Beauford is a British family run automobile company based in Biddulph, Stoke on Trent. The cars are supplied in kit form and are therefore highly customisable. Beauford are founding members of S.T.A.T.U.S. (Specialist Transport Advisory and Testing Utility Society).[1]
Originally based in Upholland, Lancashire the company later moved to Stoke on Trent. The first cars were made in 1978 and used a Mini bodyshell as the passenger compartment later replaced by a glass fibre moulding. The company has supplied over 1,500 kits.
The Beauford Tourer is designed to look like a vintage car. At the front is a long bonnet with flowing wings at either side to give the appearance of a 1930s Style Grand Tourer luxury car. There are both 2 door and 4 door versions. Cars come in both open and closed bodies. With detachable hard top or convertible soft top there are also half soft-top versions. Because of the classic look of the vehicles the cars have become popular as wedding transport. They are suited to Rover V8 engines, and the M119 5 liter Mercedes Benz engine with over 300 BHP and high torque.
The shell of the body is made of Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP), and the bonnet and panels are alloys. The body is mounted on a ladder chassis. The vehicles have a long wheel base of 3.2 m (126"). A variety of power units can be fitted to the kit, including Ford, Nissan and Rover. The suspension, steering, pedal box and master cylinder can be sourced from the Ford Sierra.The manufacturer provides multiple choice in body parts such as windscreens and lights, meaning there are many unique vehicles in circulation.
| DIMENSIONS | |
|---|---|
| 475cm (15’ 7") long | |
| 168cm (5’ 6") wide | |
| 152cm (5’ 0") high | |
| WHEELBASE | |
| 320 cm (10’ 6") | |
| WEIGHT allowed on axle1st axle 975 kg2nd axle 850 kg | |
| 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs) approx | |
| ENGINE | |
| 1593 ccm the engine produced 53 kW (71 hp) of power and 156 N·m (115 ft·lbf) of torque.136 CO2/km (combined) | |
| TRANSMISSION | |
| Either Manual or Automatic gearboxes may be used | |
| RUNNING GEAR | |
| Front & rear suspension, steering, pedal box, master cylinder & handbrake lever - Ford Sierra or Cortina. | |
| CHASSIS | |
| 4" x 2" x 1/8 (100 x 50 x 3mm) steel box section ladder chassis | |
| BODY & PANELS | |
| Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) body with alloy bonnet & closing panels |
There is an owners club known as The Beauford Club. They attend automotive events and produce publications for members.[2]