In 1958 brothers Bob, Ivor, Trevers and Douglas Walkett built their first car the Ginetta G1 based on a pre 1939 Wolsey Hornet in 1958, the car never went into production but a range of successive road/race vehicles, both turn key and self builds, gained a reputation for sporting prowess that has continued to this day despite the original company failing after the Walketts retired in 1989.

One of the companies most successful models was the race on Sunday work on Monday Ginetta G4 which was launched 1961 powered by a 1 litre / 61 cui motor sourced from the Ford 105E Anglia, of the type recently made famous by the Harry Potter films.

G4 production continued in both Roadster and, from 1963, Coupé forms until 1968. The Series III variant introduced in 1966 featured pop-up headlights, powered by a 1500cc / 90.5 cui motor a G4 was capable of 120 mph.

In 1981 a slightly longer and wider Series VI Ginetta G4 was launched. After the company had been sold in 1989 to Martin Phaff and moved to Scunthorpe it appears that continued demand for the G4 persuaded DARE UK a company based in Colchester Essex to take up production of the G4 in the mid 1990’s.

Today’s featured G4 was built by DARE UK in 2000 and is powered by a 1796cc / 109 cui Ford Zetec engine which will produce a minimum of 165 hp. The car is seen in the paddock at Castle Combe and returning to the paddock at Wiscombe Park with Exeter’s Roger Coote at the wheel.

Thanks for joining me on this “Race On Sunday Work On Monday” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Bristol. Don’t forget to come back now !