Ginetta G26 and other saloons
Discussion
Hi Anyone on here!?
So with the ugly cars mostly ignored Im strangely a big fan of my G26 and the changes that are happening to it to make it the car I feel it should have been
Things I like about them are the size, actually feel like a real car even by today's stds size wise (compared to my little g15 even more so!) and with their low value great value for money.
Photos further down the post now due to photobucket issues
Cheers
Chris
Photobucket photo links removeddue to no longer working
So with the ugly cars mostly ignored Im strangely a big fan of my G26 and the changes that are happening to it to make it the car I feel it should have been
Things I like about them are the size, actually feel like a real car even by today's stds size wise (compared to my little g15 even more so!) and with their low value great value for money.
Photos further down the post now due to photobucket issues
Cheers
Chris
Photobucket photo links removeddue to no longer working
Edited by chrisimp on Thursday 11th May 11:53
Edited by chrisimp on Tuesday 26th September 11:53
Hi Chris
Great to see another G26 fan on the Forum.
I've got two and think they're well under-rated. In fact, I posted here a few years back, suggesting that the G26 was a more coherent design than the admittedly more svelte G33 (I've got one of them too ....) and got shot down somewhat ...
Anyway, just to let you know - you're not alone in rating the G26!
And I really like what you've down on the rear wheel arch. It's the one glaring stylistic shortcoming - and I've tried many ways to make mine look better (changing springs etc). I think you've done the right thing ... bite the bullet and re-glass the arches. If you've got a moment, please post a few more before & after photos ...
All the best -
Great to see another G26 fan on the Forum.
I've got two and think they're well under-rated. In fact, I posted here a few years back, suggesting that the G26 was a more coherent design than the admittedly more svelte G33 (I've got one of them too ....) and got shot down somewhat ...
Anyway, just to let you know - you're not alone in rating the G26!
And I really like what you've down on the rear wheel arch. It's the one glaring stylistic shortcoming - and I've tried many ways to make mine look better (changing springs etc). I think you've done the right thing ... bite the bullet and re-glass the arches. If you've got a moment, please post a few more before & after photos ...
All the best -
Yes! A living person to talk to about the g26! I did look back though all the pages on here to pick out all the g26 posts and noticed your comparisons and I get the position your coming from although can accept how far fetched others may see it lol.
I've owned the g26 for over a year now maybe 1.5yrs and it was used every now and then, left on the drive for four months then brought into daily service whilst I was between daily cars for about 4 weeks before the mot ran out.
In that time I managed to cover 1200 odd miles with ease, annoying and confusing people with it Many didn't know what it was and it was very noisy!
So It then sat on the drive until October last year when I decided to enlist the services of someone I used many years ago to get it back on the road over winter, would have liked to do it myself bit with other cars a young family and moving house now meant no chance!
Has a small leak on the power steering etc the rear lights where always playing up so asked him to do what you can see, then... well I let him carry out everything else you can see so that's how it's currently sitting.
The end of May should see both floor sections finished both rear arches (which always offended me the most like you say the one of the worst (of many haha) looking parts about the design. Then work can start on adding a rear spoiler, modifying the front valence then v8 work. Body and arch mods where chosen over lowing as I feel the ride height is great for every day use and not overly high just the arches and front nose sit up higher than the rest!
The chassis is one of two I believe that had the Ford Sierra rear ends from factory, an expensive option.
Have you any photos to share of yours?
Cheers!
I've owned the g26 for over a year now maybe 1.5yrs and it was used every now and then, left on the drive for four months then brought into daily service whilst I was between daily cars for about 4 weeks before the mot ran out.
In that time I managed to cover 1200 odd miles with ease, annoying and confusing people with it Many didn't know what it was and it was very noisy!
So It then sat on the drive until October last year when I decided to enlist the services of someone I used many years ago to get it back on the road over winter, would have liked to do it myself bit with other cars a young family and moving house now meant no chance!
