Historic Car Brands
Buchanan
N H Buchanan Motor Co Pty Ltd was an Australian kit car manufacturer, who made sports car bodies and chassis in the 1950s.
The original body produced by Nat Buchanan was a fibreglass item based on an Aston Martin DB3-S racing car. Buchanan took moulds from Tom Sulman’s race-damaged DB3-S in 1956.
The distinctive Aston Martin scallops on either side of the bonnet weren’t followed and the grille opening was made oval. Because the target market was for re-bodying of early model MGs, the Buchanan moulds were cut and extended between the door openings and the rear wheel arches, adding several centimetres to the body length.
Bodies were sold as DIY kits to modernise, lighten and update MG Ys, TCs, TDs and TFs. Also, bodies were made for MGAs, Triumphs, Austin Healeys, and even Austin A40s.
Special X-frame racing chassis were also made and the active racing life of some of these extended into the 70’s. The chassis were fitted usually with Holden FJ mechanicals and the front suspension crossmember and rear axle assembly were shortened to suit the narrower FRP body.
Buchanan built around 80 bodies in 1957 and construction was later taken over by J&S Fibreglass, for a total of about 150.
The Buchanan Cobra was introduced in 1958 as a production vehicle based on Standard 10 mechanicals, but only seven were manufactured.
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