Coventry Climax Ltd. was founded in 1903 by ex-Daimler engineer Pulham Lee of Coventry, UK to design and build engines for small automobile companies. They continued this business for many years, but diversified along the way. Prior to and through WWII, they were well known for water-pumping equipment for fire fighting. The firm also was known for use of their engines in auto racing. They were taken over by Jaguar in 1963, became part of British Leyland in 1969, and went into receivership in 1986. Immediately prior to WWII, Coventry Climax obtained a manufacturing license from Continental for lightplane engines (J41, J42). WWII intervened, no production was reported, and the agreement apparently lapsed.