Spares article by Peter Williams

[Gavin McArdle]

GOC Used Spares Service
If you consider the size of the Gilbern Owners Club and the fact that the club is run entirely by volunteers, the spares support available to our members is something we should all be proud of. We not only source and stock new parts, but have a large collection of used items. At the AGM our New and GT spares secretary Brian Gent provided an informative overview of the challenges of sourcing and restocking new spares which are supplied to members worldwide. To follow on from this report, which was published in the June Rarebit, and in response to several requests for more details, we thought an overview of the Used Spares operation would be of interest.
Background - Over the years the club has accumulated a large stock of used spares. Some of these came from dismantled cars, although we would always look to save complete cars, unless in the very worst of condition. Other items are purchased when available, but it’s not unusual for the club to receive donations of parts left over from rebuilds, or from ex members long after their car has gone.
Used spares are stored on a farm site on the Somerset/Devon border. Our rented space also allows for storage of the various body moulds recovered from the Gilbern factory, body panels and any complete cars acquired by the club, for assessment and potential re-sale.
The Right Part - Firstly, let us consider the difficulty of identifying original parts on a Gilbern.
For a small volume manufacturer in the 1960 & 70s, Gilbern used a surprising number of unique parts, some manufactured in-house, some sourced from the automotive supply industry of the time. Even off the shelf components shared with other vehicles were often modified and are not immediately interchangeable with the standard parts.
It is also difficult to be sure that any two Gilberns leaving the factory had identical components fitted. As well as financial constraints, Gilbern were known to modify the cars throughout the production run, and quite likely to change the specification of parts fitted according to what was available in the stores, or from a different supplier. The company would also modify cars for individual customers.
The history of some cars is well known, but even this cannot guarantee originality. The marque historians are aware of more than one instance where several cars, not always of the same model, have ‘entered a garage’ for only one to come out, with a very high probability that a pick and mix approach has been adopted to keep the best parts.
Add to this that the youngest cars are now 45 years old, and potentially subject to modification, repair or replacement of parts with the ‘nearest available’ alternative, and you can begin to appreciate the difficulty.
Compatibility – This also applies to the new spares service. Over the years the club has produced several ‘Compatibility’ guides to indicate the origin of parts fitted to the various models. These should be treated with some caution, and used as a guide only. As noted above, even if a particular part was generally fitted to a specific model, there is no guarantee that this has not been updated or modified over the life of any particular vehicle.
It is also impossible to confirm exactly what Gilbern fitted as standard, and even if they did use a particular part from , for example, a 1965 Humber, there is no guarantee that Humber did not change the specification during the production run. It is also true in many cases that the donor vehicle is probably as rare, or more so than the Gilbern.
The days when your local motor factor could look up spares by the original part number, or pull out a Lucas or Lockheed catalogue for a cross reference are, sadly, long gone. Even if you know what vehicle also used the part, and have a part number, the supply options are limited.
 
Condition –The vast majority of the used parts have, as the name suggests, been fitted to a car for some period of their life. The donor vehicle may well have covered many thousands of miles, so please do not expect parts to be as new.
As examples, if you have a damaged or missing suspension component, the replacement will most likely be in useable condition, but only as good as the other ‘used’ parts on your car. Interior trim, in most cases, will only be good enough to replace a missing item in similarly worn condition, or as a pattern to be remade of refurbished. Seats will typically need repair, but again, if a seat is missing, you will at least have an original Gilbern item to refurbish.
Logistics – Please remember that the used spare store is approximately an hour away from Gavin’s home and that he gives his time voluntarily. Gavin aims to make a monthly trip to drop off, sort or pick up items, but often makes the trip more frequently to try to accommodate Members requests.
Gavin has provided the attached list of the general types of parts stocked below, but please bear in mind all of the above points about condition and especially identification. If you require a specific item, please speak to Gavin, but it is always best to be prepared with details, measurements or even pictures of the part to send through before asking him to make the two hour round trip.

Whatever the parts you need, please speak to Brian or Gavin for advice on the correct part, and to see if what you require is available either new, or used.

[Gavin McArdle]

The following is an indication of what we may have in stock at one time, it is impossible to keep an accurate list of components and things can change often.

Genie / Invader Used Spares [u][b]InteriorTrim, Dash & Electrics. Exterior Trim & Fittings. Various gauges. [b][u]Genie MK1,2&3 Selection of front bumpers Genie Mk1,2&3 Selection of rusty heater boxes MK2 Small selection of rear bumpers Genie, MK1,2&3 Selection of seat runners Selection of over riders and over rider rubbers Selection of seats and parts of seats Boot handle with keys Selection of dash tops Genie MK1&2 Selection of front and rear bumper brackets All Selection of dashs and dash parts Gilbern towbar Genie MK1&2 Dash mounting brackets Gilbern towing bracket MK3 Dash knee rolls Selection of front side lights and parts Genie, MK1&2 Ignition switch with keys Selection of rear lights and parts Genie MK1&2 Various bits of interior trim suitable for templates Selection of rear lights and parts MK3 Various gauges Lucas Square 8 lamps Dash heater controls MK1&2 Various odd lights, rev. lamps, spot, side markers, etc Dash switch plates MK1&2 Small selection of various door handles and door catches Small selection of interior mirrors Brakes, Steering & Suspension Misc brackets including [b]Genie[/b] accelerator brackets MGC front and rear back plates Various electrical items, switches, relays, solenoids, fuse boxes. MGC front calipers (need re-con) Bodywork & Fittings. MGC front and rear hubs Selection of doors, some complete (no MK3) Splined hubs (Genie?) Selection of saloon fuel tanks (no MK3) Stub axles MGC & MK3. Estate fuel tanks Small selection Gilbern wheels Selection of early type clutch covers and flywheels. Selection of rear axle trailing arms Genie & MK1 Boot & bonnet stays Selection of trailing arms MK2&3 Bonnet hinges Suspension steady bars MK1 Rear quarter light glass Steering rack support bar Genie Small selection of rear quarter light frames Steering rack support bar MK1 Various bonnet catches Steering rack support bars MK2 C post air vents (new) MK2 Steering parts (U/J's etc) Selection of new and used body parts, boot lids, bonnets. Selection of ARBars Engine & Mechanical Genie half shafts with splines Various engine parts including 'D'shaped heads Half shafts later Genie, MK1&2 Chrome 'Gilbern' rocker covers Selection of hand brake levers and brake pedals Various dismantled gear box parts Selection of front suspension wishbones Various gearbox ancillaries, linkages levers, release levers etc Steering columns Genie,Mk1,2 &3 Alternaror brackets and adjuster bars Front springs Genie Radiators Various steering wheels, centres etc Fuel pumps including spare glass bowls Engine mount brackets and stabilisers