Gordon Keeble Owners Club
History of the Owners Club
The Club was formed by Ernest G. Knott in July 1970 for the preservation and perpetuation of the marque. Having purchased a car in 1969 he was keen to trace other owners. His letters were published in Autocar and Motor magazines requesting owners of Gordon-Keeble cars to contact him with a view to forming a register. This resulted in the July meeting of cars and owners at Silverstone where sixteen cars assembled on the circuit approaching Woodcote Corner. Ernie was proclaimed Chairman of the club and in 1978 became President and ran the Club with his wife Ann as Club Secretary until 1998 when David Yeomans took over the post of Secretary. The Chairmanship is now a bi-annual office held by a club member.
The Club issues a quarterly magazine called "Keebling" and a current Membership index is published annually, as are the accounts. The Index gives all chassis numbers, registration numbers, owners names and addresses (published with the owners consent), car interior and exterior colour with details of restoration work or modifications carried out to each car. The club has traced the whereabouts of all 100 cars produced and the membership numbers are permanently attached to the cars as they reflect the order in which the cars were originally registered with the Club.
There are approximately four meetings annually held at central venues or venues local to the member organising the meeting. Owners and enthusiasts alike are welcome to Club membership and the annual subscription runs from January to December each year. Anyone joining part way through the year is issued with all newsletters published during that year and a Membership Index.
The Gordon-Keeble Car Centre (Brackley) which Ernie founded in 1969 and owned until January 2000 was the prime source of parts and G-K expertise. In his retirement, Ernie hoped to continue advising club members and owners on the finer points of the Gordon-Keeble, but sadly, he departed this life in February 2002 leaving his wife and their many friends to continue caring for these remarkable motor cars.
All the Gordon- Keeble material at Brackley has now been acquired by Charles Giles (Club Historian) and David Yeomans(Secretary) to ensure continuity for G-K owners present and future.
Charles Giles is the Club Historian who co-authored, with Ernie, the book on the marque called "The Gordon-Keeble, a Super Car of the '60s".
CLUB REGULATIONS
The year runs from 1st January to 31st December. Anybody joining part way through the year will be issued with all the previous Club magazines for that year. A Membership Index and a copy of the Club accounts is published annually.
The free family member must be nominated at joining or renewal and cannot be added during the year. Any family member at the same address may be nominated each year.
The Chairman is elected bi-annuallv. Nominations are called for through the Club magazine, in the event of more than one nomination per year, elections will take place by post.
All prices quoted on the renewal form for regalia are subject to prices rises during the year: i.e. replacement stock may come in at extra cost.
The Club does not give credit and therefore all regalia is subject to payment at time of purchase or in advance if ordered by mail order. If the club is out of stock of an item when you order it, your money will be retained against new stock, which will be despatched when it arrives. In these cases the club tries to avoid price rises if possible.
If a price rise is unavoidable then you will be given 28 days to send the balance, if you no longer require the item at the new price you will be refunded accordingly. Payment should be in pounds Sterling, by cheque or exceptionally, notes.