by Simon J. Frazier
The Austin Gipsy was announced on February 28th, 1958. It was intended as a civilian
replacement for the military Champ and a commercial rival to the Land Rover. It was the
first vehicle to be produced with independent trailing arm rubber suspension on all four
wheels.
The Gipsy was designed as a rugged cross-country machine. It had a steel rounded box-
section chassis with a wheelbase of 90 inches and an all-steel body. It was powered by
the 2199 cc four-cylinder petrol engine (with a maximum of 62bhp) made famous by the
Austin A70. This had a good reputation for reliability and was probably one of Austin’s
most successful engines having been originally designed just before the war and
remaining in use, in various forms, right into the 1970’s. There was also an alternative
55 bhp diesel unit of 2178 cc which had also gained itself a good reputation, becoming
the standard power unit of the famous London taxi. There was a robust four-speed gear-
box with synchromesh on second, third and fourth gears and a transfer box giving the
operator the choice of either rear-wheel drive in high ratio, neutral for power take-off or
four-wheel drive in low ratio. Maximum payload was 10 cwt; maximum drawbar pull
3000 lbs. Perhaps the most unusual feature was the use of “Flexitor” rubber trailing arm
independent suspension units all round.
Austin had been thinking about civilian replacement for the Champ and had produced
some special-bodied models on similar lines to the proposed Gipsy, incorporating
opening side doors, a hinged tailboard, lengthwise rear seats and a canvas tilt.
The Champ had proved the usefulness of independent front and rear suspension for fast
driving over rough terrain. It was decided that a suspension system giving comparable
performance to that of the Champ, but at a reasonable cost for mass-production, was
needed. Several chassis with wishbone suspension systems similar to the Champ’s were
constructed and run experimentally, but production would have been expensive and
maintenance requirements would also have been elaborate. It was not until Austin
designers had seen a light military trailer equipped with “Flexitor” rubber trailing units at
the Fighting Vehicles Research and Development Establishment test ground at Bagshot
Heath that they decided on a suitable system that offered freedom from lubrication
problems and a comparatively low production cost. They were impressed with the way
the suspension coped with repeated impacts on the corrugated section and decided to
explore its suitability for a four-wheeled vehicle.
The patented “Flexitor” suspension (produced by George Spencer, Moulton and Co. Ltd.,
a member of the Avon group) employed a precompressed rubber cylinder which was
chemically bonded to a tubular steel housing and to an axial shaft on the end of which
was mounted the trailing arm carrying the wheel. All deflections of the arm resulting
from “bumps” were absorbed by the twisting of the rubber. The units embody a measure
of self damping, but hydraulic shock absorbers all round gave extra control. “Spring”
failure was virtually impossible and tests showed that it had a life of over three times
greater than that of conventional leaf springs. It was initially intended to have inboard
brakes, but, due to legal requirements, this was not possible. This braking system would
have been ideally suited to this type of suspension.
The steel body was built as a unit, mounted on the chassis at six points. The sides were
formed from sheet steel with box section reinforcement and was “roto-dipped” for
protection against rust. There were easily detachable side doors, operated by internal
cables, at the front and a tailboard supported by chains at the rear bench seats. All-
weather equipment included a PVC-covered tilt and hoopsticks. The tilt was attached to
the windscreen by press studs and roped to the sides of the body.
The all-steel body was a case of Austin sticking a knife in their own back as they had a
tendency to rot, even with the extra -protection offered. This rust problem has forced
some owners to desperate measures. There have been Gipsy’s with Land Rover front
wings, and there is even one with a Land Rover body. The heart lives on!
The chassis was made of 14 gauge sheet steel in the form of a box section constructed
from two U-sections, seam welded along either side of the box. The prototype had been
welded along the corners of the box but these proved to be the stress lines and were
subject to cracking. It was of conventional ladder design, with six cross members serving
as mountings for various components.
