Gordon Keeble History and Specification

Gordon Keeble History and Specification

Gordon Keeble

Keeble Cars Ltd.

Southampton

Hampshire

1960+

Encouraged by USAF pilot Rick Neilson (Jim serviced his Corvette) they fitted a 3.5 litre Buick V8 to a Peerless chassis. This gave birth to the idea of a luxurious car with V8 power and using all the latest technology.
Jim started the design of the Gordon GT in November 1959 and the completed chassis was transported to Turin in January of the following year to be fitted with an aluminum body designed by the 21 year old Giorgio Giugiaro at Bertone. The finished car was a star exhibit at the March 1960 Geneva Motor Show were it was well received.

John took the car to Detroit where Chevrolet were impressed enough to agree to supply 1000 327 cubic inch Corvette engines a year and access to the Chevrolet distribution network in America.
Work now commenced on production of the Gordon Keeble. The body was to be of glass reinforced plastic rather than aluminum and made in Slough. In order to keep down costs, plastic rather than leather trim was used.
A strike by Adwest meant that cars had to built without steering boxes, and this, along with the initial price of £3000, caused cash flow problems eventually resulting in liquidation.

The work force was laid off unpaid in March 1965 leaving George Wansborough (previously presided over the closure of Jowett Cars) in sole charge. By this time both John Gordon and Jim Keeble had resigned. In May Harold Smith and Geoffrey West bought the factory from the liquidators and resumed production. The new company was called Keeble Cars Ltd. and production moved to Sholing. The first car under the new owners was chassis 92, with number 98 being produced in the summer of 1966. Servicing was taken over by Keewest Developments Ltd.

Chassis number 99 was built in 1967, and a final car was built from parts. Of the 99 cars built, around 90 still survive.

After the business had closed, Jim kept in touch by attending many owners' club meetings, telling tales of how each of the 99 cars made were tested up to 140 mph (224 kph) on public roads.

Jim Keeble died aged 79 on the 7th March 2003.

Harrington Group

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