Men in Sheds – Fairthorpe Cars

Fairthorpe Electron Minor was the most popular model with @300 sold

Unlike most of England’s men in sheds, Air Vice-Marshal Don Bennett was an accomplished man prior to his involvement with automobiles. He served in the Bomber Command of the Royal Air Force and was appointed to command the Pathfinder forces during World War II. He piloted the first commercial airliner out of Heathrow following the end of hostilities and then became a Member of Parliament.

Fairthorpe Electron Sport

Fascinated with automobiles, Bennett established Fairthorpe Cars in Buckinghamshire with the diminutive Atom as the first product. The company began to sell kit cars based largely on Triumph mechanicals. The various sports cars started off with Standard 10 power but eventually engines from the Herald, Spitfire, Vitesse and GT6 found their way into the range with the other components also coming from the Standard-Triumph parts bin.

1954 Fairthorpe Atomata

The Atomata was aesthetically challenged and odd looking but the Electron, Electron Minor and the EM Series proved to be more popular with the Electron Minor selling in large numbers – almost 300 units made – until Fairthorpe Cars closed up shop in the mid-70s after the debut of the TX GT cars proved disappointing.

Fairthorpe Zeta