Far From Agricultural - The Ginetta G4

The Ginetta story is an inspiring one as it involves four brothers getting on well together and creating a dynamic enterprise.  In the late Fifties, farmer’s sons, Ivor, Douglas, Bob and Trevor Walklett were running the family agricultural machinery/structural engineering business.  Hobby interests led to an expansion project which in ’58 resulted in the establishment of ‘Ginetta Cars’ with design led by Ivor, and the marketing of an aluminium bodied Lotus Mk.VI-style sports car kit designated G2.  This did well enough to prompt the development of an improved version utilising a fibreglass body, the ’59-launched G3.  This was followed by the presentation at the London Racing Car Show in January ’61 of the G4, though this new model was not in full production swing until ’63.

Left, Ivor Walklett’s drawing of the G1; centre: the G2; right, the G3

The G4 continued and refined most of the principles applied to the G3, with a tubular spaceframe chassis in conjunction with a fibreglass bodyshell.  Though initially offered only as a Spider (with ‘convertible’ or hard top roof) and as a ‘kit,’ it is likely that the Walkletts’s aim was to create a race/fast road coupe along the lines of the Lotus Elite.  And, originally, Ivor’s concept included another Lotus characteristic - power from a Coventry Climax engine.  A 744 cc version of the FW 4 cylinder engine already used by Lotus for Le Mans was considered to be ideal, and design for some time was developed around this.  However, amidst the many developments of the FW at that time, the FWC seems to have been used in anger only in the Lotus 24 Hours of Le Mans campaign, and suggestions of its offer to other manufacturers such as Ginetta were withdrawn.  Reverting to the basis on which he had specified/designed the G1 and G2, Ivor looked to Ford for an alternative.  Fortunately, the newly introduced 105E was available for this purpose.  And it provided several advances over previous Ford products, most of which would suit ‘performance’ needs – OHV, short stroke and some ‘spare’ capacity at 996 cc.  As made for the new Ford Anglia saloon, it was good for 39 bhp but clearly had potential for significant tuning uprating – which is exactly what Ginetta did to units installed in the G4, bolting on twin Weber 40 DCOEs and incorporating a Cosworth camshaft in a gas-flow optimised head.  Despite the still modest (50 bhp) output of the Ginetta-tweaked 105E engine, performance of the basic G4 was acceptable since the kerb weight was below 500 Kg, enabling a 0-60 mph time of 12.8 secs and a top speed of 95 mph.  The engine, also known as the ‘Kent’ and/or ‘Pre-Crossflow,’ could also be supplied for the G4 in larger capacity forms.

When announced, the G4 was priced at £697.  Though the car’s looks and specification were well-received, it became apparent that there was considerable cost-based sales-resistance.  In response, the price was lowered to £499.  Once the model’s viability at the revised price had been established though small scale initial production and sales, Ginetta Cars was relocated in ‘62 to new premises at Witham, Essex.  A fixed head coupe version of the G4 was then introduced the following year.  Most early versions were built with the 996 cc engine, with 100 completed by ’64, enabling racing homologation.  However, orders were soon being fulfilled for G4s with either the Cortina’s 1198 cc or 1498 cc ‘Kent/Pre-crossflow’ motor installed.  Prices for these versions were: ‘1200’ at £517 and the ‘1500’ at £525.  Initially, the ‘1500s’ were referred to as ‘G5s,’ but this designation was soon dropped as it was apparently causing confusion regarding its specification, (which differed only in terms of engine cubic capacity, with no other distinguishing features).  The ‘1500’ was quoted as weighing 510 Kg, and with 90 bhp, capable of 0-60 in around 7 secs.  The bodies of early cars, referred to as Series 1, are notable for a ‘short’ tail with discreet boxy fins.

Series I rear, featuring tail fins

Detail updates gave rise in ’63 to a ‘Series 2’ designation.  The most obvious change was to the bodywork, at the rear a 200 mm longitudinal extension, deletion of the fins and relocation of the boot decklid, whilst a second power bulge was added to the front clamshell.  Mechanically, the main change was to the front suspension which became Triumph Herald-derived.  Additionally, as from ’66, the spaceframe tubing was altered – from round to square section.  Subsequently, the suspension was further modified.

Series II revised rear styling

Left, Series I bonnet with single bulge; right: Series II, double bulge front clamshell

1967 saw the advent of a ‘Series 3’ G4.  With this iteration, there was a good deal of focus on the interior, with the emphasis on better apparent quality of materials and design details aimed at improved driver comfort/convenience.  Externally, the Series 3 was notable for having pop-up headlamps – driver operated by a cable connection.  More interesting from a performance viewpoint was the availability of the Ford Kent 1599 cc unit as an additional engine option.  This could be ordered with Cosworth preparation, as a result of which power was increased to 120 bhp.  Between ’62 and ’68 around 300 G4s emerged from the Ginetta works.  It has been stated that about 220 chassis were of the round tube frame type.  Of current day survivors, the lowest chassis number I have documented is #0128, while the highest is #0427.

