London Taxis International, formerly Carbodies LTD is to celebrate 60 years of Hackney Carriage manufacture at this year’s Private Hire and Taxi Exhibition.

The event will take place at the Ricoh Arena on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 of May, in LTI’s hometown of Coventry. The event is the UK’s largest trade show for the professional taxi driver.

Carbodies was founded in 1919 and soon became one of the leading lights in coachbuilding in the flourishing Midlands motor manufacturing industry.

Although now best know for manufacturing Taxis, Carbodies built bodies for many illustrious firms over the years including Alvis, Humber, MG, Railton, Rolls-Royce and Bentley to name but a few.

After World War 2, the firm won a major contract from Austin to build Taxi bodies, eventually buying the rights to manufacture outright. They also undertook highly specialised work for other manufacturers.

Carbodies won many lucrative contracts to convert saloon cars into convertibles including the Ford Consul / Zephyr / Zodiac range and latterly the Ford Cortina (on behalf of Crayford).

They also built estate cars including vehicles for Humber and Triumph. The company also developed, built and supplied the tooling for the sleek E Type Jaguar bonnet, which is still in production today.

The company now focuses on taxi manufacture, and their latest offering, the iconic modern TX4 Taxi, will be on display at the exhibition. 

http://www.practicalclassics.co.uk/news.php?sid=823