Buckler Cars

Buckler Cars Limited

Company type	Private
Industry	Automotive manufacturing
Predecessor	Welco Farm Implements Ltd
Founded	1 January 1947 (1947-01-01) in Reading, Berkshire, England
Founder	C. D. F. Buckler
Defunct	1965 (1965)
Fate	Ceased operations
Successor	None
Headquarters	Reading , England, United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom, New Zealand, international exports
Key people	C. D. F. Buckler, Jack Barlow, Mike Luff, Frank Fletcher
Products	Kit cars, fully assembled sports cars, gear sets for Lotus Cars, racing chassis for Brabham MRD, go-karts
Owner	Derek Buckler (until 1962)

The Buckler Cars firm, established by C. D. F. Buckler, operated from 67 Caversham Road, Reading, Berkshire, England, manufacturing approximately 400 vehicles between 1947 and 1962. Around 1947, Buckler took over Welco Farm Implements Ltd located in Crowthorne, Berkshire; a commemorative plaque denotes the former factory location.

Buckler Cars Limited

Renowned for their spaceframe chassis and superior craftsmanship, Buckler vehicles were offered either as fully assembled cars with factory bodies or predominantly as component kits for customers to assemble at home. These lightweight sports cars were engineered to fit a variety of mechanical parts and were suitable for everyday driving as well as competitive motorsport activities such as rallies, trials, hillclimbs, and circuit racing. The initial model, the Mark V, derived from Derek Buckler’s successful 1947 Buckler Special; reportedly, the name was chosen to avoid suggesting it was the inaugural model.

Although Buckler achieved notable success in the early to mid-1950s, increased competition and a decline in the kit-car market during the late 1950s and early 1960s led to a downturn. Nevertheless, under Jack Barlow’s guidance in the 1960s, the company successfully ventured into the nascent go kart industry. Due to health issues, Buckler sold the business in 1962; subsequent owners Mike Luff and Frank Fletcher ceased operations by 1965. Derek Buckler passed away in 1964.

In addition to automobiles, Buckler manufactured gear sets for manufacturers such as Lotus Cars and constructed the initial racing chassis for the Brabham MRD.

International Reach

During the 1950s, Buckler vehicles were exported internationally. In New Zealand, Arthur Harris oversaw Buckler (NZ) Limited. The first Mk90 registered for competition there in October 1956 belonged to Merv Mayo and was powered by a Ford 100E engine.

Vehicle Models

Buckler adhered to a flexible specification approach centered on a fundamental design philosophy; each car, kit, or chassis was custom-made per order. Over nearly twenty years, around twelve distinct model variants were produced.

Model Name	Year
Mark V	1949–1955	Equipped with a 1172 cc Ford engine. Maximum speed approximately 80 mph (130 km/h). Open two-seat configuration. 90-inch (2,286 mm) wheelbase.
Mark VI	1950–1955	Extended wheelbase variant (94-inch (2,388 mm)) of the Mark V.
Mark X	1950	Powered by a 1172 cc Ford engine. Open three-seat aluminium body.
Mark XI	1950	Long-wheelbase version of Mark X.
Mark XV	1950	Models fitted with BMC A-Series engine.
Mark XVI	1950	MG-based adaptation of Mark XV.
90	1953–1957	1172 cc Ford engine; UK factory aluminium body crafted by Derek Buckler; New Zealand bodies designed by Ferris de Joux.
DD1	1956	Utilised Coventry Climax engines of 1098 cc FWA or 1460 cc FWB capacity. Featured De Dion rear suspension and bodywork similar to Buckler 90.
DD2	1957–1962	Offered with various engines up to two litres. Optional De Dion rear suspension available. Primarily fitted with Microplas Mistral GRP bodies; also used Convair and AKS shells.
BB100	1958–1962	Backbone tubular steel frame combined with aluminium body designed by Derek Buckler.

See also

• Ferris de Joux
• Microplas
• List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom

References

• Michael Sedgewick and Mark Gillies, A-Z of Cars 1945–1970, Bay View Books, 1993.

External links

• Buckler Register