Series III with pop-up headlamps

As from ’64, a factory race version, the G4R, was available with numerous track-specific upgraded components.  Heading the list was the 105 bhp 1557 cc Lotus Ford Twin Cam engine,  Development took this up to 115 bhp by ’65, and with specialist attention could be persuaded to deliver up to 160 bhp.  The increased power was complemented by reduction of the kerb weight to around 450 Kg and handling/driveability improved with independent rear suspension and inboard disc (on all four wheels) brakes.  Up to ’68, 10-15 G4Rs were built at Witham.

G4R, #0221

As mentioned above, #0128 is the earliest surviving G4 of which I have photographs.  This car was built in ’63 and is readily recognisable as a Series 1 by the short/finned rear.  It was offered for sale in February 2025 for £36,995 by Klasiko, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, UK.  The dealer’s description included: ‘Built at Witham in March 1963, the car was the first to be shipped into the USA by Ginetta dealer Jack Walsh of Haverhill, Massachusetts.  This car is not only a desirable ‘Round Tube’ car, it is also one of just 4 ‘Short Tail’/‘Fin Tail’ series 1 bodied G4’s reportedly manufactured and features the very rare vertical front spring damper units with stronger lower wishbones.’  The car is apparently powered by a 120 bhp Cosworth Ford pre-crossflow, 109E, 1498 cc engine.

#0128  Courtesy Klasiko

#0171 is also a ’63 car.  However, this is a Series 2 G4 with short tail and double bulge front clamshell  Also featuring a Cosworth engine – 116E, 1498 cc in this instance – which is said to output 142 bhp.

#0171  Courtesy Ferraris Online 2023

Next in chronological order is the G4 seen below.  Built in ’64, #0147 was sold on Bring a Trailer in ’23 for $47,500.  As an example of the component, I’m including a shot of the VIN plate, but this has added significance because the same chassis number was apparently allocated to the green coupe further below.  According to at least one source, this chassis number was assigned to a batch of G4s amongst the first consignment to the U.S.  The race-spec red Spider was restored/prepared for historic events; the Bring a Trailer details include, ‘. . . campaigned in a number of HSR and SVRA competitions, including first place finishes at the 2010 Atlanta Historic Races and SVRA Road Atlanta.’  A dry sump, Ford pre-Crossflow 1498 cc (apparently bored out to 1534 cc) is currently installed.

#0147  Courtesy Superdave

The coupe, also designated #0147, was apparently located in Denmark in ’04 and then exported to the U.S. for restoration, which included renewal of the spaceframe; (which is visually evident in the photograph, below, right).  Power is provided by a 1350 cc pre-Crossflow unit with numerous upgraded internal racing components.  It failed to make its reserve when offered on Bring a Trailer in August ’24, the highest bid being $26,500.

#0147(2)  Courtesy ChrisMonto

Another ’64 race Spider, and again 1498 cc pre-Crossflow-powered, #0173 was offered on Bring a Trailer with a SRVA log book, documenting Historic Racing exploits between 2009 and 17.  The engine is said to be good for 150-160 bhp  The car was on Bring a Trailer in late ’18, but failed to sell, the top bid of $50,500 being short of the reserve price.

#0173  Courtesy kmp26race

 

#0169 is recorded as a ’65-built Spider.  The engine is a 1557 cc Lotus Ford Twin Cam.  It is another G4 which did not reach its reserve price in bidding on Bring a Trailer.  That was in ’20, when the top bid of $£39,300 proved to be insufficient.  A car in generally good order and apparently largely standard, it looked good on a set of 13” Panasport Minilite-style alloys.

#0169  Courtesy winningmakes

A Kent 1720 cc engine is installed in this ’65 Spider, #0198.  It’s a RHD ‘early’ Series 2 in having a round tube spaceframe chassis.  As seen below, it is fitted with a hard top, which, whilst not ‘factory’ is a close copy of such.  The engine is dry-sumped and said to be generating 141 bhp.  The car was offered on Bring a Trailer in August ‘17, but  failed to sell with a highest bid of $35,000.

