Gill (automobile)
Motor vehicle
From Wikipedia, the free 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.
| Gill Getabout | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Gill Cars Ltd |
| Production | 1958-1960 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Microcar |
| Body style | 2-door coupé |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 322 cc Anzani two-cylinder[1] |
| Transmission | 3-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 114 inches (2895 mm)[1] |
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 [2] 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)[1] the car was expensive when a Ford Popular cost £444.