1965 Gordon-Keeble GK1
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION
Chassis number 93 is not only one of the last Gordon-Keebles to be built, it is extremely well known within marque circles and is considered to be one of the finest and most original survivors.
Its first owner after being completed in November 1965 was Scottish aristocrat Simon McKay, otherwise known as Baron Tanlaw. Later that decade, the Gordon-Keeble passed through the hands of noted racing driver Willie Green, and it went on to have considerable concours success during the 1970s while owned by Tony Smallbone.
The car subsequently formed part of the famous Patrick Collection in Birmingham, before being bought by a man who knew a thing or two about fast, V8-powered British cars: Aston Martin boss Victor Gauntlett.
During the 1990s, chassis 93 was acquired by a collector who entrusted its restoration to Ernie Knott – founder of the Owners’ Club and one of the most important and respected names in Gordon-Keeble history. Knott rebuilt ‘93’ to concours standard while retaining its remarkable originality, and the car was kept in dry storage once finished.
In 2014, it was bought by a passionate marque enthusiast who had first seen this very same car at Silverstone in 1970, having arrived in his father’s Gordon-Keeble. He had ‘93’ recommissioned at a cost of about £17,000, and then keenly added a few miles to its incredibly low total. Even today, it has still covered less than 40,000 miles.
Beautifully presented in metallic burgundy with a cream interior, this exceptional Gordon-Keeble is being offered for sale with an extensive history file that includes an original handbook and brochure. It was treated to an extensive service by Desmond J Smail in early 2024, and part of the work included the fabrication of a bespoke stainless-steel exhaust system at a cost of almost £4500. Any Gordon-Keeble represents a rare, stylish and fast choice of 1960s GT, with a cult following among motoring cognoscenti, and ‘93’ is deservedly renowned as being one of the very best.
MODEL HISTORY
‘A new dimension of motoring pleasure is now yours as the owner of a new Gordon-Keeble,’ stated the introduction to this distinctive car’s handbook. ‘The in-built power, performance and stamina are unsurpassed by any other car.’
The Gordon-Keeble was the brainchild of John Gordon, who had been involved with the Peerless marque during the late 1950s and wanted to create a car that blended British engineering with an American V8 engine. He therefore recruited engineer Jim Keeble to help him.
They came up with a luxurious four-seater based on a spaceframe chassis that boasted independent front suspension, a de Dion rear, and disc brakes all round. They then installed a 5.3-litre Chevrolet engine, which drove through a four-speed manual gearbox.
The sharply styled body was the work of a young Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone, and was built in glassfibre by Williams & Pritchard in the UK.
After a prototype had been shown at the 1960 Geneva Motor Show, it would be another four years before the Gordon-Keeble went into production at Eastleigh Airport in Southampton. The official launch took place in early 1964 at the Savoy Hotel in London, but the car was under-priced, component supply was sporadic, and period production totalled only 99 cars.
The Gordon-Keeble won plenty of critical acclaim during its short life, and it was one of the fastest four-seaters of its era. The 0-60mph sprint took only six seconds and the car’s top speed was in the region of 140mph, but promotional literature emphasised that ‘the performance is but part of an overall concept which should appeal to the senior executive or the international businessman.’
Michael Harris clearly agreed when he drove a Gordon-Keeble for Time and Tide, explaining that ‘the car would eat up the roads from here to, say, Monte Carlo – and leave you relaxed enough to play the tables after you’d arrived.’
Despite the low production numbers, a large percentage of Gordon-Keebles have survived and are still in use, supported by a thriving Owners’ Club.