#0198.  Courtesy 65ginetta

#0203 is another ‘1600’ ’65 G4R Spider, (fitted with factory hardtop in the photograph below).  It was campaigned as a ‘works’ entry during the ’65 season.  Driven by Chris Meek, it was class winner at Snetterton, Mallory Park, Cadwell Park and Silverstone.  The following year Meek was again victorious at Snetterton and Mallory Park.  ’66 also saw the car winning in the hands of Norman Moffett at Bishopscourt and Kirkistown; Moffett also recorded victories at these tracks in ’67.

#0203 at Laguna Seca in 2008.  Courtesy Conceptcarz

The diminutive nature of the G4 is readily apparent in the photograph of #0278, below, left.  Conceptcarz reports this ‘65 Spider as Kent 997 cc-powered and with a remarkable power output of 150 bhp.  The car was run in several Californian Historic events, circa 2010-2020, owned, entered and driven by Jefferey Newman.

#0278 at Monterey Motorsport Reunion 2014, (Laguna Seca).  Courtesy Conceptcarz

RM Sotheby’s sold the G4 Spider, #0427, for $31,360 in 2020.  The reported chassis number is somewhat difficult to reconcile – whilst within the range to be expected if indeed approximately 300 Series 1-3 G4s were manufactured, it would be logical to expect that a ’65-made car would bear a lower number.

#0427.  Courtesy RM Sotheby’s

The last Series 3 G4s were built in summer ’68.  However, such was the regard in which the model was held by drivers interested in a fast road/club racing car, that a ‘G4’ appeared again in the Ginetta range in ’81.  33 of these Series 4 G4s – all 1599 cc-powered were built.  A further hiatus then occurred from ’84 until ’90.  Following the sale of the business by the Walkletts in late ’89, they set up a new company, DARE, (Design And Research Engineering), which began to make G4s, primarily for export to Japan, with Ford Zetec 1800 and 2000 cc engines.  This business Is ongoing. 

That a 50s concept/60s design should still have a place in the sports car market of 2025 is surely quite remarkable, and testament to its excellent characteristics.  Richard Heseltine’s summary comments in the September 2007 issue of Motor Sport magazine would appear to confirm this: 

‘The G4 is so much more than the sum of its proprietary parts. So much so that the Walkletts – or at least Ivor and the late Trevor – made it twice; since the mid-90s under the DARE banner. Anyone who’s been to a race meeting in the UK in the last 40 years will have seen a Ginetta or DARE G4 taking home the silverware, whether in contemporary GTs, ModSports or Historics: they’ve never been away.  One even completed the ’83 Himalayan Rally!  The G4 has pedigree.’

The Fiat 850 Coupe's Glamorous Cousin

As said in the Do Look Back post, ‘Small but Perfectly Formed,’ with the advent of the 1960s, Moretti transitioned from an automotive manufacturer to an ‘enhancer,’ upgrading Fiat mainstream products with, mostly, aesthetic improvements – though some mechanical upgrades were also available at customer request.  Given Moretti’s previous affinity with the sports car sector – the 750 Gran Sport being obvious testament to this – it’s not surprising that the marque took a keen interest in the Fiat 850 Coupe at its ’65 launch.  With a powertrain specification different from the saloon model, the Coupe’s engine, running on a Weber 24/32 or 28/36, delivered 47 bhp with 59 Nm torque, enabling it to be ‘sporting’ enough for the era on a kerb weight of 725 Kg.  For anyone wanting more urge, the factory would arrange tuning by Giannini, resulting in an additional 50% bhp.  And the ‘look’ was good too, with in-house styling led by the father and son Boanos.  So, it was felt that a profitable niche market sector opportunity existed for a Moretti-bodied/badged version for customers valuing a measure of exclusivity.  The resulting car was styled by Dany Brawand who had become familiar at the Grugliasco factory while working for Micholetti (and moonlighting) prior to joining the Moretti business on an official basis in late ’65.  The Tipo 100G, named ‘Sportiva,’ was unveiled at the Turin Show in early November ’65.  It is therefore likely that Brawand was working on the design much earlier in the year as a personal job while still employed by Michelotti – it was Michelotti’s discovery of such moonlighting that prompted him to fire Brawand.

