Southern Roadcraft was a very interesting kitcar company, founded by brothers, Ian and Brian Nicholls in 1985. They were based at several locations around the Brighton area
The company was based in Brighton, West Sussex and they came up with one of the most well-respected Cobra replicas around.
Chassis originally by Kiwi engineer Pat Hansen with power coming from various V8 engines. In 1997 Brian concentrated on his Repower V8 engine and performance parts business while Ian pursued other career paths including film work.
Incidentally, Pilgrim Cars produced their GRP bodies and the SR V8 inspired the Pilgrim Sumo, as a result.
The business was taken over by Geoff Mills, erstwhile Direct Specialist Supplies who changed the company name to Roadcraft. In 1998 he teamed-up with Sheridan Bowie’s Tyler Industrial Mouldings operation to sell the SRV8 and BRA 289.
In 2001 the project was acquired by Pagham-based Dave Carruthers (a leading short-oval hot rodder) who along with son Mike put the car back on the map, servicing and supplying parts for original cars, while also revising the kit and making improvements and selling new ones.
Dave and Mike did a great job of resurrecting the brand and built some beautiful examples, before deciding to concentrate on their bread and butter Pagham Motor Services business in 2012.
There were probably about 150 Southern Roadcrafts sold by all parties combined.
We must talk about the second Southern Roadcraft model, the SR V12. Having seen the Miami Vice TV programme that featured a Corvette-based McBurnie Coachworks Daytona replica, Ian and Brian Nicholls initially acted as agents for the car in the UK.
However, it wasn’t totally correct dimensionally, while the donors were scarce and collectible in the UK, so they revised it for the UK market, basing their SR V12 on Jaguar XJ12 with a revised chassis. Contrary to belief it wasn’t just an SR V8 chassis, it was totally different. A backbone spaceframe with footwells, tunnel and floorpans in steel.
The car was a replica of the Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder. Southern Roadcraft possibly produced about sixty SR V12s. This product wasn’t part of the Madgwick Cars acquisition.
Some lovely images of the Southern Roadcraft V8. This car has a special place in my heart. I well remember the day Pete Coxhead and I took two of these photos quite near to Southern Roadcraft’s base opposite the beach between Portslade and Southwick in June 1986.
The first image – with a foreboding sky – was taken up on the downs near Brighton Racecourse. The second one was actually taken first on the day and the location was overlooking Southwick Harbour and that’s Brighton ‘B’ Power Station acting as our backdrop.
Opened in 1952, it continued to provide power until 1987 and was demolished in 1988. After a gap of many years the new Shoreham Power Station was built on the same site and opened in 2022.
