Glass Sport Motors

Glass Sport Motors ( briefly also GSM ) is a former automotive and engine manufacturers in Cape Town, South Africa. The company was known mainly for the license-built GSM Dart and the self-developed coupe GSM Flamingo. The brand name was created by accident from the use of fiberglass. Still existing vehicles can be besichtet in Franschhoek Motor Museum.

History

Willie Meissner, one of the two founders, learned in 1958 on his visit to London by the new material called fiberglass, what inspired him immediately. In a letter to Bob van Niekerk, asking him to come at once to England to and to learn the craft for production and processing of this new material, which, however, was itself currently busy with the mechanics and technique of the English Sunbeam Alpine Series I to develop.

That same year, she now granted its own development a priority and took the time being the design of the new vehicle at. In order to expedite the work, the two eventually used under license however the design of the built since 1954 Hayden Dart roadster. Advantages over the original by Hayden Dart were the lighter fiberglass body a much lower fuel consumption and a lighter steering, which was particularly in curves for the driver an advantage.

Where Hayden Dart in Africa, Australia and South America was represented, Glass Sports Motors held the British and Canadian market next to the South African domestic market.

Model Overview

GSM and GSM Delta Dart

The Dart was the first model of the manufacturer and competed in some countries against the BMW 503 and the Volvo P1900.

As motorization had the dart a selection of licensed self-manufactured engines such as the Coventry Climax 1.9 or 2.5 liter displacement, as well as the Ford 100E engines with 36 kW and 33 kW with the 105E from the Ford Anglia. A support structure, a lead frame with cross - was used at the front springs and coil springs.

In contrast, the later introduced hardtop version was given a roof from the house of Ford

A second production facility built Glass Sport Motors in West Malling, England. On the basis of the offered in the UK market Daimler SP250 Dart, the GSM Darts for this market as GSM Delta was prepared. Which is based on the delta closed racing version received names Sebring Coupé.

GSM Flamingo

The Flamingo, the second model of the manufacturer, went into series production in 1962. Originally GSM had to use against future Ford V6 for the model, but Ford had this not completed the development in time. So then came the first 17M with a displacement of 1698 cc and services of 44 and 48 kW from the Ford Taunus 17M P3 used. Later, these were then analyzed by the Kent GT with 1498 cm ³ (58 kW) replaced and the Kent Super with a displacement of 1499 cc and services of 45 and 58 kW. These were also used in the Ford Cortina. Designers of GSM Flamingo was Verster de Wit.

The former Formula 1 racing driver Prof. Ian Gordon Murray is a well known owner of a 1964 GSM Flamingo.

Production figures

  • Darts: 122
  • Delta: 76
  • Flamingo: 144
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