Production and sales of the ‘Sportiva,’ model S, began in ‘66, with pricing ‘from’ 1,095,000 lire (about) £635.  A ‘SS’ model with 50 bhp and 62 Nm torque was also offered, this being priced at 1,350,000 lire.  Two cars with ’66 attribution are present on the Moretti Registry - #0524208 and #0636135.  A photograph of that second car, seen below, shows that head on, there was a hint of Corvette about the early Sportiva front end:

#0636135 Courtesy Moretti Registry

Whilst much has been written about the generally pleasing aesthetics, including favourable comparison with the Fiat Dino, the front panel/nose profile/headlighting has been the subject of some criticism.  One objection is to the bluff front panel, unrelieved by any aperture/grille, not functionally necessary of course with the rear engine location.  Also apparently disappointing to some eyes is the modest headlighting – it being suggested that a ‘sporting’ character would have been better indicated by a four lamp array, and that this too would have helped counteract the bland vertical plane of the front panel.  Moving to a 3/4 or side view, adverse comment has been made about how the leading edges of the front wings interact with the front panel, with the charge that there is no harmonious flow in how these components come together.  The disjointed  character is emphasised by an abrupt change of plane in the front wings above the leading edge of the front tyres, (circled in the photograph below).

#0677840 Courtesy Vintagesarasota (BaT)

This infelicitous aspect of the car was resolved by the ’68 facelift which created the ‘S2’ model, as seen in the example below:

#1445000 Courtesy Moretti Registry

Although some critics have suggested that the rear of the Sportiva S is plainer than the curvaceous front might lead you to expect, the various elements seem to me well matched and blended.  The engine deck lid is the main component, the upper surface of which is well relieved by the five groups of (10 each) cooling intake slots.

#100G-1084286 Courtesy Moretti Registry

The full width, wraparound rear bumper and circular tail lamps (standard Fiat items) are unfussily styled and work well with the rear panel and wings.  Two distinctive points to notice – the additional length of the side elements of the bumper, required by the Sportiva’s greater measure of overhang, and the central, twin hemispherically-capped licence plate lamp bulb arrangement, (Fiat versions using a single, lozenge-form element).

Courtesy Moretti Registry; Car and Classic

The Sportiva was badged, 1) Script ‘FIAT MORETTI’, chrome with black or deep red ground, mounted centrally on front panel, (with chrome ‘whiskers’ running either side to the headlamp apertures); 2) ‘MORETTI,’ chrome, red and white castellated shield crest over rectangular ‘MORETTI TORINO’ script with chequer pattern, mounted on the front wings between the trailing edge of the wheel arch and the leading edge of the door aperture; 3) ‘MORETTI’ and ‘FIAT 850’ or ‘850 Special’ chrome script badges on the rear panel.

Courtesy Rajveteranu.cz; Kristoj (BaT); OldMotors.net

For the SS model, a signifying chrome script badge was added, usually between the ‘FIAT 850’ script and the right hand rear tail lamp.  See below; #0524208, for example.

Courtesy Moretti Registry

Inside the Sportiva, a Moretti crest was usually to be seen on the gear knob, horn button and dashboard, (central, above the centre console). – see below:

Courtesy Kristoi (BaT)

Nardi steering wheels were a popular choice for Sportivas – both black and wood rimmed, some signed on the right hand spoke, and some with a Nardi badged horn button.  An alternative was the Ferrero two spoke model.

Courtesy Wikiwand; ClassicVirus.com

Standard road wheel rims were 12” (145 width tyres) either Borrani wires or Cromodora alloys.

Courtesy Car and Classic; Kristoi (BaT)

For ’68, an additional version became available.  At 1,500,000 lire, the ‘1000 Sport Coupe’ offered an appreciable enhancement of performance capability thanks to the additional capacity (139 cc), a Solex 34 PBIC carburettor, (in place of the Weber), and increase in the compression ratio from 9.2:1 to 9.5:1.  The result was 62 bhp, enough to reduce the 0-60 mph time by 3.4 seconds.  At the same time, the base model was re-designated ‘S2’ and upgraded with a substantial styling facelift to the front end bodywork and lighting, as illustrated above by #1445000.  At the car’s rear, a more subtle revision was that to the engine decklid with four groups of cooling intake slots as opposed to the five on the original design.  An ‘S2’ badge was added to the rear quarter panels.

S2 Courtesy Kristoi (BaT)

 

One of the fundamental compromises for the Sportiva was the lack of any +2 seating.  Where, on other such cars, there might have been some semblance of seats that might accommodate small children, the Sportiva had just a luggage storage area between the engine compartment and the seat backs.  This was largely due to the lack of boot space ahead of the cabin, this being taken up by the spare wheel which could only be mounted horizontally in what was a shallow void.  Moretti sought to address this limitation of the Sportiva’s appeal by creating a four seat version, named S4 and first-shown at the ’69 Turin Show.

Sportiva S4 as shown in a Moretti range leaflet

The S4 sold to those liking the basic concept of the Sportiva whilst wanting more interior room, but its looks must have been a significant deterrent to a broader appeal.  Although the model was launched after the S2, it had not adopted the latter’s more aesthetically successful front end.  Also less pleasing was a top heavy impression given by a disproportionately ‘tall’ glasshouse coupled with seemingly too-small wheels.  The rear quarter panels too appear ‘odd,’ as does the shape of the rear side glass.  Notable is the use of an S2 type engine deck lid and six elements tail lamps. 

