham in the early 1960s..........

Mark


thanks Mark, I got an email back from a garage a few doors along from where they were with the info below, it would be great if some photos existed

Yes Carrs were a Triumph dealer next door to us. Superb prewar style showroom, parquet wood flooring, red carpets between the vehicles and unusually the showroom had “Concave “ glass windows so that you could view the vehicles without reflections. Salesmen wore three piece suits and were terribly deferential in a most charming manner.

They had a small three pump petrol forecourt National Benzol I think.

They later became Fiat dealer however the site was sold for development during the late 70s or possibly early 80s.

Tags - In the Shed
"vitessesteve"
posts: 2378
Website Administrator
Website Moderator
Isle of Wight group
joined on Mon 16th Oct 2006
 posted Wed 11th Nov 2015 reply 10 of 110

Companies house the official government site: https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/search/officers?#q=Carrs%20Auto%20Sales%20LTD shows that several Carrs are still involved with the business as directors and lists their home addresses.

I can not see Frank Carr amongst the directors now.

The company now using the name was started in 1946

PLEASE help us to maintain a friendly forum, use Report post button if you see anything you are unhappy with. Thanks.
Steve Weblin - AKA vitessesteve Forum Moderator

Cars - Valencia Blue 69 Vitesse Mk2 Saloon since 1991 and a TR7 Sprint.

blog http://vitessesteve.blogspot.com/ website http://www.vitessesteve.co.uk/

Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK based - studied class car restoration at Leeds City College

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin
Tags - In the Shed
"vitessesteve"
posts: 2378
Website Administrator
Website Moderator
Isle of Wight group
joined on Mon 16th Oct 2006
 posted Wed 11th Nov 2015 reply 11 of 110

Frank Carr resigned as from:

PLEASE help us to maintain a friendly forum, use Report post button if you see anything you are unhappy with. Thanks.
Steve Weblin - AKA vitessesteve Forum Moderator

Cars - Valencia Blue 69 Vitesse Mk2 Saloon since 1991 and a TR7 Sprint.

blog http://vitessesteve.blogspot.com/ website http://www.vitessesteve.co.uk/

Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK based - studied class car restoration at Leeds City College

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin
Tags - In the Shed
"Stu 1986"
posts: 1357
non member
 posted Wed 11th Nov 2015 reply 12 of 110

Quoted from Dan16v


They later became Fiat dealer however the site was sold for development during the late 70s or possibly early 80s.


That's probably where it all started going wrong!  

I doubt I'll get anywhere near the Heritage centre for some time, I'll get there one day though and finally get the answers to some questions I've been wondering about for 10 years!  
Tags - In the Shed
"timbancroft61"
posts: 10449

Website Moderator
Library Manager
RBRR organising team member
joined on Tue 31st Mar 1998
 		posted Thu 12th Nov 2015 reply 13 of 110

Think the Croydon site became part of the A23 gyratory system at the south end of Purley Way.

Had two local Triumph dealerships, one at Staines Road West, Ashford, Middlesex and the other being Dobsons, London Road, Staines. These were both BL dealerships and I remember cycling their to ask for brochures. The salesman at Dobsons, gave me a pack of 30 Range Rover brochures, all from 1972, excellent eh!

Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run: Part of the organising team, and honoured to be associated
RBRR is the best car event in the UK, not probably, it is!

1970 GT6 Mk.2: Royal Blue 6 RBRRs (98, 00,02,04,06 & 10, one failure 14), 2 10CRs (03 & 07). 2 HCRs 1 LCC, lots of Autosolos and numerous track days. Bought in 1983, crikey where did the time go! Lots of modifications, now fitted with a revvy 2000cc engine and she is going very well. GT6 are fantastic little cars that are very under-rated, mainly by people who have not driven one, its slow in and fast out!

1969 2.5Pi Mk.1: Slate Grey 4 10CRs (05, 09, 15 & 17), 4 RBRRs (08, 12, 16 and 187), 3 HCRs, 2 LCCs. A few alloy panels, does need the pi kit fitting. Bought April '04. Needs paint! Just fitted some new 7J Minilites-not copies! The car goes like a train on SUs, so why change! The car just sits and waits and waits and when needed is brilliant fun to drive. Triumph's best design? Impending engine and body work this (2019) Autumn and Winter.

