Harold Radford

Harold Radford & Co Limited of Melton Court, South Kensington, London SW7, (opposite South Kensington tube station and now Lamborghini London) were long-established retailers of Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars who, under G H Radford, developed a bespoke coach building business in the late 1940s named Harold Radford (Coachbuilders) Limited. The coachbuilding business began by making bodies for new Bentleys with amendments to suit the rural lifestyle of the landed gentry. In the Swinging Sixties Radfords became best known for luxury versions of the cult-car, Mini.

A luxurious town car, shooting brake, and Continental tourer in one vehicle. The Countryman car was available from Harold Radford with a full Radford body incorporating what was otherwise a conversion.

After the introduction of the "big boot" model in 1952 standard steel Bentleys and Rolls-Royces, usually new but already registered in their owner's name and driven to avoid extra purchase tax, would be given as much of the total conversion as the customer required. Conversions featured the following:

The motoring correspondent of The Times reported in May 1963 the Mini while a popular second car in many households was no longer strictly the fashion, the Grande Luxe Mini de Ville by Radford had taken over.

On test in London, he reported, it attracted more attention than a Ferrari Berlinetta with its special colour scheme and trim, sliding sun roof, radiator grille with two more recessed lights, special sound insulation and electric windows (this was when normal Mini windows in the doors slid one half over the other).

The car tested by The Times also had white leather upholstery and deep lambswool carpets, tachometer, ammeter, oil gauge, clock, headlamp flasher (vital) and water temperature gauge. Further extras were: a laminated wood steering wheel to maintain firm grip (by soaking up sweat), automatic red caution lights on open doors, a reading light, cigar lighter, twin-speaker radio and an air blower to demist the rear window.

After the 1967 Earls Court Motor Show The Times tried to display in print why a Mini de Ville should be preferred to, say, an Alfa Giulia GTV, Porsche 912 or Lotus Elan +2. They recorded that Captains of Industry ordered them, painted them to match their Rolls and gave them to their wives. Pop Stars and West End playboys presumably invested in them as a status symbol.

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Wikipedia