Two examples of the S4 appear on the Moretti Registry, #1266944, below, and #1282958, lower below, both ’70:

In regard to both the S and S2 variants, ‘Special’ was added to the nomenclature, (and indicated by a rear panel-mounted badge), in some instances, but clear documentation of what specification upgrades gave rise to this designation is not available.

 

A convertible version of the Sportiva was marketed in 850 form initially, subsequently as an SS and finally in 1000 guise.  Very small numbers were made and there are no examples on the Moretti Registry.  I have also been unable to find details of a convertible Sportiva being sold in recent times.

 

Even at the beginning of the Sportiva’s production run, Moretti had turned its attention for future model lines to the new Fiat products – ultimately with a revised drivetrain format - which would emerge in the second half of the Sixties.  Initially, this saw Brawand drawing a coupe body for the Fiat 124 chassis and this resulted in both 5 seat and 2+2 versions introduced in ’66.  Within short order, the larger Fiat 125 was used as a basis for another new Moretti, titled GS 1.6.  Then, in ’69, Moretti presented its coupe version of the 128, especially significant in view of its front wheel drive layout, breaking with the rear engine configuration with which it had worked for so long.  The phase in which the company had created a coupe on the Fiat 850 saw justified respect for its product, with the Sportiva widely admired – especially in its S2 form – for its looks and general character.  It is usually given that Moretti built about 300 Sportivas and that 52 of those were of the S2 type.  Final sales occurred in ’71.

Axed Too Soon

 

Everyone knows about Ferruccio Lamborghini’s ‘journey’ from tractors to supercars via heating and climatization appliances, but not so many are aware of the meandering path taken by the Bavarian car maker, Hans Glas GmbH.  This also involved initial production of farm machinery, but was abruptly switched to scooters when they became popular post-war, only for that focus to be abandoned when micro cars became the next new craze in the mid-Fifties, resulting in the Glas signature product, the Goggomobile.  Over a 14 year production run more than a quarter of a million Goggomobiles were built at the Dingolfing factory, with a healthy proportion being exported, including to the U.S. despite that market being characterised by vehicles four times the size!

The Glas Factory at Dingolfing, North East of Munich

Indeed, such was the success of the Goggomobile that in ‘59 Glas was considered to be in sufficiently good financial health to be fit to support BMW and Auto Union when both were struggling to survive. A plan was formulated for the three marques to collaborate with a consolidated/simplified range of products, but Hans Glas declined to agree to the idea. Ironically, a few years later, when it was Glas that was slipping from ongoing viability, BMW provided the solution, taking the company over in November ’66.

That situation had come about because of Glas’s failure to create and effectively market new conventionally sized models to take over from the diminutive Goggomobile. Several models, from the Isar, (launched ’58), through to the 2600 and 3000 V8 Coupes, (launched ’66), did not capture customer enthusiasm and fell short on planned projected sales volumes/market share. But, amongst these, a model with two variants boasted many positive features, looked very good and performed well: the type 211, 1300 and 1700 GTs. Perhaps they amounted to a success-likely combination of Italian aesthetic flair with Germanic engineering quality and efficiency.

The Glas 1300 GT as presented in ‘65

Torinese stylist Pietro Frua had re-established a carrozziere in his own name in the late 50s after a period of employment at Ghia.  Several design projects were then completed in collaboration with Carrozzeria Italsuisse.  These attracted praise from within the industry and enhanced his reputation, but for his business the breakthrough came in ’62 when Frua entered into talks with Glas.  The first outcome was a prototype GT closely based on a design Frua had been developing for Borgward.  This was debuted at Frankfurt, in autumn ’63.  It went into production with a 1290 cc engine and body made by Carrozzeria Maggiora, (at Moncalieri, just south of Turin), the following Spring.  Reception was broadly favourable, Road & Track magazine for instance commenting in its road test report: 

In designing the Glas 1300, the factory started with a clean sheet of paper, no limitations imposed by the necessity for incorporating parts of existing models, and some refreshing ideas. The result is a handsome, comfortable, small GT car of advanced design with as much performance as one can rightly expect from a 1290 cc power unit.

