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Mtyte
Original Poster
8 posts
17 months
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Hi everyone,
I have recently purchased Ginetta House in Witham for my company which I understand used to be the Ginetta cars showroom in the 60s/70s/80s. I would love to receive any information or pictures of the factory/workshop as I would like to put some pictures up on the walls. I'm working my way through the Ginetta Pictures forum but thought I would ask in case anyone had anything else?
Many thanks, Martin
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blueg33
10,897 posts
94 months
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Mtyte
Original Poster
8 posts
17 months
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Thanks, I will drop them an email.
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blueg33
10,897 posts
94 months
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Another thought is that the family that started Ginetta is the Walkletts, they own and run Dare Cars. You could contact them.
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lmasarati
89 posts
34 months
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Hahaha, that's funny, I've been there this morning with my son, we also took a couple of photo. We were in a sort of pilgrimage in GinettaLand, yesterday we've been all the day with Ivor, Tom and specially Mark.
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h4887
197 posts
110 months
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Trevor Pyman's book, 'Four Brothers' 4' has some pictures of both outside and inside of the factory.
Geoff
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dandarez
4,505 posts
153 months
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It has more than a history of Ginetta Cars Ltd. It is steeped in motoring history!
I did a limited run of 2 prints (A4'ish size) years ago (early 90s) of the factory as it was in 1921 and 1925, when it was owned by Chas (Charles) Warren.
It was called West End Garage then, but later became West End Works as it was during Ginetta's time (1961-1986).
Warren was an agent for and sold Belsize cars, GN cars, Morris cars, and Essex cars (these were US brand not British, despite the name! They built race cars too, which raced in Salt Lake. Essex were later produced by the Hudson Motor Co, Detroit).
They were also general and repair engineers and in 1925 became an agent for Bean Cars.
I have the two prints framed in my study, it was a bit of a loss as we never sold many.
Making me wonder now what happened to the remainder? Could have dumped them when I moved out of my Unit, I just can't remember. Think I'll be searching the loft tomorrow!
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Mtyte
Original Poster
8 posts
17 months
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Thanks for all the info, much appreciated.
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dandarez
4,505 posts
153 months
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Stuck my head through the loft hatch today and thought that's going to take some sifting through that lot! So no luck - I will have to set aside a day to sort and clear what's not needed. Hopefully, those prints are still there. In the meantime, here is a pic of one of the framed ones (not very good because of reflection and camera playing up). This is the building in 1925. 
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Mtyte
Original Poster
8 posts
17 months
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Thanks, that's a great picture.
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janetgyford
1 posts
16 months
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I have a few photos of Ginetta House, including before it was Warrens. I'll look them out next week I hope. There was once a chap making a film about Ginettas, but he was going to get back to me when it was done, and he never did. I have his name somewhere I think. Also there is a book by Bob Walklett called "Ginetta,the Inside Story, 31 years of British Specialist Car Manufacture" pub in 1994 and now going for £185 on Abe books ! I expect you know about that. My interest is in Witham, not in cars, because I live here and write about it. I wonder what the building is going to be used for now, have you decided ?
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h4887
197 posts
110 months
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It was Colin Hards who was making the Ginetta video. Sadly although all the filming was done he never got round to putting it all together. A great shame!
Geoff
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lmasarati
89 posts
34 months
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Last Sunday, driving back from Silverstone Classic, we stopped for a last pint of oil... 
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h4887
197 posts
110 months
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How many pints did you use?  Geoff
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lmasarati
89 posts
34 months
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h4887 said: How many pints did you use?  for the full journey and return I used 2L of oil and about 40L of fuel... it's like a 5% mix :-) most of the oil has been lost through leakages from the sump, but some has been burnt, according to the dirty black spot on the bonnet 
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h4887
197 posts
110 months
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That was for a round trip of, what, about 220 miles? I didn't think a G15 could burn so much fuel! And I think you need a longer tailpipe  Geoff
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Mtyte
Original Poster
8 posts
17 months
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Nice picture, I'll post a similar one next time I take my G15 to the office.
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lmasarati
89 posts
34 months
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h4887 said: That was for a round trip of, what, about 220 miles? Quite correct, maybe 250 miles including some wrong ways and the route to and from the bed and breakfast. Don't know exactly because the speedo is not working. I used the satnav to keep below the speed limit (well, mostly... we had some full throttle at 8k rpm, just for fun  ) h4887 said: I didn't think a G15 could burn so much fuel! most of the times I was on A roads with 60 or maybe 70mph limit, my car has shortened 3rd and 4th so at that speed you're always in the range between 5000 and 6000 rpm :-) and under 4k rpm I think that the fuel is simply pumped through the cylinders into the exhaust without even burning it...  h4887 said: And I think you need a longer tailpipe  Geoff Definitely! I'll add a couple of foot of pipe and a trumpet at the end 
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dandarez
4,505 posts
153 months
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h4887 said: That was for a round trip of, what, about 220 miles? I didn't think a G15 could burn so much fuel! And I think you need a longer tailpipe  Geoff Nah, he needs an Aston Martin DB4 box (as used on the Imps years ago), the tailpipe points downwards and it's bound to be quieter. Mine was but in the end I had to cover it up when a copper decided someone was going to burn their shin (his!) on it.  I have just remembered why I fitted an Aston silencer across the back (on my Imp, not Ginetta). I'd left a hump-back bridge at fairly rapid rate and landing smashed the 4/1 exhaust manifold and Peco exhaust, and split a doughnut but was nothing compared to passenger's headache after hitting the roof! Memories, eh. 
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