Has there ever been a Scottish car manufacturer?
Discussion
Ian974 said:
I think OP was correct with Ascari to a degree, I'm sure there was something to do with them in Aberdeen a fair while back? Certain I saw an advert or flyer for them yeeears ago with a car sitting outside the codonas fair...
The owner of Ascari is Klaas Zwart, who made his fortune with his Petroline company, based in Aberdeen I think. I remember hearing his daughter being interviewed when she did the ETCC in the early 2000s and she had a Dutch accent with a Scottish twang to it, so he must have been based in Scotland most of the time. Ascari are in Banbury, but have made no secret of their Scottish connections.From an article said:
Ascari was founded by Klaas Zwart, a Dutchman, who made his fortune in petrochemicals in Scotland. He sold that company a few years ago and that allowed him to follow his passion for road and racing cars. The Ecosse was named in recognition of what Scotland has done for him,
Edited by IainW on Tuesday 28th September 21:08
Edited by IainW on Tuesday 28th September 21:08
Haldanes Sports cars 1985-1988, nice looking car too it was in the transport museum.
http://www.blantyre.biz/Haldane-Sports-Car.html
http://www.blantyre.biz/Haldane-Sports-Car.html
We should probably mention David MacDonald who in 1984 took over the manufacturing rights to the famous AC brand, famous for the iconic AC Cobra.
He set up a factory in Hillington industrial estate, Glasgow and continued the production of the AC 3000ME under the name of AC(Scotland)PLC. He managed to build thirty cars in total before going bust in November 1985.
He set up a factory in Hillington industrial estate, Glasgow and continued the production of the AC 3000ME under the name of AC(Scotland)PLC. He managed to build thirty cars in total before going bust in November 1985.
I dont know if they made a road-legal one, but these guys built cars;
http://www.turner-auto-design.com/
http://www.turner-auto-design.com/
More Steam said:
I'm sure the guy at Moray motor museum said Daimler were originally built in Aberdeen. The Imp was built at Linwood.
I think waaay back in the day, most cars were bought as rolling chassis and then local coach builders put bodies on them, think there were quite a few back in the mists of time but nothing I can add re modern Scots companies?Gary
ploch said:
the argyll car was made in lochgilphead by a man called bob henderson he still has one in the workshop that he is turboing he also made the minnow fish carb wich works well on the imp that i use
Used to walk past the workshop on my way to school (over 30yrs ago), was the first time I was ever interested in a car, was all downhill from there LOLMore Steam said:
I'm sure the guy at Moray motor museum said Daimler were originally built in Aberdeen. The Imp was built at Linwood.
you must have been paying a LOT of attention at that run 
I can't remember anything!
ETA:
Remember this popping up a few months back. But it's just a kit car. They just supply the parts etc for the car.
http://www.luegosportscars.com/cars.htm
Edited by standfree93 on Wednesday 29th September 23:34
Check out www.aussie-scots.org.au for a list of Scottish built cars. many only made a few and then disappeared, but the most famous were Argyle, Arrol Johnston, Beardmore and Albion. Abion are the only one who still exist, but only make transmissions for other truck manufacturers.
Rootes built the Imp at Linwood along with Avenger and Sunbeam and the Arrow range until Chrysler decide to move the lot to Coventry.> The last motor manufacturer in Scotland was Volvo Truck and Bus who started out as Ailsa Trucks in Irvine Ayrshire where they employed around 400 people building a whole range of trucks and buses until 2000 when the bean counters decided that labour was cheaper in Poland and shut down the lot. There was also the Stonefield4x4 which was the brainchild of Jim McKelvie who brought Volvo into the U.K. but when he died at a relatively young age the Stonefield project was sold to an Asian business man who took the lot to Malaysia
Picture is off Israeli tank transporter designed and built at Irvine.
Rootes built the Imp at Linwood along with Avenger and Sunbeam and the Arrow range until Chrysler decide to move the lot to Coventry.> The last motor manufacturer in Scotland was Volvo Truck and Bus who started out as Ailsa Trucks in Irvine Ayrshire where they employed around 400 people building a whole range of trucks and buses until 2000 when the bean counters decided that labour was cheaper in Poland and shut down the lot. There was also the Stonefield4x4 which was the brainchild of Jim McKelvie who brought Volvo into the U.K. but when he died at a relatively young age the Stonefield project was sold to an Asian business man who took the lot to Malaysia
Picture is off Israeli tank transporter designed and built at Irvine.
Yes there was!
Arrol Johnson of Camlachie produced car as early as 1895 in a factory in Heathhall.
Near Dumfries.
Their first car was called "dog cart"
Later the company was named Arrol Aster and In 1929 Malcom Campbell's record breaking Blue Bird car received its third rebuild.
The chassis, engine and drive train remained the same, but the bodywork was replaced with one built in Dumfries by Arrol Aster.
Sam.
Arrol Johnson of Camlachie produced car as early as 1895 in a factory in Heathhall.
Near Dumfries.
Their first car was called "dog cart"
Later the company was named Arrol Aster and In 1929 Malcom Campbell's record breaking Blue Bird car received its third rebuild.
The chassis, engine and drive train remained the same, but the bodywork was replaced with one built in Dumfries by Arrol Aster.
Sam.
Corpulent Tosser said:
Anderson Grice of Carnoustie (my home town) built a car called the Dalhousie, a few years back though, 1906 to 1910.
They continued for many years after that making cranes and quarrying equipment, might still be in operation now.
Anderson Grice eventually went out of business in 1996. A family connection for me - one of my uncles (John Pate) was a director and well known figure in Carnoustie.They continued for many years after that making cranes and quarrying equipment, might still be in operation now.
matchmaker said:
Anderson Grice eventually went out of business in 1996. A family connection for me - one of my uncles (John Pate) was a director and well known figure in Carnoustie.
I didn't know him but I certainly knew of him. Several people I knew worked there, it was one of the biggest employers in the town at one time.
I have never seen a photograph or even a drawing of a Dalhousie car though.
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