The magazine did however express concern, not so much about its features themselves, but about possible customer resistance arising from unfamiliarity with some aspects of the engine’s specification.  Mainly, this related to the employment of a belt to drive the overhead camshaft.  Glas had pioneered this form of valve gear actuation on a ‘normal’ car only two years previously, on the 1004 models.  Road & Track thought that the 25,000 miles belt replacement schedule might deter customers from considering purchase, though the writer claimed that the renewal operation was very easily and quickly performed – presumably parroting what the factory engineers had told him and quite at odds with the contemporary, well known reality whereby much care is required since even a small error in reassembly can result in very serious damage to an engine.

Glas GT cutaway engine/transmission showing the belt-driven valve gear

The most basic specification version of the Glas 1300 GT was priced at around £1070.  This put the model at a disadvantage as, for instance, an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint 1300 was significantly less expensive – though, perhaps surprisingly, the Glas was quicker, with 88 bhp against the Alfa’s 80. 

Registered in ’65, #1894 featured on Bring a Trailer in 2021; its reserve of $9500 however was not reached.  It appeared to be in usable condition at that time, though comprehensive restoration would be necessary sooner or later.  As seen below, the seats are trimmed in black vinyl, standard specification at the time.  This is the only 1300 built in ‘64/’65 with a flat bonnet panel for which I have a survivor photograph.  Ongoing from September ’65, the model was manufactured with the same panel used for the 1700 – this having a longitudinal, central, rectangular ‘hump’ needed because of the height of the larger capacity engine.  This bulge incorporated an air intake aperture just behind the trailing edge of the front panel.

Courtesy Kucarfa

Courtesy RM Sotheby’s

The central bonnet bulge and air intake aperture are seen in the photograph above of #1364.  RM Sotheby’s 2020 auction lot description details imply that this is also a survivor from the first year of production, (despite the bulge form bonnet).  It was offered on the basis of a need for thorough restoration as the car had been out of use for many years.  This can be readily appreciated from the view of the engine bay seen below.  This also shows the standard twin Solex 35 mm carburettor installation.  Also reproduced is the chassis number plate - a standard format and rivetted to the right hand inner front panel of each and every car.

The front bumper on #1364 differs from the form seen on later cars in not having a pair of indicator lamps mounted to the underside of the blade in line vertically with the headlamp units.  The particular car is also missing the circular reflectors usually mounted between each pair of rear tail and indicator units, (though the appropriate holes are present in the rear panel).  Also noted on cars from early in the production run, are 13” road wheels.  15” wheels were substituted in Autumn ’65 and remained standard specification until the end of production in September ’67.

Another early (’65-built) car – chassis number unknown – is currently in excellent condition and provides a good basis for appreciation of detail features such as the rear lamp units as mentioned above and the two front wing badges mounted one above the other forward of the door aperture leading edge:

Courtesy Columbus Klassic

Also with a chassis number I’ve been unable to trace, the 1300 GT seen below is a ’66 first-registered example.  This is also in nice condition today and the interior shows the pleasing aesthetics of the design.  The instruments layout is easy on the eye and functionally good.  Other points of note are the Nardi-style steering wheel with decorative rim rivets and horn button featuring the Glas crest created for the GT-designated models, dashboard-face script badge to the left of the glove box door and the light colour vinyl trim to the seats and door cards.

Courtesy Gassmann GmbH

In Autumn ’65, the 1290 cc engine was upgraded and consequently re-rated at 74 bhp.  At the same time the 1682 cc version of the engine available in the TS Berlina since the previous year was made available in an additional model named 1700 GT.  As the unit was a little ‘taller,’ a revised bonnet panel with longitudinal raised centre section (’hump’) was necessary, as mentioned above. The 1682 cc engine breathed through twin 40 mm Solex single barrel carburettors, whereas the 1290’s were smaller at 35 mm.  In the GT body this unit enabled a maximum speed of 115 mph and a 0-60 mph time of around 11 seconds (and under 10 seconds according to Sports Car Graphic’s test).  Compared with the Alfa Giulia 1600, the Glas was appreciably faster flat out, though the Giulia had a small advantage in acceleration capability.  Road & Track’s November ’66 Road Test Report, with full performance data, is shown below:

The 1700 GT was priced at around £1285 in the UK – a moderate premium compared with the 1300, justifiable in the light of its higher top speed, something which had become more significant with the extension of motorway/autobahn networks in the UK and Germany. 

A ’66 1700 (chassis number unknown) restored in recent times, shows the limited revisions to the rear bodywork relative to that of the 1300 – boot panel script badge (to ‘1700’) and the reflectors becoming rectangular with radiused corners, where the 1300’s were circular; (however, some 1700s are seen with the circular version):

Courtesy Marc Vorgers

The revised ‘GLAS 1700 GT‘ script badge mounted in the upper right area of the boot lid mentioned above, is seen below on another car – probably ’66 built - for which the chassis number is not currently known.

