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A classic of little fame but much appeal - the Gordon Keeble GK-1
The roaring Sixties were a fascinating time in the automotive world. The world became awash in affordable and reliable mechanical components, allowing smaller outfits without the means of independent R&D in all areas to still participate in the world of car manufacturing.
Picture from: Drive-my
Picture from: Cartype
In Art’s recent WS with the Cars & Watches topic I posted one of those, which I really like - Gordon Keeble. As the response was lots of curiosity, here a bit more on the car.
Picture from: Farer
Picture from: Farer
The car was the brainchild of John Gordon of Peerless and Jim Keeble, who got together in 1959 to produce the Gordon GT, mating a Peerless chassis with a Buick V8.
Further refinements - such as a De Dion rear axle - were made and then the whole was sent off to Bertone for a body. And as it happens, the car was most likely the first complete design of a budding young designer - Giorgio Giugiaro.
With a replacement Chevy V-8 the finished prototype was shown at the Geneva Salon in 1960.
Picture from: Drive-my
After a re-engineering to production standard and the addition of a Chevrolet Corvette 327 V8 drivetrain (300 hp), the money ran out and the already produced cars were sold off for the equivalent of €52k in 1964. Two further restarts resulted in a handful of additional vehicles built, with the grand total being 100.
Picture from: Cartype
The cars are supposedly quite easy to drive even in a modern environment, with disc brakes and a robust drivetrain, as well as power assisted steering on most.
And using a turtle as a brand logo is simply tongue in cheek. I was seriously considering getting one while in the UK but that ship has sailed now - good examples being about 3-4 times the price they were back then (10 or so years ago).
Oh well.
Hope you enjoyed this!
Would have been a great investment!
Have seen one for GBP120k recently. Not quite the same league anymore...
Magnificent! There is something of italian cars and Facel Vega. SUBLIME! [nt]
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Got Lucky
As a car obsessed young boy, my standing order Christmas present was the “Observer Pocket Book of Automobiles” that came out annually and contained every detail a 10 year old might possibly need.
To my surprise I discovered a near neighbor (this being very rural England) had both this Gordon Keeble and a Jensen CV8. I was fortunate to be given memorable rides in both. Those journeys were a long way from the experience of being driven in my father’s base level Ford Anglia and later Renault 4...
To my surprise I discovered a near neighbor (this being very rural England) had both this Gordon Keeble and a Jensen CV8. I was fortunate to be given memorable rides in both. Those journeys were a long way from the experience of being driven in my father’s base level Ford Anglia and later Renault 4...
Very cool story!
Yet to have my first drive / ride in one 
Not exactly easy to arrange on the Continent 
Not exactly easy to arrange on the Continent
“You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”
I didn’t understand the concept of “rare” as in rural England, apart from tractors and animals, everything was rare. This same owner also had at one point a Galaxy 500 Convertible in Candy Apple Red with a cream interior. He also owned a Rover P6 with the first British use of the Buick V8 that Rover had bought the design of and possibly cylinder blocks. At one point I think it had been fettled by Ron Tauranac who was the F1 designer who worked with Jack Brabham. This could all be wrong and lost in the mists of time.
I know what you mean :)
Missed my first gen NSX, too... 
But luckily there are still watches 👍🏻
But luckily there are still watches 👍🏻
From all I read surprisingly well...
A GT of the old school but very modern in setup in its day. But unfortunately no first hand experience...