Buckler Cars was founded in Reading, Berkshire, in 1947 by Charles Derek Buckler, known as Derek Buckler, who set up premises at 67 Caversham Road. The company also took over the works of Welco Farm Implements Ltd at Crowthorne, Berkshire, around the same time, and used that site alongside its Reading base.
Buckler built lightweight spaceframe chassis, sold complete, part-built or as bare kits, for buyers to fit their own bodywork and running gear. Its cars were popular for road use, club rallies, trials and racing in the early-to-mid 1950s, and the company also supplied gear sets and racing chassis to other builders. Around 400 Buckler cars were made in total.
As larger manufacturers began competing more directly in the specialist and kit car market, Buckler’s popularity declined through the later 1950s. Derek Buckler sold the company in 1962 to Mike Luff and Frank Fletcher, and it found a further period of success making go-karts, before finally closing in 1965.