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Makes › Hooper · Coachbuilder (carrozzeria) – bodies, not complete cars · United Kingdom United Kingdom

Hooper

Hooper was a London coachbuilder tracing its roots to 1807, holder of royal warrants over several reigns and maker of formal bodies for royalty. Part of the Daimler/BSA group, it stopped building custom car bodies in 1959.1,3

18Cars bodied
7Individual chassissee each car
1807Founded

Cars with bodies by Hooper

The car itself is credited to its chassis manufacturer. Open a car to see its individual chassis.

Key facts

Founded
1807 (as J & G Adams); Adams & Hooper from 18301 Independently researched
Founder
George Adams and George Hooper1 Independently researched
Headquarters
London (Haymarket; later St James's Street, Chelsea and Acton works)1 Independently researched
Status
Custom body production ceased in 1959; company dissolved by BSA in 19861 Independently researched

History

Hooper traces its history to the firm of J & G Adams of 1807, which became Adams & Hooper in the Haymarket, London, under George Adams and George Hooper by 1830, when it received its first royal warrant from King William IV. The business became Hooper and Company after Adams left in 1846 and was registered as Hooper & Co. (Coachbuilders) Ltd in 1896. It built early motor bodies for Edward VII on Daimler chassis and took over Barker & Co. in 1938. Hooper came under the Daimler/BSA group, and custom car body production ceased in 1959.

1,3

Milestones

  1. 1830
    Adams & Hooper received its first royal warrant as coachbuilder to King William IV.1
  2. 1938
    Hooper took over fellow coachbuilder Barker & Co.1
  3. 1955
    The Daimler DK400 'Golden Zebra', last of the Docker show cars commissioned from Hooper, was introduced.2
  4. 1959
    Hooper ceased production of custom car bodies and closed its St James's showroom.1

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

  1. 1
    Hooper & Co (Coachbuilders) Ltd Level B Science Museum Group Collection
    • "first royal warrant of appointment as coachbuilder to King William IV"
    • 1938 took over Barker & Co. (Coachbuilders) Ltd
    • 1959 production of custom bodies ceased
    • "traces its history back to 1807 and the firm of J & G Adams"
    • "under the direction of George Adams and George Hooper"
    • Haymarket; King's Road, Chelsea; 54 St James' Street; Acton 1933
    • 1959 custom bodies ceased; BSA "dealt with the dissolution of Hooper & Co in 1986"
    • 1807 roots; 1830 warrant; 1846; 1896 registration; Edward VII Daimler bodies; 1938 Barker; 1959 end of custom bodies
    Accessed 2026-11-11
  2. 2
    Daimler DK400 Golden Zebra Coupe Level B Louwman Museum
    • Lady Docker "commissioned Hooper"; "the Golden Zebra in 1955"
    Accessed 2026-11-11
  3. 3
    Hooper and Co Level C Grace's Guide to British Industrial History
    • "Acquired by Daimler, part of BSA" (1939)
    Accessed 2026-11-11

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