Gordon

GB, 1954 – 1958

Vernon Industries Ltd, Bidston, Cheshire

Built by a subsidiary of Vernons Pools, the Gordon was one of the simplest of the post-war British 3-wheelers. The Gordon car for sale used a 197cc single-cylinder Villiers 2-stroke engine which was mounted on the offside of the vehicle, and drove one rear wheel only, by chain. Suspension was by coil, and the open body seated two. At just over £300 the Gordon car was the cheapest car on the English market, and this kept sales of Gordon cars going until increasing affluence ended demand for almost all the 3-wheelers.

GB, 1960 – 1961, 1964 – 1967

(1) Gordon Automobile Co Ltd, Slough, Bucks., 1960 – 1961

(2) Gordon-Keeble Ltd, Eastleigh, Hampshire, 1964 – 1965

(3) Keeble Cars Ltd, Southampton, 1965 – 1967

Gordon was one of the new generations of Anglo-Americans aimed at offering a high-grade GT car combining a reasonable price and world-wide service facilities, the original Gordon was the work of John Gordon, formerly of Peerless, and Jim Keeble. The Gordon car appeared just as the Peerless was going out of production. The Gordon car for sale had much in common with this car, its specification including a space-frame, coil-and-wishbone independent front suspension, a De Dion back axle and disc brakes all round, but power on the Gordon car for sale was provided by a 4.6-litre V8 ohv Chevrolet engine mated to a 4-speed all-synchromesh gearbox, while Bertone was responsible for the all-steel four-seater saloon body. The price of the Gordon car for sale was £3.045 and the top speed 140mph. This never went into production, but in 1964 a new Gordon company was formed at Eastleigh Airport to market a revised version, the Gordon-Keeble with fiberglass body by Williams and Pritchard and a bigger 5.4-litre Chevrolet unit. The list price of the Gordon-Keeble was £2.798 and was competitive rather than realistic, and in March 1965 the Gordon-Keeble firm failed after only 93 cars had been made. Two months later new backing for Gordon-Keeble cars was furnished by Mr Harold Smith, a London motor trader, and limited production was resumed at Southampton. The 300bhp Gordon Keeble GK. 1 models sold for £4.058. Early in 1968 it was announced that production of Gordon-Keeble cars would restart at Newmarket of two- and four-seater cars to be sold in America under the name De Bruyne. Only two De Bruynes of Gordon-Keeble type were made, together with one mid-engined coupé.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS

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