When people think of lightweight, they think Lotus. But, we would like to present another contender for the crown of lightness. Ginetta has been around since the fifties and has built some pretty sprightly cars themselves. This is a 1973 Ginetta G15 and you can find it here on eBay where bidding starts at $9,500.
The G15 was Ginetta’s best selling car. It was offered in kit form until 1973 when they were able to start selling fully assembled cars. The G15 featured a semi-monocoque fiberglass body over a steel ladder frame. The engine and rear suspension came from the Hillman Imp Sport. That meant independent suspension all around and a rear-mounted 55 horsepower Coventry Climax based power-plant.
There isn’t a lot of power on tap, but when combined with a 1,150 pound curb weight, it makes for a very agile drive. The Elan, for comparison, has 105hp, but is packing around almost 300 pounds more! Accommodations are basic and driver focused, not unlike a Lotus. The steering wheel is on the right because this car was imported from the UK when the owner moved stateside. Sure, an Elan may make a better investment, but we wouldn’t mind having this lightweight around to actually drive.
Love those Ginettas.
Or, any of those pint-sized, cottage-industry Italian cars from the 50s & 60s… the smartest, most shapely designs in a small package.
You should hear them on the racetrack.
Ginetta…a well loved, truly small car from the good old UK cottage car industry before safety and emissions regs and all that. The Hillman Imp/Coventry Climax based engine is one of the best-ever small engines, and if the power doesn’t suit you there were lots of off-the-shelf hot rod parts available from Sunbeam when they made the Imp. I’ve even got a few of the scarce Sunbeam go-fast accessory brochures that show them.
I don’t know how to value these, so don’t know whether $9500 is reasonable, but this one looks pretty good, has low miles, and a known history going way back, so that’s how you want to buy one. It’s probably worth the money, but I’m guessing the buyer pool is small. But I hope someone will want it. These should be kept alive and well forever, not just for the fun of driving them, but to show what four brothers with lots of enthusiasm could do in the UK back then.
Amen.
It’s all about being in the right car, on that “right” day.
I’d like to toss this one around Lime Rock Park a few laps, nice.
Interesting the speedo is in MPH.
Last time I was in Britain they were still using mph, gallons, pounds but litres for gas, Have to put up with litres per kilometre here in Canada and then your tire pressure is in kilopascals?? What’s that? I’m too old to do the math most of the time ‘tho I’ve gotten used to temperatures in celsius unless it gets very hot or very cold and then I revert to Fahrenheit. Hey! Can anyone tell me why there are two speed limit signs between LA and Vegas in kilometres? One going each way. Are there any others in the US?
Britain uses MPH? Kilopascals, what? I had an Alfa with a dash that was all metric.
I like this a bunch, but, here is what I don’t like. The seller didn’t register it in California… Bad seller… Funky aftermarket moon/sun/panel roof insert. Pull it out and glass in correctly. Ever watched Imp’s on the track… Oh ya… This could be a little gem.
Forgot… Them wheels look like Sunbeam Tiger LAT #14.
I think the alloy wheels are Dunlop Formula D1,quite rare now I would guess. The car is on original black number plates,like old Californian? cars, in this case the UK (where I am) changed to white front/yellow rear reflective plates around 1970 (they are not legal now for road use unless the car is pre-1973). Nice car.