Barn Find in the US

[Fareham GT]

Hi Naim,

Very interested in your posting, I have a list of the cars that we know went to the USA, it would interesting to see if the car you have found is one of these. Is the car you have found left or right hand drive? A few cars were exported as left hand drive through an agent in Rockville, Maryland. If you would like to contact me direct on gt.spares@gilbernoc.co.uk I would be very happy to help and find out more about your barn find.

Regards

Brian Gent
GT Historian, Technical & Spares Secretary

[Fareham GT]

Hi All,

I have been in touch with Naim about this car, it is in fact B.100122 that has been with Paul Shutes in Florida for many years, I did write some notes on this car in the Rarebit Vol.24, No.10 page 3. The car was taken off the road after a road traffic accident with only 33,769 miles on the clock. It was one of the first batch of 3 Left Hand Drive cars supplied by Gilberns to British Auto Services in Rockville, Maryland in 1963.

Brian Gent
GT Historian

[GGenie69]

Thanks for the update Brian, much appreciated.

Richard

[aussieneil]

Thanks indeed, Brian. I find it amazing that 'barn finds' still occur to release these sleeping beauties from their slumber. My own GT is coming along nicely, and I constantly marvel as I work on it how decades of being stored (in the right conditions, of course) can make a car almost unbelievably youthful for its years.

In the case of my own car (see www.grouseguitars.com.au/gilbern), 30 years of slumber between 1972 and 2002 when it was rediscovered, then close to 10 years under a slow restoration of the chassis and paintwork (original interior and largely original mechanicals) by the previous owner, have resulted in a classic car that drives and appears much more 'new' than most restored cars I have owned. It is an absolute delight!

In my case the mileage is about double (somewhere in the 70,000 mile region), but I am sure that Naim will find the car will more than repay him any restoration and repair costs simply in the joy of being the custodian and driver of the car (which I hope is his intention).

These little Welsh GTs are a revelation. Surely one of the classic car world's best-kept secrets.

Neil.

[EAU223C]

Naim and all,
I am delighted to hear of another Gilbern GT in the 'neighborhood', even though we may be 3000 miles apart. I have had mine since the late 1970's and it has been off the road and in a 'barn' state for much of that time. I have recently brought it in from the cold and am in the process of starting a frame-off restoration to deal with the usual rot issues. I plan to ask plenty of questions and post progress reports as I go along.
As far as worth, I don't know. Rare doesn't always mean valuable and I am expecting to spend more on the restoration than it is really going to be 'worth' on the market when I am done. Don't let that be your deciding factor on whether or not bring the car back to the light.

good luck,

-Jim

[GGenie69]

Rare doesn't always mean valuable and I am expecting to spend more on the restoration than it is really going to be 'worth' on the market when I am done.

I'll second that, in both time spent and money spent.

I've been "restoring" my Genie now for about 12yrs, it's not that the individual jobs take a long time, it's the fact I have to spread the costs out in a slush fund to confuse the wife (only joking dear if you read this )

I plan to upload some progress pics soon in another post.

Richard

[Fareham GT]

Hi Jim,

Good to hear that you are still hard at it on B.100198, it sounds like you have made some progress since we last corresponded back in August 2011.

Do keep us posted on developments.

Brian

[Whiskybob42]

Hi Naim,
I'm over on the other coast, NY, if you need more info let me know. Most parts on the mechanicals should very availble at your local Moss Motors along with other Brit parts places.
Let me know if it comes up for sale in future.
Bob.

[Whiskybob42]

Naim,
Forgot to add signature.....

MGB '68. RHD.
Lotus Esprit S1 '77.
Jaguar XKE '66. 2+2.
Audi Avant S4 '06
Jaguar Sportwagon X-type '05.

[EAU223C]

Whiskeybob,
I second the nice collection comment. I also have an X-Type Sportwagon. They only imported around 1600 of them so there aren't a lot of them around.
There was a 'Bob' in New York that I corresponded with about my Gilbern GT around 30 years ago. Any chance that is you?

I am still looking forward to hearing what happens with this 'Barn Find'.

-Jim

[Fareham GT]

Hi Jim,

The guy you would of corresponded with some 30 years ago, was Bob Fairbanks from Portville who at the time owned B.100152 and a LHD rolling chassis which we think came from B.100123, strangely enough this chassis was from the same batch of cars sent over to Maryland
as the barn find car in Florida.

It's a small world when it comes to Gilbern GT's.

Brian
GT Historian

[Whiskybob42]

So Jim…. How's the restoration going
Not found my GT yet but still looking.

Bob….