Gardner Douglas history

[madazrx7]

I have been reading everything I can find on the web about GD cars while drooling over the pics and dreaming of one day building a GDT70.

I'm interested in finding out more about the history of GD, particularly where the name comes from (I believe the current proprietor's name is not connected?)

Any info? Does anyone know if any of their cars are in Australia?

Tim

[pearl nicholas]

you may get some feedback from the forums and guys on here
www.cobraclub.com

[happy jim]

Can't say I know where the name comes from, but the owner is Andy Burrows.

There's at least 1 T70 down under that I know of

Rgds

Jim

[Dave Dax builder]

I am probably wrong but from what I can gather the name came about because the initials G and D hook together well as a logo and this can be seen in the GD badge.

Sorry it's nothing more elaborate.

[Wacky Racer]

I asked Andy Burrows this very question at a kit car show a couple of years ago, (Donington I think) and he told me the name does not refer to any person in particular, it was just two names that went together well....

[madazrx7]

OK the reason I asked about the name was to see if I could get the rest of this story...(bits cut from an email from a friend whose surname is Douglas)

*** Douglas said:

Tim the guy who I was building this car with was called *** Gardner, ... the people who were going to do the mould for us were making a Cobra kit. I don't know what happened after that as I left for ***. However there then was a Cobra marketed by Gardner Douglas, which is certainly one of the better Cobra kits and they have gone on to do a few other kits. As far as I could see there was never any mention of *** to do with the company but Gardner Douglas was what we were called.

[madazrx7]

Oh well, didn't have any success here so I have posted my question on the UK Cobra club forum.
Tim

[cobnut]

The answer has been posted on there!

Hi,

The answer lies in a book called "Cobra Replicas" by Ian Stent.

In it's "GD company profile" there is reference to it.

"With the first cars marketed as RW427s, it wasn't until 1990 that Andy took on full control of the project and Gardner Douglas Sports Cars was born. The reasons behind the name are somewhat complicated, but originate from another pair of enthusiasts whose surnames were indeed Gardner and Douglas. At one stage . Andy was going to become involved with their embryonic sports car company, but when nothing came of it he asked if he could trade under their name, simply because he rather liked the sound of it!"

Hope that answers you question, now go get one!

[madazrx7]

Very good, thanks for that! Mr Douglas came here with a '7' type kit (as well as a strange Cortina? based jeep type thing?). Built the 7 and raced it here quite succesfully. Has also been involved in the racehire of locally made 7s.

Tim

>> Edited by madazrx7 on Friday 5th May 04:55