Buckler Cars

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Buckler Cars company founded by Derek Buckler and based in Reading, Berkshire, England produced approximately 500 cars between 1947 and 1962.

Unusual in featuring spaceframe construction at this date, the high quality cars were supplied either fully built to order with a works body or optionally and mostly in component form for home completion. They were designed to accept a range of mechanical components to enable buyers to create a lightweight sports car suitable for road use and in rallies, trials, speed hillclimbs or racing. The first model, based on Derek Buckler's own very successful 1947 Buckler Special, was called the Mark V, allegedly because he did not want people to think it was the first car. After prolific success in the early and mid 1950's, Buckler's popularity waned during the later 1950s as other manufacturers came on the scene and when the kit-car market suffered a reversal in the early 1960's. However Bucklers had considerable success entering the new Kart market in the 1960's but the founder had to sell his company as a going concern circa 1962 due to failing health. After that time the company seemed to lose momentum and the new owners closed down after a few years of spasmodic trading. Derek Buckler who had been in poor health for some time, died in 1964.

As well as making cars, Buckler made gear sets for other companies including Lotus Cars. They also built the first racing car chassis for the Brabham MRD.

[edit] Car models

It was the policy of the company that the specifications of all the cars was very flexible around a central design concept, as each car, kit or chassis was built to order. Basically there were about 12 model types over a period of almost 20 years.

Model Name	Year
Mark V	1949-1955	1172 cc Ford engine. Top speed 80 mph (130 km/h). Open 2 seater. 78-inch (1,981 mm) wheelbase.
Mark VI	1950-1955	Long 80-inch (2,032 mm) wheelbase version of Mark V.
Mark X	1950	1172 cc Ford engine. Closed coupé three seat body.
Mark XI	1950	Long wheelbase Mark X.
Mark XV	1950	BMC A-Series engined cars.
Mark XVI	1950	Long wheelbase version of Mark XV.
90	1953-1957	1172 cc Ford engine.
DD1	1956-1962	Coventry Climax 1098 cc FWA engine. Optional de-Dion rear suspension.
DD2	1957-1962	Various engines up to 2 Litres
BB100	1958-1962	Backbone chassis