The Series One Gipsy did have its shortcomings and these were not helped by the
hesitation of the public to invest in a completely new four-wheel-drive vehicle with an
unconventional suspension system and only one wheel base - 90 inches. To try to
overcome these initial problems a Series Two was introduced in 1960. Many detail
modifications were made to both steering and suspension. The steering layout was
revised to improve cornering and reduce wear, the suspension rubber was softened and
the box-section trailing arms were made from a heavier-gauge metal to increase their
strength. Lever-type dampers replaced the telescopic units at the rear to accommodate
increased rear suspension travel and improve ground clearance and rubber packing was
interposed between the rear differential unit and the chassis.
Body work improvements included a larger ventilator below the windscreen together
with new fresh air vents mounted on the front wings. Strengthened doors with externally
mounted galvanized door handles and new steel-framed side-screens, with sliding glass
windows in place of the original fabric type with signaling flaps. A fiber-glass hard top
was also made available. However, the biggest step forward was probably the
introduction of a long wheel base version (111 inches) with heavy-duty leaf springs on a
beam axle at the rear. The long wheelbase version was also available as a pickup with a
payload of up to 15 cwt. All these Gipsys were now available in a choice of four colors;
Lincoln green, Cheviot fawn, Clipper blue, and Birch gray. Later these were changed to
Dove gray, Old English white, Almond green, and Haze blue for the series four.
The only modification to the engine was a new main jet in the carburetor giving
improved fuel economy and making this the most economical version of the Gipsy ever
produced without significant loss of power. The transfer box was now fitted with two
levers, so that both high or low ratios could be selected in four-wheel drive.
Since the Gipsy’s introduction in Switzerland had proved to be the second best overseas
market, accounting for 5 ½ per cent of the total Gipsy exports, so it was decided that
examples of the new Series Two model should be exhibited in the March 1960 Geneva
Motor Show. Australia was the leading importer of the Gipsy, taking no less than 31
percent of exports.
Increased Gipsy sales and market research revealed that the requirements of potential
Gipsy users were so varied that an increased choice of specification was required, and so
a new Gipsy System was developed. In September 1962 the “G4” (there was no series
Three) was announced, boasting a basic range of 25 variants and a choice now between
either the Flexitor independent suspension or semi-elliptic springs with beam axles.
The reason for the introduction of the semi-elliptic springs as an alternative to the
Flexitor system was simple: The Flexitor suspension enabled users to drive at high
speeds over rough ground in relative comfort, while the chassis-mounted differentials
took all the pounding, thus creating a poor reputation for wear and damage, as well as
putting too much stress on the six propshafts. The beam axles had the advantage of
lifting the differentials, with the axle, above the bumps. The use of the beam axle and
leaf springs also reduced the size of the turning circle required from 42 feet to 35 feet on
the short wheelbase and from 53 feet to 43 feet on the long wheelbase.
The petrol engine, although no bigger, now developed an additional 10 bhp, giving a total
of 72, this having largely been obtained through the use of a new carburetor (Zenith
42VN) and a larger manifold. An electric fuel pump replaced the mechanical one, which
had suffered vaporizing problems when working at high temperatures; this was now
situated under the passenger seat, away from any engine heat.
The most obvious changes were in the body which, while still retaining the basic Gipsy
shape, had now been restyled. A split front grille of wire mesh with a curved bottom
part, detachable for installation of a winch and easy access to the steering box, replaced
the old flat slatted type. The front bumper now had towing eyes, and the dirt-catching
recessed panels carrying the rear lights and number plate had been redesigned and were
now protected by handle-like light guards. Gone also were the fresh air vents mounted
on the fronts of the wings; these were replaced by side scuttle vents.
A full-length molded fiber-glass dashboard containing all the instruments including water
temperature and oil pressure gauges (a matching ammeter and tachometer were available
at extra cost) now lay directly in front of the driver, replacing the old center-mounted
instrument panel. On the other side were a lockable glove compartment and a grab
handle, to give passengers something to hang on to. The doors had trim panels and
armrests to match the seats, which were also improved to give greater comfort.