Courtesy Bonjourlavieille

As seen on #5635 with ‘gold’ finish:

Courtesy Cog Classics

The car is in excellent condition and shows the sleek lines of the fastback very well, as below:

Courtesy Cog Classics

Another ’66 1700, white over red, has had a recent restoration and features a nicely presented engine bay:

Courtesy Bimmerlife

 

#5500 – also from ’66 – is seen below from an angle which enables perception of the shallow V form of the bumper and the lower front bodywork of the GT:

Courtesy GetYourClassic

Alongside the Coupes, the GT was also available as a Cabriolet.  However, only about 7% of production was of cars in this form.  As would be expected, the Cabriolet was a little heavier than the Coupe.  The chassis plate in all, (both 1300 and 1700), closed cars is stamped with a total weight value of 1200 Kg.  As regards kerb/’dry’ weight, the lowest value quoted (factory) for the 1300 Coupe is 800 Kg, while the Cabriolet is 850 Kg.  However, I have seen the value 920 Kg suggested for the Cabriolet.  No other credible variations of these figures for the 1700 have been published. 

The 1700 Cabriolet  was priced at circa £1400 in the UK. 

As always with a car of this type and of its era, production figures as given by different sources vary to some degree.  Consolidating the available data, the approximate number of units per model manufactured were: 1300 GT: 3500;  1700 GT: 1680; 1300 Cabriolet: 230; 1700 Cabriolet: 120.

 

A ’66 1700, this Cabriolet is apparently fitted with the wider wheel rims, (for 175 mm as opposed to 155 mm width tyres), as specified for the V8-engined Glas Coupes.

Courtesy PreSelect

 

Another ’66 Cabriolet is this example, sold recently by Scuderia Sportiva Colonia – describing it as a car which had undergone a 10 year restoration process concluding in ’22, which included, ‘many small improvements such as seats with headrests (original seats are still available), and conversion to 12 volts.’  The price expectation was circa £85,000.

Courtesy Scuderia Sportiva Colonia

#5220 is again a ’66 1700 GT Cabriolet.  Despite having apparently been restored within the last ten years, the car failed to meet its reserve when offered on Bring a Trailer in ’23, (high bid $35,288).  The BaT description/gallery shows a car in generally good condition with some nice distinctive touches such as 14” Borrani wheels and a wood rimmed Nardi steering wheel.

Courtesy Mario_L, Bring a Trailer

The Glas GT on-track:

 

The early Sixties saw a lot of interest in production specification-based sports car racing, governed by the F.I.A. and run under a hierarchy of Categories (car type/production volume) subdivided by Classes (mainly identified by engine capacity/induction type).  Regarding the latter, there were several classes/’divisions’, for example in ’64, for cars, (1) with an engine smaller than 1150 cc; (2) 1151-1299 cc; (3) 1300-1599 cc, etc.  In the 1151-1299 cc class, a Glas 1300 GT would be pitted against some formidable competition, e.g. Abarth Simca 1300 GT, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato, Lotus Elite and Bonnet Djet.  At the Nurburgring 1000 Kms in ’64, unsurprisingly, Abarths finished 1-2-3 in class.  However, despite the relative lack of development and experience, the Glas 1300 GT of Gerhard Bodmer/Dieter Schmid came home in 4^th.

Bodmer/Schmid 1300 GT, ‘Ring, ’64. Courtesy H-J Roegler

In August, again at the ‘Ring and that same year, Bodmer took the class victory at the Rheinland-Pfalz Preis meeting.  Belief in the potential of the 1300 GT as a competitive racing car was evidenced by there being no less than five examples running in the Neubiberg round of the Deutsche Rundstrecken-Meisterschaft, (‘DARM’), with drivers, Karl Gollwitzer Jr, Walter Strohmaier, Karl Heblich, Otto Brindl and Helmut Maier.  In the same series, Bodmer finished 2^nd at the DARM round in September at Wunstorf, and 3^rd in the Preis von Tirol at Innsbruck the following month.  Bodmer was placed 4^th in the DARM for ’64. 

1300 GTs were to be seen once again in the DARM the following season, with a win for Bodmer in May at the ‘Ring and a 1-2-3 for the model later that month at Zolder.  In July a 1700 GT appeared at Solitude, though resulting in a DNF, it was not an impressive debut.  Bodmer ‘s 1300 GT was 6^th at the ‘Ring, (GP von Deutschland), on the 1^st August.

