New Avon

New Avon was a British vehicle coachbuilder. Started as Avon Coachworks in 1919 to make bodywork for cars. Following a change of ownership and financial reconstruction it became New Avon in 1922. Their main customer was Lea-Francis and Hampton cars. Then, in 1927 they produced an open two seat body for the Austin 7 followed in 1928 by a fixed head coupé, which went by the name of Swan, and then in 1929 a “sportsman’s two seater” appeared. The Swan was the work of Alan Jensen. For Standard Motor Company, a new design for a body on a Standard 9 chassis which they wanted New Avon to put into production. This work came just in time as the Lea-Francis work stopped in 1931 when that company went into receivership.

For most of the 1930s work on Standard chassis dominated the output with Swan coupés and Wayfarer saloons but in 1930 they also exhibited a coupé body on a Wolseley Hornet in 1931. Alan Jensen left the company in 1930. Avon produced more designs for Standard as well as work for Austin, Lanchester and Crossley Motors. In 1935 the company was bought by John Maudslay, son of the founder of Standard, Reginald Maudsley, and became part of the Maudslay Motor Group. In 1937 there was a downturn in the company fortunes and New Avon was unable to pay their bill to Standard who foreclosed and forced bankruptcy. During World War II Avon rebuild aircraft, after the war tried to go back to car body making by repair work and some conversions including hearses.

In 1973 Avon was sold to Graham Hudson who ran a large Midlands based car sales and repair organisation. In 1978 Ladbroke Avon Ltd incorporating Avon Special Products wasa formed. They made some special bodied Land Rovers and the Avon-Stevens XJC convertibles. In 1980 these were joined by the Stevens designed Jaguar XJ6 estate car. The Triumph Acclaim was produced in 1981 followed by a turbo version. The business, without the rights to use the Avon name, was finally sold in 1985.

 

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