Description
To be offered by Silverstone Auctions as part of the 'Race Retro 2021' live online auction on the weekend of 27th and 28th March. Please see our website for full details on this vehicle and further instructions on how to register for bidding.
- FIA HTP Papers Exp December 2025 – (GTP1 1966-71)
- Ginetta Sports Prototype G12 No 3/ 30
- Lotus/ Ford 1600 Twin Cam – Mk 9 Hewland transaxle
- Raced in 2015 HSCC Guards Trophy (2nd in class)
- Described as ready to race with a spanner check and probably new tyres
- £12, 000+ spent since purchase to freshen up ready for use
Ginetta’s G12 was a natural progression from the all-conquering G4 and featured an innovative new design with a mid-mounted engine configuration. The state-of-the-art G12 design featured a tubular steel spaceframe with a centre-body cockpit section bonded to it for extra strength, and removable front and rear body sections. The suspension comprised proven Triumph-derived uprights and double wishbones with coil springs at the front and the classic arrangement of single upper transverse links with lower revised wishbones and coil springs at the rear. Stopping power was provided by Triumph Spitfire-sourced Girling disc brakes mounted outboard on all four wheels. The neat, innovative and practical design of the G12 made the car instantly successful and its designer, Ivor Walklett, commented "It was magic right from the start, we did a bit of testing and it was obvious that we had something very special"’. Drivers Chris Meek and Willie Green stormed through 1966 and ’67 demolishing the established opposition of Divas and Lotus 26Rs.
G12/ 3 is one of just 30 produced and, according to documents within the file, enjoyed a short period of racing before being crashed in the early part of 1967, by Peter Creasey, however, he kept the damaged car for posterity and continued racing in G12/ 21, going on to win his class in the 1967 Motoring News GT Championship. G12/ 3 changed hands as a ‘project’ a few times until, around 2012, the old 60’s racer was totally rebuilt by the highly talented race preparer Ian Macdonald. Once the rolling chassis was completed, a brand new Gathercole Lotus/ Ford 1600cc Twin-Cam engine was fitted and mated to a fully rebuilt Mk9 Hewland transaxle. The now gloriously rebuilt G12/ 3 was proudly debuted in the 2013 HSCC Guards trophy raced by Ian Macdonald and a previous owner. In 2014, Ian raced with Mark Godfrey in the Guards Trophy, on this occasion finishing second in class and the car was used by Mark this time solo in the HSCC Guards Trophy sometime later. The engine was refreshed and the gearbox rebuilt in 2015 with approx. 11. 5 hours track use since. G12/ 3 has FIA HTP papers issued in 2015 for FIA period GR (1966-1971) in FIA Class GTP1, which allows this car to be considered for any qualifying international event worldwide valid up until December 2025.
The G4’s ‘big brother’, the G12, as well as being rare and desirable, is a practical and smart Sports Prototype that holds the door wide open to international historic racing and in the right hands could be rather competitive. Our vendor purchased the car in 2016, spent a further £12, 000+ to bring the little racer up to its best then, as is often the case, didn’t get around to racing it much (3 hours) making this a great opportunity to pick up where our vendor left off, and with a ‘spanner check’ and some fresh fluids, it should be ready to race. Accompanied by a history file and the aforementioned FIA papers (No. 38080).
