Rare 1959 Austin Gipsy G1 4x4

Vehicle Description

Rare 1959 Austin Gipsy G1 4x4

“No, it is not a Land Rover!” This 1959 Austin Gipsy G1 (Series 1) is a steel bodied, left-hand-drive example, powered by a factory rated 62 b.h.p. Austin 2.2 liter, inline 4 cylinder engine linked to a four-speed manual transmission and a dual-range transfer case. It has a 12 volt, negative ground electrical system.

This Gipsy was delivered new to Austin Export, Seattle, Washington in 1959. The previous Florida owner used it as an off road vehicle. It was acquired by the current owner in 2021 as a driving project. This Gipsy is being sold as the current owner has found another.

The Gipsy rides on (4) 6.50 – 16 Power King M&S tires mounted on steel wheels. The spare is a 6.50 – 16 Firestone. It has four-wheel independent suspension, a door mounted rearview mirror, and Smith’s instruments. The front seats are a green canvas material with seat belts. The windshield folds down. It comes with a set of unrestored front door windows and (4) sliding sections of glass for the frames. There are inward facing rear bench seats with (2) storage compartments per side. Brakes are drums on all four corners. The odometer registers “88238” miles. (Total mileage is unknown.)

Repairs made by the current owner include:

- replacing the horn with a Lucas Altette Style Classic Retro Horn

- installed a new battery

- turn signals

- rebuilt most of the steering including: replaced left draglink; replaced draglink dust boots; replaced upper steering arm; rebushed relay shaft & converted to grease fitting; steering box bracket replaced

- installed new clutch slave cylinder

- installed new left rear brake cylinder

- previous owner replaced mechanical fuel pump with an electric pump

The vehicle has been painted a tan color. The body is basically solid. Patches have been welded to the left side rocker panel and forward of the right and left rear wheel arches. These are typical Gipsy rust areas. The metal in the floors is thin in places.

The Austin Gipsy was manufactured between 1958 and 1968 in three series. Total production has been estimated at 21,000 vehicles. Currently there are probably less than 30 Gipsy G1’s in the US. Its main competitor at the time was Land Rover. When Leyland Motors (owner of Rover) and British Motor Holdings (owner of Austin) merged in 1968, the Gipsy was dropped in favor of Land Rover.

Included in the sale are the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust’s Certified Copy of a Factory Record (the car’s “birth certificate”) for this particular vehicle; an original Austin Gipsy factory workshop manual, an original factory Service Parts List (for a Series II, but most bits are the same), a photocopy of the Gipsy owner’s manual, a photocopy of a 1958 Motor Trader Service Date publication on the Gipsy, and a copy of the Austin Gipsy Register’s “Same As” 2003 List, and a folder of miscellaneous receipts and papers.

This is a unique and rare off road vehicle in North America.

Price: $6,995