1967 Spitfire mk2: Wedgewood Blue. Bought November 2010. Almost seems civilised. Car has done a RBRR (Dave Picton 2010). Back on the road since March 2017. Raw little car, but fun. Has lots of modifications, nothing too outlandish!

1970 TR6 Maroon. Bought May 2018. Since pruchase: Full suspension re-build, new clutch and propshaft plus re-built driveshafts. Goes well. Blimey, lots more done now, gearbox replaced (Canley Classics unit), 7J black minilites c/w Uniroyal tyres (Crikey, un-stickable), Revington's Targa springs. Now needs some engine work and some brakes. Otherwise, well on its way to becoming a Club Triumph type car, i.e. one that is actually used!

Previously owned:

Triumph Dolomite Sprint (Now owned by Paul Hughes)

Herald 1200 Coupe on mk2 chassis (Now owned by Jess Cook and being properly used)

Vitesse mk2 Conv: Sold in 1983, still on the road!

Various Citroens and Pugs

DD: Focus ST Diesel...torquey!
Tags - In the Shed
"Dan16v"
posts: 231
non member
 posted Sat 14th Nov 2015 reply 14 of 110

Quoted from timbancroft61
Think the Croydon site became part of the A23 gyratory system at the south end of Purley Way.

Had two local Triumph dealerships, one at Staines Road West, Ashford, Middlesex and the other being Dobsons, London Road, Staines. These were both BL dealerships and I remember cycling their to ask for brochures. The salesman at Dobsons, gave me a pack of 30 Range Rover brochures, all from 1972, excellent eh!


I don't think its as far up as the A23, it was just at the end of South End road, where it looks like a bit office building has been built on the corner.

Im not managing to find much info on it though
Tags - In the Shed
"Steve P"
posts: 802
North Hampshire group
joined on Tue 27th Feb 2007
 posted Sat 14th Nov 2015 reply 15 of 110

I remember Dobsons in Staines.Back when i bought my Vitesse in 1985 i used to go to a BL dealer in Queens road,Weybridge to buy parts for it(Unipart)?
Steve

No. of Triumphs owned..2
No. of Triumphs working..1
Tags - In the Shed
"Dan16v"
posts: 231
non member
 posted Wed 9th Dec 2015 reply 16 of 110

I have found a few body plates from that dealer, one must be a sill plate and the other a glove box plate or something.
Tags - In the Shed
"Dan16v"
posts: 231
non member
 posted Wed 9th Dec 2015 reply 17 of 110

and another
Tags - In the Shed
"vitessesteve"
posts: 2378
Website Administrator
Website Moderator
Isle of Wight group
joined on Mon 16th Oct 2006
 posted Wed 30th Dec 2015 reply 18 of 110



Look my latest eBay purchase.  I have never seen this publication before.  I have a 1969 Vitesse so now will be able to look up where to get it serviced in 1969.  

PLEASE help us to maintain a friendly forum, use Report post button if you see anything you are unhappy with. Thanks.
Steve Weblin - AKA vitessesteve Forum Moderator

Cars - Valencia Blue 69 Vitesse Mk2 Saloon since 1991 and a TR7 Sprint.

blog http://vitessesteve.blogspot.com/ website http://www.vitessesteve.co.uk/

Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK based - studied class car restoration at Leeds City College

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin
Tags - In the Shed
"Mark Hammond"
posts: 3371
non member
 posted Wed 30th Dec 2015 reply 19 of 110

Ha ha!  I have an earlier one for my Herald.  I wonder how many dealers in those directories are still in business?

Mark

 Herald 1200 Saloon, owned (in the family) from new, Royal Blue/Black trim
[color=purple]MX-5 Z-Sport (Tweaked to 200bhp)2007,
Suzuki Vitara S Auto, Cosmic Black, 2017.
Tags - In the Shed
"garyf"
posts: 1396
non member
 posted Wed 30th Dec 2015 reply 20 of 110

Marvellous!  

Is the Light Car Company of Derby Listed Steve?
Tags - In the Shed
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