The original cars were built as component cars with just the
body and chassis sold as a kit with the new owner deciding on running gear and
engines. The first 4-5 were still built behind the shop before the company
expanded in to a new building still in Church Village just a mile down the
road. The components were not good and it was decided that this component car
would be produced virtually complete. Now when they left the factory the only
thing that needed to be done by the new owner was to fit the engine and gearbox
supplied new by Gilbern with its warranty. This was to get around the tax on
new cars at the time.
As the cars were produced they were constantly improved originally based around Austin A35 components before Morris 1100 ones with a variety of engines before the MGA engine was used to standardise the model before being replaced by the MGB’s engine resulting in the GT1800.
As the cars were produced they were constantly improved originally based around Austin A35 components before Morris 1100 ones with a variety of engines before the MGA engine was used to standardise the model before being replaced by the MGB’s engine resulting in the GT1800.
From 1960 until it was replaced by the Genie in 1966 about
277 were built, with a few fitted with left hand drive for potential export, making
this Welsh built sports cars vary rare. I did get to see 5-6 of them at the
recent Gilbern Owners Club National Meet near Wrexham, and they really are well
finished and certainly would have held their own against more conventional steel
bodied sports car of the time. The build quality also seemed very high for a “component”
car. The research undertaken for the above also helps explain why no two of
them seemed to have the same engine fitted!!!!
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