Any Gordon Keeble Owners Out There?
Discussion
Ch76 is still running on the original fuel pumps and one of them has slowed to the point where it's just not supplying enough to keep the engine running. A friend has suggested ditching them and replacing with solid state pumps, which seems sensible. Has anyone here fitted them? if so, what did you use, what psi is required? In all likelihood it'll go to the garage but it'd be nice to know what's involved beforehand.
This unusual coloured GK belong to anyone here?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48235702@N06/78433236...
Had a quick look on the GKOC site and couldn't find the plate, I suspect it's changed colour since this was taken.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48235702@N06/78433236...
Had a quick look on the GKOC site and couldn't find the plate, I suspect it's changed colour since this was taken.
Looking good TX GT. I don't feel so bad about mine now, owned just over a year and not washed it yet (hoping the dirt will tone it down a bit!), I must confess to polishing the grill/bumpers a couple of weeks ago though. Only 1.5 weeks until the Jim Stokes visit, as the first official GKOC outing for 76 in my ownership, I guess I ought to get the bucket and sponge out. Who else is going? be nice to see 74 in the flesh.
This makes 300 GK Posts, how about a few updates/photos of the restorations guys?
This makes 300 GK Posts, how about a few updates/photos of the restorations guys?
I spoke to the owner about this car last year, I’d probably have bought it myself had I not already started work on 76. As far as I recall, he indicated that the car had originally belonged to a friend of his, they had both bought one at roughly the same time to do up together but the friend had passed away and the car had transferred to the current owner to dispose of. From the photos it looks very original and complete, if it was used as a donor, I suspect the parts were swapped rather than completely removed. The owner also stated that the car had been re-sprayed but that was some years ago.
A similar car sold at Goodwood in 2011 for almost £30k albeit with an MOT but it had been off the road for some time. Godin Banks resold it shortly afterwards for even more. There’s no indication that 07 is running but in the engine photo the HT leads, fuel filter and some of the crimp connectors look new, so it’s probably been started and run for the purpose of selling it. If the paint/body is good, there are no obvious flaws and Anglia give it a damn good clean I’d have thought it could easily fetch £25k+….if it makes the sale this time.
Go on DonkeyApple!
A similar car sold at Goodwood in 2011 for almost £30k albeit with an MOT but it had been off the road for some time. Godin Banks resold it shortly afterwards for even more. There’s no indication that 07 is running but in the engine photo the HT leads, fuel filter and some of the crimp connectors look new, so it’s probably been started and run for the purpose of selling it. If the paint/body is good, there are no obvious flaws and Anglia give it a damn good clean I’d have thought it could easily fetch £25k+….if it makes the sale this time.
Go on DonkeyApple!
oneof99 said:
Unfortunately, the vendor has sold the car in Belgium / The Netherlands, to a friend. The auction house send their apologies to all concerned in UK.
That's disappointing, would have been nice to get an up-to date view of what something like this can achieve at auction. With the last two GKs to change hands being the De Bruyne and the kit otherwise known as Ch75 it's been a long time since a typical runner has been sold in the public domain.GK52 said:
Hi mellow- can you fill in the gaps on the JSW photo with a snap of 76?
1of99 has beaten me to it, not 76's best side though, I only polished the N/S Spinners. Got my fuel pump issue sorted out over the weekend, will save the full story for Keebling. Very nice to have the luxury of a second pump/tank for the test drive that confirmed the issue wasn't fixed though. B7trr said:
Mellow I think your car was spotted in the Chi area over the weekend..
Possible, I did a few runs out on Sunday to test the fuel pump but only local, still about 20 miles from Chi, but I suppose that could be considered "Chi area", where did you find this snippet?Following last years Goodwood Revival trip, I see Ch 76 is featured on a dutch website, also on another site after last years trip to Beaulieu - don't get that with the TVR.
Good to see you've finally got that chassis sorted out B7trr
gary3170 said:
theres a yellow one not far from me in the local motor museum here in sweden it was bought by a local fella i,ll take a pic in a few days if anyones intrested :-)
Yes, love to see pics of another yellow one, I thought mine was the only one. I've spent plenty of time trawling GK images on the net and never seen another yellow one. GK52 said:
Mellow- I'm sure you are already aware, however, on the club webs-site in the wanted section someone is looking for a GK, specifically 76 if possible....
Yep, spotted it yesterday and have been in communication overnight. No plans to sell 76 (although everyone has a price!). Funnily enough I did point him to you as somebody who may have a car to sell at sometime in the not too distant future (don't let it out of the country before 50th!!!).Nick's told me a bit about the history of 76, hoping he can lay his hands on some early photos as I've been able to find nothing prior to the current paint job.
B7trr said:
Are you still the owner of 76 Mellow? I do enjoy the twists turns and stories regarding GK's
Yep, the offer I can't refuse hasn't come through yet Great photos B7trr, keep them coming. Just got back from Le Sarthe, TVR didn't miss a beat and no trouble from
. Can't wait to take 76 to the classic next year. There was talk of a GK going this year but, if it did, I didn't see it. Shocked to find we've slipped to No3 in the Classic Fibreglass forum in my absence!Group7 said:
Hi Mello,
I’m going to make it your day!!