The tough Gipsy gearbox had a comprehensive choice of either rear-wheel drive only or
four-wheel-drive high ratio, four-wheel-drive low ratio and front-wheel drive only as well
as various power-take-off facilities. The gearbox, in all Series, has a good reputation for
reliability and strength. One person (and probably only one) has built himself a “good
working vehicle” from the shell of a Land Rover, a JCB engine and a Gipsy gearbox!
Gipsys were available in either left or right-hand drive and had many “export-only”
options, such as opening rear side windows and double-skinned roofs. Initial priority was
given to export orders and Government contracts (many were ordered for Civil Defense
in the UK and export orders included one from the Malaysian Army). Consequently,
relatively few were sold to home buyers. Pans for increased production and home sales
were slowed by a disastrous fire in 1963 at the Adderley Park factory where most Gipsies
were built and sales of the model suffered.
The G4 model range included, as well as the usual alternatives of petrol/diesel, hard/soft
tops, Flexitor/conventional suspension, and long or short wheelbase, a standard factory
option of a short-wheelbase fire engine(long-wheelbase to order. Also available was a
special two wheel-drive version, in the form of a long-wheelbase pickup. All other
models could, by special order, have rear drive only.
There were many “special” versions made as well. The factory could provide
chassis/scuttle units as a foundation for all sorts of bodies - ambulances, personnel
carriers and even snow ploughs which were used by local authorities. The Gipsy still
enjoyed popularity with organizations like the AA and garage chains such as Henlys and
Caffyns and also with some public bodies. In fact, the Home Office still has a large
number in mothballs!
Right from the beginning BMC decided they had to adopt fairly aggressive marketing
tactics to help break into the market held by the Land Rover. One such example was the
demonstration of a Series One in 1959 by the Austin distributors in Nairobi which some
two hundred people attended. The Gipsy was driven over an unprepared obstacle course
in Kenya’s scrubland, including a spillway of rock with boulders up to two feet high and
culminating in a drive up the side of the Nairobi dam, stretches of which were as steep as
one in one. A professional white hunter who turned up boated that anything the Gipsy
could do his Land Rover could do better. He was promptly challenged and a five to one
bet was made. The Gipsy made it to the top, but the challenger gave up at the second
attempt! Such stunts were held throughout the Gipsy’s life. A series Two was driven up
Ben Nevis, then one was driven up the almost sheer face the Avon gorge. A Series Four
was tested for reliability by means of a 16,000 mile high speed run across Africa and
Asia. BMC were always willing to demonstrate the ability of the Gipsy. For example,
they were again quick to take up the challenge in 1964 when the manager of a
Birmingham construction company wrote to them in dismay at having seen a Gipsy being
lowered by cram from the roof of an Austin showroom, instead of being driven down the
one in one ramp. He was invited out to Longbridge to watch the Gipsy go up the
factory’s own one in one ramp and have a go in the passenger seat himself. It was
explained that the police were worried that by using the ramp to the showroom roof
would have drawn a crowd and possibly have caused accidents on the busy road next to
it.
In June 1965 the less popular Flexitor suspension was finally dropped from production.
By 1968 the Gipsy had become a serious rival to the Land Rover and private sales had
picked up. In this year also came the merger between the British Motor Corporation,
who built the Gipsy, and Leyland, who owned the Rover company. Now that the new
combine was making two competing ranges of four-wheel-drive vehicles, the Gipsy was
killed off, but even Land Rover staff admitted that it was now a good product and they
were quite relieved to see it go.
Throughout Gipsy production probably no more than 21,000 were made over the ten-year
period, 10,000 or so of these being the Series Four version. A very comprehensive range
of accessories was available throughout production, including tropical roofs, winches,
opening windscreens, and a choice of chrome or stainless steel hubcaps! The Series Four
also had a choice of either the standard dynamo or an alternator and even an optional
mechanical tire pump operated by the power take-off, with an outlet and pressure gauge
in the cab!
