The prototype GT, back on the road after 33 years

The prototype GT, restored by Tom Duffy
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zacmarshall
Posts: 5223
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 4:22 pm
Location: Bristol, UK

The prototype GT, back on the road after 33 years

Post by zacmarshall »

This is Tom Duffy's GT, the prototype used for publicity shots.

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The car freshly MOTd

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The car as featured in the brochure, image from Tony Bailey's brochure page

This is what Tom had to say about the car:
The car was originally registered to Jensen Motors Ltd on 14/02/1975, the signature on the DVLA copy is hard to make out, it could be J. Brown, sales promotion manager.
The car was then immediately passed to Jensen Special Products Ltd, as the date of acquisition is given as 14/02/1975.
On 24/05/1979 the car was sold to Mrs Stephaney Johnson, The Shropshire Arms, Telford & the V5 that came with the car was still in her name with a car tax reminder for June 1981, so that must be the last time the car was on the road.
The V5 also had the engine capacity listed as 2300cc & engine number 75-23F1-40 which must be the Vauxhall engine that was trialled in the car.
When I bought the car, most panels had been replaced & the car was sprayed a hideous terracotta red. The original Healey engine had been re-installed but the car had never had the restoration finished & the engine bay & interior were a mess. It appears that before the car was sold by the factory, the blue interior was replaced with a tan cord one. I was lucky to have been offered a blue interior in very good condition (for the price of a full set of hen’s teeth!!). I have restored the car to as near as possible to how it was when used for the publicity photos.

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The car for sale at Appleyards, from the club archive

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Some photos of the car from the club archive

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For those interested in the GT there will be two at the Bristol Classic Car Show this weekend, one on the JOC stand and one on the Heritage insurance stand
C-V8 II 104/2146 CHJ 948B
ex FF II, Interceptor I, II and III, SP, GTs and Healeys. You might say I got the bug....
JOC Member No. 5061
AH1951
Posts: 3836
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2013 5:07 pm

Re: The prototype GT, back on the road after 33 years

Post by AH1951 »

From the brochure; Now I know that GT stands for Good Thinking.
The car looks great.
Only difference I spotted from new is the badge colour.
Someone would recognise that brochure photo location - the bridge with the hole.
Mark1Stu
Posts: 2471
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:30 pm

Re: The prototype GT, back on the road after 33 years

Post by Mark1Stu »

Great to see another GT restored - and an important one as well.
ajm541s
Posts: 1689
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:28 am
Location: BATH, UK

Re: The prototype GT, back on the road after 33 years

Post by ajm541s »

I think the signature on the registration doc would be J Branson. Jim B joined JML from Coombs of Guildford some time in the late 50's and was made redundant when Dick Graves joined as Marketing Manager in 1965.
Jim rejoined when we needed a Sales Admin Manager in 1969, and later I believe he became Sales Promotion Manager, continuing on to International Motors after the factory closed.
Strangely enough I was also at Coombs in 1958 but at the Ford dealership up on the Guildford bypass, whereas Jim was down at the St Catherine's head off ice branch, and we never met. A true gentleman and excellent colleague.
Tony Marshall
JML 1967-74

JOC 7828
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