Thanks to the power of the internet I can now fill in a little more of GK 76’s history for you. Going back about 20 years ago I was heavily involved in the maintenance and restoration of Corvettes. At the time I had a 63 split window coupe that needed a correct engine. I was told of a 327 long block with double hump heads that sounded just right. Unfortunately it turned out to be a 64 engine, but was such a good piece I decided to buy it for stock. All the component dates matched, the block was dated 30th June 64 and the pad stamping was F0702RD a 300hp 327 manual trans unit. Subsequently it was sold on and some 15 yrs later I now have it back. When I revisited the tag I remembered that it had had an additional but not Chevrolet prefix and that the engine had also been originally painted an unusual (for a Chevy anyway) lemon yellow colour .I also remembered that it had arrived in New Zealand with an Englishman by the name of Jim Gamsby who had emigrated IIRC in the early eighties. My early attempts to place the engine with the car then were unsuccessful, but this time Bingo!!
By now you might have guessed the prefix is -76
Having now tracked you down and read your posts you GK guys are no different to the rest of us petrolheads.
Nowadays I restore historic racing cars in particular McLaren, Works cars being my specialty. I was going to use this engine as the basis for a period 358 for an M6 McLaren but thought I might try and find its chassis first.
I must say I am quite taken by the GK it’s a pretty car and appears to be quite well built for the period.
I’m going to let this sink in with you, and I have no plans for it until I hear from you as to whether you might like to take this further. I can take photos , it has its Carter intake manifold on it , the fuel pump pad still has its block off plate, the 6qt oil pan is there also. It’s a 3782870 block with its original matching heads. It hasn’t run in anything since coming to NZ so probably has only its GK mileage on it.
I don’t think the Australian poster at the GK Home page has anything to do with its appearance in NZ , Its just an amazing coincidence.
Best wishes Duncan Fox
Small world indeed. I have, in fact, briefly met Mr Gamsby on one or two of occasions many, many years ago, at the time I was barely old enough to drive. He's a TVR enthusiast and used to own a TVR (420 SEAC if I'm not mistaken, "Sweet Thunder" on the rear bumper), he's still involved with the TVRCC. Not sure that finding out the original engine for my car is on the other side of the world constitutes "making my day" and I suspect getting it back here and into Ch76 would be cost prohibitive. Nevertheless, it’s fascinating to find out a bit more about it. I’m guessing the engine was changed when the car was converted to an automatic, this was when it was owned by Quentin Keynes who also changed it to the present colour. It begs the question, why was the engine changed if there was nothing wrong with it?I’m going to make it your day!!
Thanks to the power of the internet I can now fill in a little more of GK 76’s history for you. Going back about 20 years ago I was heavily involved in the maintenance and restoration of Corvettes. At the time I had a 63 split window coupe that needed a correct engine. I was told of a 327 long block with double hump heads that sounded just right. Unfortunately it turned out to be a 64 engine, but was such a good piece I decided to buy it for stock. All the component dates matched, the block was dated 30th June 64 and the pad stamping was F0702RD a 300hp 327 manual trans unit. Subsequently it was sold on and some 15 yrs later I now have it back. When I revisited the tag I remembered that it had had an additional but not Chevrolet prefix and that the engine had also been originally painted an unusual (for a Chevy anyway) lemon yellow colour .I also remembered that it had arrived in New Zealand with an Englishman by the name of Jim Gamsby who had emigrated IIRC in the early eighties. My early attempts to place the engine with the car then were unsuccessful, but this time Bingo!!
By now you might have guessed the prefix is -76
Having now tracked you down and read your posts you GK guys are no different to the rest of us petrolheads.
Nowadays I restore historic racing cars in particular McLaren, Works cars being my specialty. I was going to use this engine as the basis for a period 358 for an M6 McLaren but thought I might try and find its chassis first.
I must say I am quite taken by the GK it’s a pretty car and appears to be quite well built for the period.
I’m going to let this sink in with you, and I have no plans for it until I hear from you as to whether you might like to take this further. I can take photos , it has its Carter intake manifold on it , the fuel pump pad still has its block off plate, the 6qt oil pan is there also. It’s a 3782870 block with its original matching heads. It hasn’t run in anything since coming to NZ so probably has only its GK mileage on it.
I don’t think the Australian poster at the GK Home page has anything to do with its appearance in NZ , Its just an amazing coincidence.
Best wishes Duncan Fox
I’ll drop you an email to discuss further.
Still no photos of 81 in colour b7trr?
B7trr said:
OK, Here it is:
Very nice, didn't realise you were changing the colour. Looking forward to seeing it in the flesh, any idea when it'll be back on the road? Are you having it re-trimmed too? Did toy with AM green myself but disregarded it on the grounds that there wasn't one in that colour to give an idea of what it would look like. GK52 said:
Also Mellow Green doesn't quite have the same ring to it!
True, true but Mellow Yellow actually dates back to my first (yellow) Griff, M33LLO, just never changed my handle when I sold the car. Besides, Ch76 is Chartruese, not yellow This months thought is to go for "Mellow Blue" but, as I've said before, I change my mind every month and each time I look at the car I think Chartruese is not so bad.Gassing Station | Classic Fibreglass | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff