What does "gunge" mean?

[Evelyn1428]

Hello Everybody!

I'm watching a movie, called Money, which is based on Martin Amis's book.
There is a scene where I don't really understand what is the meaning of the sentence: "Gunge. Fifty-sixes. Automatics."
Can anybody help me with that?

Here is the text:

Driver: Only need about a hundred guys. A hundred guys like me. Take out all the n*****s and PRs in this fu..in' town.
SELF: A hundred guys? That's not many guys is it.
DRIVER: We could do it. With the right gunge, we could do it.
SELF: What's gunge?
DRIVER: Gunge, gunge, yeah. Fifty-sixes. Automatics. Well they think, you know, because you drive a yellow cab you must be some kind of as..ole.

Thank you for your answers in advance!

[emsr2d2]

I can't find any definition, slang or otherwise, which would explain that exchange. I can only assume that maybe the driver was saying "guns" but with some kind of speech impediment which made the word sound like "gunge".

[Evelyn1428]

Thank you for your answer.
To be honest, I had the same thought, I just wasn't sure.
And is the "Fifty-sixes" supposed to mean the caliber of the gun?

Thank you again!

[emsr2d2]

56-calibre does appear to be some kind of gun!

[Tdol]

In the book, John Self has tinnitus, so he may not have heard it clearly.

Some of his books promise a lot and fail to deliver. This one delivered IMO- a great work.

[Evelyn1428]

Thank you for your answer.
Since then I found the book on the Internet, and the driver really says "gunge", but it still can be just a misunderstanding between John Self and the driver.

[Tdol]

He does, but it comes directly after a reference to his tinnitus.

[SoothingDave]

I've heard of authors giving their characters special dialects and accents before, but never of one capturing a hearing impairment like this.