Has a small leak on the power steering etc the rear lights where always playing up so asked him to do what you can see, then... well I let him carry out everything else you can see so that's how it's currently sitting.
The end of May should see both floor sections finished both rear arches (which always offended me the most like you say the one of the worst (of many haha) looking parts about the design. Then work can start on adding a rear spoiler, modifying the front valence then v8 work. Body and arch mods where chosen over lowing as I feel the ride height is great for every day use and not overly high just the arches and front nose sit up higher than the rest!
The chassis is one of two I believe that had the Ford Sierra rear ends from factory, an expensive option.
Have you any photos to share of yours?
Cheers!
The G26 and the derivatives, G28, G30 and G31 were top whack kit cars of the era.
Bob Walklett (MD at the time) was buried yesterday 11 May. He reached a good age, 91.
He (and me) and others, always thought they (Ginetta) faced an undercurrent of something anti-Ginetta. We are always accused of being paranoid conspiracy theorists, there has and was never any vendetta against the marque.
Yet there were lots of incidences of the unusual whenever the Ginetta marque was involved. I'd need some time to list them all.
Anyway, back to the good old G26. This was ripe in 1988 for a
hmm.
I remember Bob letting me know the G26 was about to appear on Top Gear in a comparison test with 3 other cars (sometime in 1988 - can't recall exactly, as the YouTube video disappeared - be nice to watch it again (anybody got it?).
Bob said it will be worth watching.
It was!
The guy who tested the G26 was regular and long time presenter on the programme during the 80s - one Frank Page.
Frank was no fool where cars, any cars, were concerned. He also wrote for Telegraph as a motoring correspondent and was also motoring editor at The Mail on Sunday during the 80s.
He was also a former chairman of the Guild of Motoring Writers during the same period.
As said I don't have the episode to view anymore, but I do have the exact words Frank uttered as he drove the 'kit' Ginetta G26 saloon.
He said the G26 drove like a modern production saloon with 'no hint of a kit car about it.'
The strange thing, probably unconnected is Frank then apparently loses his job and never appears on the programme again.
So many of these bloody coincidences, it makes you wonder? Then perhaps not.
Still, it's good for a giggle ...and a why did he not appear again?
Right. Anyone got the episode or a link to it. Love to watch Frank driving that G26. Someone must have it!
edit
Oh yeah.
Why, for someone who was MD of a sports car company, Ginetta Cars Ltd, for 31 YEARS, has Bob not been afforded a obituary (I've not seen one), not even a mention in 'brief news' in the motoring press (weeklies) to date - if I have missed one, please let me know.
Hopefully, the monthly mags will do something.
Otherwise, another 'why?' can be added to the list.
Bob Walklett (MD at the time) was buried yesterday 11 May. He reached a good age, 91.
He (and me) and others, always thought they (Ginetta) faced an undercurrent of something anti-Ginetta. We are always accused of being paranoid conspiracy theorists, there has and was never any vendetta against the marque.
Yet there were lots of incidences of the unusual whenever the Ginetta marque was involved. I'd need some time to list them all.
Anyway, back to the good old G26. This was ripe in 1988 for a
hmm.I remember Bob letting me know the G26 was about to appear on Top Gear in a comparison test with 3 other cars (sometime in 1988 - can't recall exactly, as the YouTube video disappeared - be nice to watch it again (anybody got it?).
Bob said it will be worth watching.
It was!
The guy who tested the G26 was regular and long time presenter on the programme during the 80s - one Frank Page.
Frank was no fool where cars, any cars, were concerned. He also wrote for Telegraph as a motoring correspondent and was also motoring editor at The Mail on Sunday during the 80s.
He was also a former chairman of the Guild of Motoring Writers during the same period.
As said I don't have the episode to view anymore, but I do have the exact words Frank uttered as he drove the 'kit' Ginetta G26 saloon.
He said the G26 drove like a modern production saloon with 'no hint of a kit car about it.'
The strange thing, probably unconnected
is Frank then apparently loses his job and never appears on the programme again. So many of these bloody coincidences, it makes you wonder? Then perhaps not.
