HILLMAN CAR CLUB
OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC

Damyon Brothers Pty. Ltd.
coach builder
HILLMAN CAR CLUB
OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC


Damyon Brothers Pty. Ltd. was a coach builder in the Melbourne suburb of St. Kilda.  Hillman cars were amongst the products they assembled.  As the name implies, the craft of coach building in the automotive industry is derived from the craft of building horse-drawn coaches.  Until about 1940, the industry's standard practice was to hand-build a body including a timber frame on top of a sturdy steel chassis.  Coach builders thrived with this amount of work to do.
With the introduction of unitary body cars such as the 1940 Hillman Minx, the coach builders faced challenges in finding work.  Some turned their attention to the niche market of custom vehicles such as special taxis, ambulances, fire trucks and buses.
Adelaide companies T.J. Richards and Holden were purchased by Chrysler and General Motors respectively, and eventually switched to manufacturing cars of local specification.  Damyon Brothers, who had been prize winning buggy manufacturers in the 1890s, saw voluntary closure as their best option.

The following notice was published on page 4081 of the Victoria Government Gazette – No. 492 – 16 June 1954.

The following notice was published on page 2069 of the Victoria Government Gazette – No. 233 – 4 May 1955.


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