Carbodies - just how much did they do?

[Forkie]

So as I am told - all the Estates that were made , were not actually made by Triumph. Triumph shipped out saloons to Carbodies,whom then ( in modern terms) cut 'n ' shut the said saloons into glorious looking Estates. My question is - does anyone actually know just how little of a saloon was sent over to Carbodies, and /or just how much Carbodies built of the Estate? I ask this question on the back of a querry made last week by a retired trimmer of reputable stance that I have entrusted to refurb the side panels in the boot area of my Estate - mainly due to the awful design of the O/S panel around the fuel filler neck - terribly weak.
ANYHOW - pictures were asked for, and sent- of the side panels - including the backside of the side panels, showing the stitching, and the carpet cuts over the rear wheel arches.... he came back straight away with ' that has NOT been done by Triumph,no way. So I assume , Carbodies did the lot, but not as tidy as Triumph would of....

[Forkie]

As a p.s. - on the rear of the side panels, stapled to the hardboard were labels, marked ' Another Cambro product'. Anyone enlighten me on that firm? And as a p.p.s. - this label was only stapled to the dodgy, offside panel - no such label resides on the nearside panel....

[johnnydog]

A bit of Googling brought this quite interesting and probably relevant discussion....
https://www.triumphexp.com/forum/spitfi ... 0.1004312/
Considering the company was based at the Cambro Works, Exhall at Coventry, the likelihood that it is one of the same is probably greater than just a coincidence?

[Forkie]

Interesting. What i find also interesting is now the trimmer has my side panels with him, he is 100% sure the covering is not a Triumph product - as in the texture/design, so must of been supplied/ fitted by Carbodies....but it matches ( in my humble opinion) all the rest of the panels - in colour and texture!!! Which started my think - ball rolling re just how much did Carbodies actually do on the conversion from Saloon to Estate.

[valencia]

I think it's Callow and Maddox

[torque2me]

I think it's Callow and Maddoxcallow and maddox.JPG

Correct, plus PCP Trim (at least for the brushed nylon). I would think both of these would be involved in supplying Carbodies as it would not make sense to do otherwise. Carbodies basically re-panelled from the 'B' post backwards.

Was there not some archive photos from the now defunct Carbodies factory showing the production line? Was it Six Appeal or Stag Owners mag (or maybe some other entity). Seem to remember it was about six months or so ago.
Kev

[triumphman]

Cambro made the trim panels for the estate car using the same trim material as for the rest of the car. NOS estate car trim panels occasionally appear on eBay and they look (to me) to be made in the same way as those for the saloon. I have to say that I think your trimmer must have been mistaken, and the trim panels were supplied by Triumph.

[Forkie]

I cannot argue with ' The Boss' !! Being a relatively new comer to this Marque - i am very green , have gained some knowledge, all i know is i have one special car that i am very proud to own, and whilst i am trying my hardest to keep it looked after, it seems to be prooving a bit difficult down here at the end of the country! I will take any advice that i can get, as it is very sparce here. Cambro rings a bell, from the back side of my original boot side panels. All i can do is take advice from the people that know the cars inside out.

Many thanks for your input Andy !

Regards, Nige