Bodmer, Nurburgring, August ’65. Courtesy H-J Roegler

In October, Bodmer enjoyed another class win, this time at Innsbruck.  Bodmer finished the ’65 DARM as champion, (on equal points with Manfred Schiek, who was killed before the end of the season).  Note: some records indicate that Bodmer achieved this championship at the wheel of a Glas 1204 TS, but as can be seen in the photograph above, and in those below (Nurburgring 1000 Kms) he was in a 1300 GT.

With the ’66 season, May saw another good result – 2^nd in class - at the ‘Ring for Bodmer in the ADAC-Hansa-Pokal race, while Helmut Eck went one better and was the class victor later that month at Zandvoort.

Helmut Eck, class winner, Zandvoort, May ‘66. Courtesy Volker Eck

Meanwhile, back at the ‘Ring, Bernd Terbeck won the 1.3 class in a non-championship race and at Hockenheim was equally successful in the DARM.  A week later at the same circuit he was again first across the line.  Terbeck remained on good form, winning at Zandvoort on 5^th June, while Karl Herd was victorious at Hockenheim in the middle of the month.  There was another DARM win for Bodmer at Mainz-Finthen, 19^th June, and in July Herd scored a further championship class win at Hockenheim.  A fortnight later Herd won again at the ‘Ring at the Rheinland-Pfalz Preis event.

Karl Herd, another class win at the ‘Ring, August ’66. Courtesy H-J Roegler

Later that August, Bodmer and Herd recorded a 1-2 at the DARM in Wunstorf.  Terbeck and Eck did the same thing at Zandvoort in the Girling Brakes-sponsored race, 14^th August.  Early in September, Bodmer was again first in class at the ‘Ring 500 Kms, while Joachim Kautz achieved the same feat at Zolder, mid-month.  As the season came towards its end, Bodmer took class honours in mid-October at Aspern.  In ’66, Glas was classified 4^th in the European Touring Car Challenge.

At the Fassberg Flugplatz in late April ’67, Herd and Manfred Becker were 1-2 in class.  Bodmer and Herd replicated that result in May at the Hansa-Pokal DARM meeting.  Another impressive 1-2 was chalked up that month at the ‘Ring 1000 Kms with Bodmer/Schmid leading Friedrich Noenen/Manfred Herbertz over the line.

Bodmer/Schmid, ‘Ring ’67. Courtesy Michael Bratz

Through the rest of the ’67 season, Bodmer continued to secure class wins, 10 in total, mainly in the DARM rounds. Herd scored 2 more, at Mainz-Finthen while Otto Arnold and Becker both drove 1300 GTs to class victory. So ’67 was a notably successful season for the model, with Gerhard Bodmer remaining its leading exponent.

Class wins were elusive in ’68 and though there were a few DARM podiums, reliability had deteriorated, possibly due to drivers needing to push harder against the competition of newer, better performing rival models.

In 1970, Franz-Adolf Kremer founded the Yellow Arrow Racing Team (YART) in Duisburg, Germany. He selected a ’64 Glas 1300 as the team’s car for the debut season, racing it in German, Belgian and Dutch events. Pictures from that year, as displayed on the YART website are seen below:

Courtesy YART

The team’s results were summarised:

Seeking increased competitiveness the following season, the car was modified/rebuilt and raced in the Prototype category, 1300 class.  Power was upped to 138 bhp, while the weight was reduced to 700 Kg.  Running mainly in hillclimb events, a victory was achieved at Osnabruck, with podiums scored at Risselberg, Hoxter and at the circuit race at Zandvoort in August.  The car is seen below at Mainz-Finthen, June ’71:

Courtesy YART

1300/1700 GTs are today, occasionally, seen in Historic events and race meetings, as below:

Courtesy Eyke Wohlbold

 

The impressive ‘65 1300 GT of Helmut Riemer is seen above at the ’22 Riedenburg Classic.

The Glas 1300/1700 GT was an attractive and innovative car with the potential for a long and successful production run. Unfortunately, the Glas company was out of steam, yielding to a take-over by BMW in late ’66. While the Munich marque was primarily interested in acquiring the Glas factory manufacturing capacity at Dingolfing, it was not blind to the potential of the GT, and proceeded at speed to re-engineer the car such that the BMW M116, 1573 cc version of the M10 four cylinder engine could be substituted. At the same time, the rear was reworked to incorporate independent suspension, and styling changes were made to the front and rear in order to create the distinctive ‘BMW look.’. The work was completed in little more than six months, allowing the BMW 1600 GT to go on sale in June ’67. Despite this notably expedient effort, BMW halted production the following year, with only 1259 units built. Strategic review had led to the conclusion that with the existing Neue Klasse range expanding and selling well, a parallel but technologically-variant model of similar size and in the more niche form of a sports coupe would make for additional manufacturing and marketing costs that would not be recoverable by incremental volume.