Tuesday 28 April 2020

Canadian Mini based Ginetta is a total mystery

Mini based sports cars come in many shapes and sizes, but I'd never come across one wearing the body of a Ginetta. Until last week, that is, when Denis Caron dropped me a line from Ottawa in Canada. He wrote: " Hi Jeroen, I recently bought a kit car that has a Ginetta G4 body. It is built on two Mini front cradles. The Mini motor and transaxle was once installed in the rear. The former owner told me that it would have been built in the Toronto / Ontario area (no date given). My intention was to recycle the body on a tubular frame similar to the one built by Ginetta. I was wondering if you had any knowledge of this company, and if this car has any historical significance. Thanks"

Unfortunately I draw a complete blank on this one. All I can think of is that somebody put this together by himself using a Ginetta body. Or is it not a Ginetta body? It seems to me there are some small differences to that of a G4, but I do not have the knowledge of these cars to be sure. Perhaps somebody replicated one? Who does know? Any more information would be most welcome.

UPDATE 7 February 2023: More info and a new picture emerge. Click here.


That's a Ginetta G4, or is it? Reader Denis Caron bought it recently but doesn't know
Picture Denis Caron

It was supposedly built in the Toronto / Ontario region but no further info is known
Picture Denis Caron

Remarkably, below that sleek sports body hides the front suspension of a Mini
Picture Denis Caron

And it's the same at the back! Mini mechanicals with locked steering here
Picture Denis Caron

The car wears a Mini badge but nothing of its background is known to me or its owner
Picture Denis Caron

7 comments:

  1. You could contact the Registrar at the Ginetta Owners Club registrar@ginetta.org

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  2. From what can be seen from these photographs there seems to be a strong possibility that this special was built using a genuine Ginetta G4 body shell. There are a number of similarities but there are obvious modifications such as the rear deck, whilst the windscreen and surround are not Ginetta items. Having said this there are G4’s out there with far more body mods than this car appears to have. Several G4s were exported to the Montreal area of Canada in 1965/66 and a few of these are currently missing, this body shell may well be from one of these. It would be helpful to have contact with the owner to understand what history is known, whether there is any of the original Ginetta chassis sitting between the front and rear sub-frames and whether there is other paint colours beneath the current yellow.
    Trevor Pyman
    Registrar Ginetta Owners Club
    Author of The History of the Ginetta G4

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  3. I came across this car in the mid 80s in a shop in Barrie Ontario. They guy who was building it was a fiberglass fabricator. He has his own molds that he had taken off of an original Ginetta, as far as I recall. He was hoping to sell them as kit cars. I dont know what ever happened to teh car or molds.
    Ivan

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    1. Thank you very much for that Ivan. Do you have any recollection of what the guy's name was?

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  4. I have to have a look at some receipts. I actually purchased a car from him in 1986 and should have the invoice and bill of sale. I just acquired an original 1961 Ginetta G4 project that I will be building next year. Now on teh hunt for parts and history.

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    Replies
    1. That sounds great Ivan. Could you drop me a line on jeroen at jeroenbooij dot com ?

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  5. I found the fellows name who was building this car. The fellow is Tony Mailes. I saw the car April 20 1987. I have tried to locate him but have not been successful.

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