Crayford Engineering

Crayford Engineering, commonly known as Crayford, was an English automotive coachbuilding and vehicle-conversion business based in Westerham, Kent. It was formed in 1962 by Jeffrey Smith, an engineer and designer, and David McMullan, who handled sales. Rather than producing a conventional mass-market car of its own, Crayford modified vehicles supplied by established manufacturers, adapting coupés, saloons, and small cars into body configurations that were unavailable, or not readily available, from the original manufacturer. The company became particularly associated with open-top conversions. Its work included convertible versions of the Mini, the BMC 1100 and 1300, the Ford Corsair, the Ford Cortina, and the Ford Capri. These projects required structural changes to cars originally designed as closed-body vehicles, together with new roof arrangements, reinforcements, trim, glazing, and weather protection. Crayford also worked on estate and hatchback-style conversions, extending its activities beyond the traditional convertible market. During the 1970s, a subdivision known as Crayford Auto Developments Ltd. was established for automobile-related conversion work. The business’s catalogue included a range of Austin, Morris, MG, Rover, Triumph, Ford, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz-based projects. Among the more unusual vehicles associated with the company were the Triumph TR7 Tracer Estate, a Volkswagen Scirocco-based convertible known as the Tempest, a Ford Cortina Mk V Convertible, and estate conversions of Mercedes-Benz W116 cars. Some Mercedes conversions used body components and glass sourced from the contemporary Ford Granada, illustrating the practical, low-volume engineering approach characteristic of coachbuilders. Crayford’s work also intersected with promotional and commercial projects. In 1966, it converted 57 Wolseley Hornet cars, based on the Mini platform, into convertibles for the Heinz food company. The vehicles were intended as prizes in a competition, making the project one of the company’s largest publicly documented commissions. Crayford also produced a Princess conversion that created the appearance and utility of a hatchback even though the underlying vehicle was not originally a hatchback in the conventional sense. The company’s significance lies in its role within Britain’s specialist-car and coachbuilding tradition. Crayford offered customers and commercial clients body styles that mainstream manufacturers did not always provide, while retaining the mechanical basis of familiar production cars. Its output was generally low volume, and surviving examples are now of interest to collectors of British and European specialist vehicles. Cars designed and created by Jeffrey Smith were later featured in the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games, bringing renewed public attention to Crayford’s design heritage. The available reference material does not establish the company’s precise ownership history, closure date, current operating status, or a complete production total.

Crayford Engineering was established in 1962 in Westerham, Kent, by Jeffrey Smith and David McMullan. Smith brought engineering and design expertise, while McMullan was associated with sales. The business entered the British specialist-coachbuilding sector at a time when independent firms could create derivatives of mass-produced cars for customers who wanted unusual body styles or higher levels of individuality. Crayford’s central activity was the conversion of closed production cars into convertibles. The company worked on vehicles from several British manufacturers and marques, including Mini, BMC, Ford, Triumph, Austin, Morris, MG, and Rover. Its Ford programme included the Cortina Mk I, Cortina Mk II, Cortina Mk V, Corsair, and Capri. The company also developed versions of the Corsair and Capri marketed as cabriolets. Such work involved modifying the body structure and roof, adapting glazing and trim, and engineering the resulting vehicle so that it could function as a practical road car. One of Crayford’s documented commercial projects took place in 1966, when the company converted 57 Wolseley Hornet cars into convertibles for Heinz. The vehicles were distributed as prizes in a promotional competition. This commission demonstrated that Crayford could apply its specialist conversion methods to a relatively large one-off fleet while retaining the visual identity of the base model. In the 1970s, Crayford Auto Developments Ltd. was established as a subdivision focused on automobile projects. The company’s activities expanded beyond open cars to include estate and hatchback-style conversions. The Triumph TR7 Tracer Estate became one of its best-known unusual projects. Crayford also created a Princess conversion that presented the appearance of a hatchback without the original vehicle having been designed as a conventional hatchback. Other projects included the Tempest, a convertible based on the Volkswagen Scirocco, a Ford Cortina Mk V Convertible, and estate conversions of Mercedes-Benz W116 saloons. The Mercedes work reportedly used body parts and glass from the contemporary Ford Granada, a practical sourcing solution for a low-volume specialist. These projects reflect the flexibility of independent coachbuilders, which could combine components, manufacturing methods, and design ideas that would have been uneconomic for a major manufacturer at small production volumes. The reference material does not provide a definitive account of Crayford’s later ownership, production totals, closure, or present-day corporate status. The company’s historical importance is nevertheless preserved through surviving vehicles, specialist-car documentation, enthusiast activity, and the continuing association of its designs with Jeffrey Smith. Cars designed and created by Smith appeared in the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games, connecting Crayford’s specialist automotive heritage with a major public event.

• 2012

  Crayford designs featured at the London Olympic closing ceremony

  [1]Crayford Engineeringen.wikipedia.org

  Cars designed and created by Jeffrey Smith were featured in the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

• 1970

  Crayford Auto Developments established

  [1]Crayford Engineeringen.wikipedia.org

  A subdivision called Crayford Auto Developments Ltd. was established during the 1970s for automobile conversion work.

• 1966

  Wolseley Hornet competition conversions

  [1]Crayford Engineeringen.wikipedia.org

  Crayford converted 57 Wolseley Hornet Mini-derived cars into convertibles for a Heinz competition.

• 1962

  Crayford Engineering founded

  [1]Crayford Engineeringen.wikipedia.org

  Jeffrey Smith and David McMullan established Crayford Engineering in Westerham, Kent, England.

A British specialist coachbuilder focused on bespoke, low-volume conversions of mainstream European cars, especially convertibles and estates.

• Convertible conversion

  Crayford Mini Convertible

  A Mini converted from its original closed body into an open-top car. The model is representative of Crayford’s early specialist work, which adapted popular compact cars for customers seeking a factory-unavailable convertible format.

• Convertible conversion

  BMC 1100/1300 Convertible

  A convertible derivative of the BMC 1100/1300 range. Crayford’s conversion extended its open-car programme beyond the Mini to a larger family-car platform.

• Convertible conversion

  Ford Corsair Convertible and Cabriolet

  Crayford produced open versions of the Ford Corsair, including models described as the Corsair Convertible and Corsair Cabriolet. They formed part of the company’s broader Ford conversion programme.

• Convertible conversion

  Ford Capri Cabriolet

  An open-top adaptation of the Ford Capri, created by modifying the production coupé. It illustrates Crayford’s practice of turning established European models into specialist body variants.

• Estate conversion

  Triumph TR7 Tracer Estate

  A rare estate conversion based on the Triumph TR7. The Tracer Estate was one of Crayford’s more distinctive projects because it transformed a sports-car platform into a load-carrying body style.

• Convertible conversion

  Crayford Tempest

  A convertible conversion based on the Volkswagen Scirocco. The Tempest is among Crayford’s lesser-known projects and demonstrates the company’s willingness to work with non-British European vehicles.

• Estate conversion

  Mercedes-Benz W116 Estate

  An estate or station-wagon conversion of the Mercedes-Benz W116 saloon. The conversion reportedly used body parts and glazing from the contemporary Ford Granada.

• 1966Heinz Wolseley Hornet competition

  United Kingdom

  For a Heinz promotional competition, Crayford converted 57 Wolseley Hornet cars into Mini-derived convertibles that were offered as prizes.

  Outcome. The vehicles were distributed as competition prizes; the reference material does not provide further campaign performance data.

  Source

1. 1Crayford Engineeringen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Converters: Crayford Engineeringthe-converters.com