Any Gordon Keeble Owners Out There?
Discussion
Hello Keeblers
Yes I will be at Goodwood this weekend with my two sons. Sadly not in CH48 but we are making the trip from Cardiff in my Fiat 850 Sport Coupe. Its quite a journey on 903cc but this year we have a longer CWP so it should cruise a little better. We will be in the Revival Pre 73 Car Park - its a bright Mediteranean sort of blue and G reg - it will be the only one there I am pretty sure.
To answer the other question - I am certainly hoping to be at the 50th - got a lot to do and a lot of money to find before that though.
PHJ
Yes I will be at Goodwood this weekend with my two sons. Sadly not in CH48 but we are making the trip from Cardiff in my Fiat 850 Sport Coupe. Its quite a journey on 903cc but this year we have a longer CWP so it should cruise a little better. We will be in the Revival Pre 73 Car Park - its a bright Mediteranean sort of blue and G reg - it will be the only one there I am pretty sure.
To answer the other question - I am certainly hoping to be at the 50th - got a lot to do and a lot of money to find before that though.
PHJ
Yep will be there on Sunday.....with Ch76!
Been meaning to post an update but a busy week. Did spot a set of Jack Pearce (JAP) Magnas in great condition at Beaulieu but the guy was sure they were for Jag, so don't think they'll fit a GK, also had concerns about refurbing magnesium wheels having read some horror stories. Vendor thought they were Aluminium and said he thought they did them in aluminium and Magnesium, but they were extremely light so not so sure myself. Any views on this Mike? they were the same pattern as yours and Huntsmans.
Will keep an eye out for your car phj, not this one is it?
Been meaning to post an update but a busy week. Did spot a set of Jack Pearce (JAP) Magnas in great condition at Beaulieu but the guy was sure they were for Jag, so don't think they'll fit a GK, also had concerns about refurbing magnesium wheels having read some horror stories. Vendor thought they were Aluminium and said he thought they did them in aluminium and Magnesium, but they were extremely light so not so sure myself. Any views on this Mike? they were the same pattern as yours and Huntsmans.
Will keep an eye out for your car phj, not this one is it?
Edited by Mellow Yellow on Thursday 13th September 20:42
Here is my 850 Mellow - very close to the one you snapped but slightly brighter blue, lowered on Abarth suspension and with replica Campagnolos.
I would take great care with the Mags - I have got some repro aluminium Campagnolos for the 850 and also for my Abarth race car - I know of a few that have shattered on the circuit racers. I also had mags on an F3 car (1985 so not that old) and had them all crack detected before refinishing. One was cracked and had to be junked even though it looked Ok. Given we are talking 40+ years old here at the very least I would crack detect them and accept that you could lose one or more - and that might mean you don't have a set.
Just my thoughts if its any help.
I will keep an eye out for GKs in the Revival car park - a feast for the eye if ever there was one.
Cheers
PHJ
I would take great care with the Mags - I have got some repro aluminium Campagnolos for the 850 and also for my Abarth race car - I know of a few that have shattered on the circuit racers. I also had mags on an F3 car (1985 so not that old) and had them all crack detected before refinishing. One was cracked and had to be junked even though it looked Ok. Given we are talking 40+ years old here at the very least I would crack detect them and accept that you could lose one or more - and that might mean you don't have a set.
Just my thoughts if its any help.
I will keep an eye out for GKs in the Revival car park - a feast for the eye if ever there was one.
Cheers
PHJ
Hi GK52,
yes 97 still has the original carter carbs but without auto choke - been converted to man. choke,which I think is better.The car looks just great in that colour.Back to carbs 11 is getting an edelbrock 600cfm performer carb,alot of keebles have these.I`ve heard no problems with them,and you can keep the stock twin snorkel air cleaner - which I love!
yes 97 still has the original carter carbs but without auto choke - been converted to man. choke,which I think is better.The car looks just great in that colour.Back to carbs 11 is getting an edelbrock 600cfm performer carb,alot of keebles have these.I`ve heard no problems with them,and you can keep the stock twin snorkel air cleaner - which I love!
Well it was a wonderfull Revival and the car park was as eclectic as ever. I managed to spot 2 GKs - Charles' CH95 on Saturday morning - it looked spot on and inspired me for when I get going with my resto. Then this afternoon on the way back to my car, there was Mellow's Ch76...with a few people photographing it!. It looked great. We made it back to Cardiff in just under 4 hours in the little Fiat 850 Coupe - all to plan except for a Genny belt that came lose, a charging light coming on and off for some other reason than a lose belt, a dodgy relay somewhere behind the dash clicking away and a slight misfire as I pulled away from the Severn Bridge Tolls. All standard classic Italian motoring but we made it and it was a lot of fun.
PHJ
PHJ
Yep, Ch76 made Goodwood and back without incident, no real boast as it’s less than 25 miles. Afraid I didn’t see your 850 phj but I was only in the car park at 07:30 and 18:00 and I’m guessing you arrived later and left earlier, didn’t catch Ch 68 either.
Did manage to get a day spent on the car before Goodwood and, following my shopping trip to Beaulieu, had a go at some of the trim jobs. Knocked up a new parcel shelf which looks lot better than the old one. Inspired by that I had a go at the centre console carpet. Ripped out the old section and used that as a template, did a bit of further trimming to get it about right then decided I had nothing to lose by having a go at vinyl edging.
