1964 Ashley Sportiva "Converted" Coupe
UK Registration No. CBU 109 B
formally
UK Registration No. 228 CRK
In November 2011 I came across this Ashley Sportiva Coupe (with the top cut off) whilst surfing on the good old internet, of course.
It appeared on a couple of websites and is located across the water in France.
The following 2 photo’s are on Google images and have been taken from the www.triumph-spitfire.forumpro.fr
The original photos were taken on 3rd January 2009
The photo below was taken on the 20th August 2004 or so the picture info states.
The body looks like it may have been stored for awhile and could do with a good clean and polish, the wheels are silver at this stage as they are in the next photo
where the car is (or has just) taken a ride on the back of a trailer.
This photo was taken on 18th August 2009 and can be found on a Spanish website
http://www.autopasion18.com
The only clue to the present owner was on the Triumph-Spitfire Forum site from which I found that a member ‘Gilles80’ had placed the top 2 photo’s, also that he was originally from Nantes but now lived in Amiens, France.
Wanting to know more I registered for the Forum, struggled with the online translations but eventually managed to add a message asking for Gilles80 to contact me, all to know avail as I didn’t get any reply.
I checked with the DVLA in UK and got the following info about the cars Registration.
Current DLVA information. 01/03/2012
The vehicle details for CBU 109B are:
Date of Liability 08/04/2008
Date of First Registration 01/04/2007
Year of Manufacture 1964
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1172cc
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type Petrol
Export Marker N
Vehicle Status Unlicensed
Vehicle Colour RED
Vehicle Type Approval Not Available
The vehicle details for CBU 109B are:
Date of Liability 08/04/2008
Date of First Registration 01/04/2007
Year of Manufacture 1964
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1172cc
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type Petrol
Export Marker N
Vehicle Status Unlicensed
Vehicle Colour RED
Vehicle Type Approval Not Available
I found it strange that the DVLA had the date of first registration as 1-4-2007 yet the CBU 109B is a 1964 registration number,
which agrees with the year of manufacture.
Unless it was made and registered in 1964 and was then off the road or out of the UK until 2007 and was re-registered.
From the style of the rear of the car it would have been one of the last Ashley Sportiva Coupe bodyshell's made in 1962, the 'B' rego could be either the 2nd half 1963 or 1st half 1964.
I assumed that was the end of my investigation of CBU 109 B until on the 25th February 2012 I received the following email:
which agrees with the year of manufacture.
Unless it was made and registered in 1964 and was then off the road or out of the UK until 2007 and was re-registered.
From the style of the rear of the car it would have been one of the last Ashley Sportiva Coupe bodyshell's made in 1962, the 'B' rego could be either the 2nd half 1963 or 1st half 1964.
I assumed that was the end of my investigation of CBU 109 B until on the 25th February 2012 I received the following email:
To: [email protected]
Sent: Saturday, 25 February 2012
Subject: Ashley Sportiva convertible
Hello
I own a convertible Ashley Sportiva for a little over 2 years.
It has an independent front suspension unit from Bowden; the motor is an 1172 100E.
This car is in France.
This car is not running yet, I hope to get this car to roll this year.
Best regards
Gilles MORRIS
from France
This, I think must be from my Forum message at last, but no Gilles had found my website and emailed me also sending higher resolution pictures of the 2 top photo’s.
After a few emails back and forth to Gilles in France, (fortunately Gilles has a 100% better command of the English language than I do of the French) we have with some documents that he obtained with the car, pieced together further parts of its earlier history.
The car was originally registered on 15th April 1964 at Croydon C.B.C with Rego No. 228 CRK
After a few emails back and forth to Gilles in France, (fortunately Gilles has a 100% better command of the English language than I do of the French) we have with some documents that he obtained with the car, pieced together further parts of its earlier history.
The car was originally registered on 15th April 1964 at Croydon C.B.C with Rego No. 228 CRK
Past Rego. information 15/04/1964
The vehicle details for 228 CRK were:
Date of Liability 15/04/1965
Date of First Registration 15/04/1964
Year of Manufacture 1964
Make Ashley Ford
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1172cc
Engine No. RC1019203PC
Chassis No. NAIRM/3/3011
Fuel Type Petrol
Vehicle Type Saloon
Vehicle Colour RED
The vehicle details for 228 CRK were:
Date of Liability 15/04/1965
Date of First Registration 15/04/1964
Year of Manufacture 1964
Make Ashley Ford
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1172cc
Engine No. RC1019203PC
Chassis No. NAIRM/3/3011
Fuel Type Petrol
Vehicle Type Saloon
Vehicle Colour RED
The car was re-registered by the DVLA as CBU 109 B at Oldham C.B.C near Manchester on 1st April 2007
This car has the added luxury of being built on the Ashley Mk VI Chassis which included a Steel rectangular section Chassis, front and rear suspension, hydraulic brake and clutch pendant and fibreglass substructure incorporating floor, prop shaft tunnel, rear seat mouldings, and rear internal wheel arches.
This car has the added luxury of being built on the Ashley Mk VI Chassis which included a Steel rectangular section Chassis, front and rear suspension, hydraulic brake and clutch pendant and fibreglass substructure incorporating floor, prop shaft tunnel, rear seat mouldings, and rear internal wheel arches.
Ashley Mk VI Chassis
This was a very nice piece of kit to have as it was all new and required only the bodyshell to be added and the donor car drive train and motor, wheels, electrics, etc, it did however come at a high price which put it beyond the reach of most DIY sports car builders.
This Car was obtained in March 2005 by Mike Marczynski and was stored in his Classic Car Company’s workshop in Walkden, Manchester for the next 18 months,
so it may have been re-registered by Mike in 2007.
If you know anything else about this cars history, past and present, please email me at the following:
A[email protected]
or use the contact page on this site to contact me.
so that I can update this story on this site,
thanks.
This was a very nice piece of kit to have as it was all new and required only the bodyshell to be added and the donor car drive train and motor, wheels, electrics, etc, it did however come at a high price which put it beyond the reach of most DIY sports car builders.
This Car was obtained in March 2005 by Mike Marczynski and was stored in his Classic Car Company’s workshop in Walkden, Manchester for the next 18 months,
so it may have been re-registered by Mike in 2007.
If you know anything else about this cars history, past and present, please email me at the following:
A[email protected]
or use the contact page on this site to contact me.
so that I can update this story on this site,
thanks.