Still, it's good for a giggle ...and a why did he not appear again?
Right. Anyone got the episode or a link to it. Love to watch Frank driving that G26. Someone must have it!
edit
Oh yeah.
Why, for someone who was MD of a sports car company, Ginetta Cars Ltd, for 31 YEARS, has Bob not been afforded a obituary (I've not seen one), not even a mention in 'brief news' in the motoring press (weeklies) to date - if I have missed one, please let me know.
Hopefully, the monthly mags will do something.
Otherwise, another 'why?' can be added to the list.
Edited by dandarez on Friday 12th May 22:38
Good to see some replies coming in!
Would love to see some more photos from other lucky owners of the wedges?!
Also one great thing about it, its tow bar! Its being checked over, strengthened just in case and then will be used to tow my g15 to places which call for two ginettas to attend!
Would love to see some more photos from other lucky owners of the wedges?!
Also one great thing about it, its tow bar! Its being checked over, strengthened just in case and then will be used to tow my g15 to places which call for two ginettas to attend!
Judging by the lack of replies so far, and this part of the forum seems to be very quiet Id say probably not but would like to be proven wrong!
Over the last 12 months there's been a few on ebay sell, including a couple of red ones, two of which in none running states sold in one listing, one having been converted (or started) to rover v8.
Also there's been a red one shown in a few pictures on Instagram, on the back of a car transporter on its way to having a modern ford engine put in it, so maybe that one on its way back!?
Over the last 12 months there's been a few on ebay sell, including a couple of red ones, two of which in none running states sold in one listing, one having been converted (or started) to rover v8.
Also there's been a red one shown in a few pictures on Instagram, on the back of a car transporter on its way to having a modern ford engine put in it, so maybe that one on its way back!?
further work, rear right arch in progress and drivers side floor modified, again in progress shots
Update. Floors finished seats fit in so that's good, both rear arches are finish with just some internal work needed, rear bumper also finished off, waiting for photos but do have one with the drivers arch loaded with fibre filler before smoothing the profile
Photobucket photo links removed due to no longer working
Update. Floors finished seats fit in so that's good, both rear arches are finish with just some internal work needed, rear bumper also finished off, waiting for photos but do have one with the drivers arch loaded with fibre filler before smoothing the profile
Photobucket photo links removed due to no longer working
Edited by chrisimp on Sunday 21st May 08:46
Edited by chrisimp on Tuesday 26th September 11:54
dandarez said:
He (and me) and others, always thought they (Ginetta) faced an undercurrent of something anti-Ginetta. We are always accused of being paranoid conspiracy theorists, there has and was never any vendetta against the marque.
Yet there were lots of incidences of the unusual whenever the Ginetta marque was involved. I'd need some time to list them all.
I owned a couple of Ginettas: a Tora and a G32, respectively a kit car and production car. Both were exciting to drive, the latter had a tuned 1.9 and the former carried a Topper dingy on top and the approach to a corner was accompanied by heart-stopping fear.Yet there were lots of incidences of the unusual whenever the Ginetta marque was involved. I'd need some time to list them all.
Edited by dandarez on Friday 12th May 22:38
I understand where you are coming from with regards the 'conspiracy'. It was one of the great British marques and some of the models were stunning designs yet it was all but ignored by the mainstream motoring press. Motor Sport did tests on the 15 and 21, but they were hardly mainstream.
The G21, a better looking MGBGT, and the G15, which had no competitor, were remarkably attractive and the G12 was beautiful. I saw an early one racing at Brands and wanted it.
The G4 and its derivatives can be traced back to 1960 yet it still looks good. At the time it was class of the filed. I all but bought a series IV but our gas boiler decided to destroy itself so it was 'put back'. By the time I had saved up the money, I couldn't afford it.
Paint it red and build it in Italy and the world would go mad. I understand that Witham does not have a massive tourist industry, but still.
Gassing Station | Ginetta | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff