Our History
20-year-old James Carter is on the Zenith JAP 350cc motorcycle.
Sparkle and Shine Cleaning Products is based in Walton-on-Thames. We are a family-based business with a history in the automotive industry that goes back over 100 years.
It first started with the Zenith JAP 350cc. This bike was first owned by James Carter (Paul’s Grandfather), who regularly raced cars at Brooklands and worked at the nearby Lagonda factory.
Zenith was a local motorcycle manufacturer based at Weybridge and East Molesey. They had a lot of racing success at Brooklands, mainly through ‘Freddie’ Barnes, Zenith’s Chief Engineer and a regular Brooklands rider. Zenith also built the first British motorcycle to lap Brooklands at 100mph in 1922, ridden by Bert Le Vack.
Colin Carter, Teresa Carter, Katharine Carter and her partner James at Brooklands museum, Weybridge
James Carter’s Zenith motorcycle which was restored and displayed at Brooklands museum.
Colin Carter, Theresa Carter, Katherine Carter and her partner James at Brooklands museum, Weybridge
James Carter’s Zenith motorcycle which was restored and displayed at Brooklands museum.
This motorcycle was owned by James Carter of Ashford. Born in Kensington in 1905, he was apprenticed in 1923 to J.A. Prestwick & CO, manufacturers of JAP engines in Tottenham. The motorcycle was kindly donated by the Carter family and restored by the Brooklands museum, Weybridge.
He spent much of his working life at Lagonda Motors at Staines, first as a motor fitter and later as a car tester, detail fitter and inspector. This work would almost certainly have involved testing and racing Lagondas at Brooklands.
Zenith first began producing motorcycles in Weybridge before the First World War but later moved to Hampton Court. Zenith motorcycles were both tested and raced at Brooklands.
Bert Le Vack on Zenith Motorcycle, Brooklands.
F.W. Barnes. Zenith-Jap. 1912.
J.S. Wright 1925 After lapping the track at over 110 MPH on a 980cc Zenith-Jap.
Our FOunders
Our founders – Jorge Rodrigues (Left) and Paul Carter (right).
Meet our founders, who established Sparkle and Shine Cleaning Products.
Jorge is the Marketing Director for Sparkle and Shine Cleaning Products. He founded his Dirtprof chemical business and together with Paul established Sparkle and Shine Cleaning Products.
Paul is CEO and Sales Director for Sparkle and Shine Cleaning Products. Paul has been in the car industry for over twenty years and comes from a detailing background. He also original formed a very successful leading Valeting and Detailing company in Surrey – Sparkle and Shine Valeting and Detailing.
Our Charity
Please don’t hesitate to visit our charity page and see what we are up to!
15% OFF Discount
To get 15% off on your first order, use our code ‘SPARKLECLEAN’. With every 1L product ordered, we are giving 50 pence to charity; and for every 5L product ordered, we are giving £1 to charity! We will also be giving free shipping to orders over £100!
Don’t miss out on this special offer – order today!