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See Homepage. This page: Photos and information about a rare Ashley sportscar now residing in Italy.

Francesco's Ashley 1172 roadster.

Francesco dropped me a line with some photographs showing his superb Ashley 1172 roadster (formerly registered in the UK as 738 KTE), now living in Italy. In the 1950s a company called Ashley Laminates sold various bodyshells, which were designed to fit onto Ford Popular chassis and running gear. Many companies produced similar bodyshells, usually made from fibreglass (as with the Ashley), the idea being that enthusiasts could build themselves a sportscar using cheap-to-buy parts, usually either Ford or Austin based. Some examples of other Ford specials can be seen here, including some details of an Ashley coupe I once owned, and another example belonging to a chap in France.
Ashley 1172 sports car
Francesco's car has been finished to a very high standard, I've included some thumbnails below that can be clicked upon, to view some more angles of this super little Ashley. Enthusiasts of old Ford specials will have already spotted the rare 15 inch Ballamy steel wheels that this car is fitted with. The basic Ashley 1172 shell went on to be adapted and used by Reliant Cars of Tamworth for their Sabre range of the 1960s.
Ashley photo no.1 Ashley photo no.2 Ashley photo no.3 Ashley photo no.4 Ashley photo no.5 Ashley photo no.6
Thanks to Francesco for sending these great photos, some of which were taken in Rome, the others in Tuscany. More stories about cars belonging to visitors of this site, can be found in the Your Classic Cars section here at oldclassiccar.
The story of an Ashley Roadster that was built between 1958 and 1962 in England, can now be found here, along with some great colour photographs of the neat special.
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