The trim chap at Beaulieu suggested just cutting strips of vinyl rather than buying bespoke vinyl edging so that’s what I did. Dug out Mrs Mellows old manual Singer, no suitable edging tool but it worked fine stitching everything from the front, the stitch to hold the back is so close to the edging you’d never notice it. I was so pleased with the result that I think I’m going to have a go at the floor mats too. It’s only the cheapest of carpet but a vast improvement on the patched/threadbare piece it replaced. Will certainly do until I can afford a full re-trim.
Before:
After:
So impressed, I had to take a pic’
…then realised I’d edged the wrong end
Did manage to get a day spent on the car before Goodwood and, following my shopping trip to Beaulieu, had a go at some of the trim jobs. Knocked up a new parcel shelf which looks lot better than the old one. Inspired by that I had a go at the centre console carpet. Ripped out the old section and used that as a template, did a bit of further trimming to get it about right then decided I had nothing to lose by having a go at vinyl edging.
The trim chap at Beaulieu suggested just cutting strips of vinyl rather than buying bespoke vinyl edging so that’s what I did. Dug out Mrs Mellows old manual Singer, no suitable edging tool but it worked fine stitching everything from the front, the stitch to hold the back is so close to the edging you’d never notice it. I was so pleased with the result that I think I’m going to have a go at the floor mats too. It’s only the cheapest of carpet but a vast improvement on the patched/threadbare piece it replaced. Will certainly do until I can afford a full re-trim.
Before:
After:
So impressed, I had to take a pic’
…then realised I’d edged the wrong end
Hey,what do all the G-K guys think of tinted windows in their motor?Making some enquiries,I thought a nice light grey/blue colour for 11.I always loved the light blue sundym glass in my V8 P6 Rover.Might aswell fork out now if I`m gonna keep the car.Hopefully be putting a pic of my tanks up here soon,only been waiting 2-3 years for them!
keeble kid said:
Hey,what do all the G-K guys think of tinted windows in their motor?Making some enquiries,I thought a nice light grey/blue colour for 11.I always loved the light blue sundym glass in my V8 P6 Rover.Might aswell fork out now if I`m gonna keep the car.Hopefully be putting a pic of my tanks up here soon,only been waiting 2-3 years for them!
Tony - I reckon one of the nicest things about older cars is the glass area and light inside, I wouldn't do it, but its your car and so you get to choose!Concrete base of my new manshed getting poured on Tuesday!!! I'm am soooooo excited!
Huntsman - nice to see you getting excited about the concrete. I got the same way in 2009 when we built a second garage - had to remove about 200 tons of soil to put a raft down as its marsh land. Loved watching it go up. Got over excited and ended up sticking a decking at the back to trick her indoors into thinking it was a giant summer house (she noticed...), Scalextric, TV and 4 post lift in to store an extra car in the roof. All very silly ! But its a proper manshed. Strangely she suggested fitting a bolt on the outside of the doors....
Huntsman said:
keeble kid said:
Hey,what do all the G-K guys think of tinted windows in their motor?Making some enquiries,I thought a nice light grey/blue colour for 11.I always loved the light blue sundym glass in my V8 P6 Rover.Might aswell fork out now if I`m gonna keep the car.Hopefully be putting a pic of my tanks up here soon,only been waiting 2-3 years for them!
Tony - I reckon one of the nicest things about older cars is the glass area and light inside, I wouldn't do it, but its your car and so you get to choose!
Hi,have enquired about the sundym glass for the G-K and no go I`m afraid.Spoke to a guy today and they can do my front screen and side glass but not the back.Shame it would have looked nice tinted and its nice to be different too.So its a new screen and side glass in plain automotive stuff.The rear screen is the problem as I think its bespoke to the G-K.But thanks for the input Caterhamfan & Huntsman.
I'm not sure I want to run number 57 on 45 year old magnesium wheels.
A few Keeblers will have had an email from me asking if there is demand to run a batch of Pearce Magna in aluminium, have one existing wheel 3D scanned, make a mould, cast a batch.
Anyone else be interested in a set? If there's enough interest I'll go do the work to get the costs.
A few Keeblers will have had an email from me asking if there is demand to run a batch of Pearce Magna in aluminium, have one existing wheel 3D scanned, make a mould, cast a batch.
Anyone else be interested in a set? If there's enough interest I'll go do the work to get the costs.
Have responded to the Magna wheels email separately.
I do think the Magna alloys look very attractive on the car, and are roughly in 'period' - shot of mine which have recently been refurbed:
No 60 is now back in action after a bit of work - new leads fitted and a new carb - eventually went with another Holley although I know several of you were recommending Edelbrocks. It's now running better than ever!
After seeing several cars at the Jim Stokes Workshop trip. I realised that I was looking in the minority in retaining the original fans, and after several very high temperature excursions in heavy traffic, I have also fitted a more meaty fan which seems to be working well.
I do think the Magna alloys look very attractive on the car, and are roughly in 'period' - shot of mine which have recently been refurbed:
No 60 is now back in action after a bit of work - new leads fitted and a new carb - eventually went with another Holley although I know several of you were recommending Edelbrocks. It's now running better than ever!
After seeing several cars at the Jim Stokes Workshop trip. I realised that I was looking in the minority in retaining the original fans, and after several very high temperature excursions in heavy traffic, I have also fitted a more meaty fan which seems to be working well.
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