• VAUXHALL GT CONCEPTS 1 & 2
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GLASSFIBRE CONCEPT ONLY NO PLATFORM SELECTED

The new Design & Engineering Centre became fully operational in February 1964 and cost Vauxhall £2.25m, a huge sum of money at the time, and was the most comprehensive unit of its type in the UK for the next twenty years. Within the centre the styling department occupied most of the first floor along the north side of the building. David Jones and his team really went to town on the interiordesign of the styling area, the choice of materials, furniture and fittings. The design area was split into two sections – the styling area and workshops. Large modern styling studios housed the design function – 3 for car exteriors, the others for car interiors, commercial vehicle cab design, advanced design and body development and research. In addition there was a much bigger auditorium or “appraisal” studio with a conference room and working boardroom at one end with one glass wall in order any vehicles under review maybe observed constantly throughout discussions. These opened out on to an exterior viewing terrace measuring 350ft in length and 70ft wide.

The workshop were used to build full size styling models with a metal shop, wood shop, glass fibre shop and a paint and soft trim shop. The total staff employed initially was about 140. Upon opening the HA was already in production as was the FB and its replacement, the FC 101, was already set to go into production. The initial clay mock ups for the PC were moved to the new building and work started on the replacements for the HA and FC. But in the advanced styling studio work started in late 1964 on a sports coupe based around the dimensions being laid out for the upcoming FD Victor but as can be seen from the pictures below some parts were used from a previous sports car project HAS65.    

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THE START OF BUILDING THE STYLING BUCK FOR THE GT CONCEPT IN THE ADVANCED DESIGN STUDIO, NOTE THE SCALE MODEL OF THE CONCEPT IN THE BACKGROUND

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VIEWED FROM ANOTHER ANGLE, NOTE THE FULL SIZE DRAWING OF THE CONCEPT ON THE WALL, THE STEERING WHEEL IS ONLY HALF SIZED AS THE INTERIOR WOULD ONLY BE FROM THE WINDOW LEVEL UP. THE SCUTTLE IS FROM AN EARLIER PROJECT - HAS65

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THE GT CONCEPT VIEWED DIRECTLY FROM THE REAR SHOWS THE PRONOUNCED CURVATURE OF THE SIDES & OVERALL WIDTH

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THE GT CONCEPT WITH THE ROOF FITTED AND HALF THE FRONT END MODELLING COMPLETED, NOTE THE WOODEN SUPPORTS TO HOLD THE MODEL UP

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VIEWED FROM THE REAR THE WOODEN SUPPORT CAN BE SEEN, IN THE BACKGROUND THE SCALE MODEL IS STILL THERE FOR REFERENCE, NOTE THE FULL SIZE DRAWING OF A MORE AMERICAN LOOKING CONCEPT ON THE WALL ALONGSIDE

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THE GT CONCEPT WITH FURTHER FRONT MODELLING COMPLETED, NOTE THE CHANGE IN THE SIDE WINDOW DIVISION FRONT 1/4 LIGHT & THE UPRIGHT REAR DOOR SHUT LINE

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THE GT CONCEPT NOW FITTED WITH MODIFIED WHEELARCHES WITH EXTENSIONS, FROM THIS ANGLE THE REAR END IS SIMILAR IN STYLE TO THE AMC JAVALIN COUPE LAUNCHED SOME 9 YEARS LATER

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THE GT CONCEPT VIEWED FROM THE RIGHT HAND REAR SHOWING TWO DIFFERENT ANGLES OF THE SLANTED TAIL

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THE GT CONCEPT FURTHER DOWN THE DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE WITH THE REAR END STARTING TO COME TOGETHER

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THE GT CONCEPT FRONT END ALMOST COMPLETE & SHOWING A DISTINCT LIKENESS TO THE MASERATI BORA LAUNCHED 6 YEARS LATER

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THE GT REAR END WITH MORE WORK DONE & SHOWING TWO DIFFERENT REAR 1/4 PANEL TREATMENTS, IN THE BACKGROUND CAN BE SEEN A FULL SIZE RENDITION OF A "MINI - X - 2" DESIGN PROPOSAL

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THE GT WITH CLEARLY VISIBLE CHANGES TO THE REAR 1/4 AND CHANGED WINDOW & DOOR OUTLINE

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VIEWED FROM THE RIGHT REAR SHOWING ANOTHER VARIATION IN THE REAR 1/4 DESIGN & ANOTHER WINDOW AND DOOR ARRANGEMENT

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