Gill cars
Encyclopedia
The Gill was an English car
based on the Astra
and built in George Street, Paddington, London from 1958 to 1960 by a subsidiary of the British Anzani Company
. It was another product of the fuel shortages that occurred during the 1956 Suez Crisis
.
Like the Astra it featured a rear-mounted 322 cc air-cooled engine mounted under the floor at the rear and all-round independent suspension
with swing axles at the rear. Drive was by chain to the rear wheels through a three-speed motorcycle gearbox with floor-mounted change lever. The brakes were hydraulically operated.
The two seat body was made from aluminium over a wood frame mounted on a steel chassis. It shared the Astra's front bodywork but from the windscreen back it was bodied as a coupé called the Getabout. A four seat taxi version was also proposed and some saloons might have been made. At £500 (£523 for the de-luxe) the car was expensive when a Ford Popular
cost £444.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
based on the Astra
Astra (1954 automobile)
The Astra was an English car built by a subsidiary of British Anzani of Hampton Hill, Middlesex from 1954 to 1959. At GBP348 it claimed to be the smallest and cheapest four wheeler on the British market...
and built in George Street, Paddington, London from 1958 to 1960 by a subsidiary of the British Anzani Company
Anzani
Anzani was an engine manufacturer founded by the Italian Alessandro Anzani , which produced proprietary engines for aircraft, cars, boats, and motorcycles in factories in Britain, France and Italy.-Overview:...
. It was another product of the fuel shortages that occurred during the 1956 Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
.
Like the Astra it featured a rear-mounted 322 cc air-cooled engine mounted under the floor at the rear and all-round independent suspension
Independent suspension
Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...
with swing axles at the rear. Drive was by chain to the rear wheels through a three-speed motorcycle gearbox with floor-mounted change lever. The brakes were hydraulically operated.
The two seat body was made from aluminium over a wood frame mounted on a steel chassis. It shared the Astra's front bodywork but from the windscreen back it was bodied as a coupé called the Getabout. A four seat taxi version was also proposed and some saloons might have been made. At £500 (£523 for the de-luxe) the car was expensive when a Ford Popular
Ford Popular
The Ford Popular is best known as a car from Ford built in England between 1953 and 1962. When launched, it was Britain's lowest priced car.The name Popular was also used by Ford to describe its 1930s Y Type model...
cost £444.