Gilbern 1800 GT
Discussion
I will be picking up this car in a few weeks.
It is a '64 Gilbern 1800 GT and my plan is to rebuild it as an FIA accredited race car. My target is to have it complete by this time next year.
There is excellent knowledge in the Gilbern club, there are a couple racing 1800 GTs appearing quite regularly and a few others competing in other forms. I'm also told that two or three in various stages of preparation as circuit cars.
I will post more pictures when I collect the car update subsequently on progress.
It is a '64 Gilbern 1800 GT and my plan is to rebuild it as an FIA accredited race car. My target is to have it complete by this time next year.
There is excellent knowledge in the Gilbern club, there are a couple racing 1800 GTs appearing quite regularly and a few others competing in other forms. I'm also told that two or three in various stages of preparation as circuit cars.
I will post more pictures when I collect the car update subsequently on progress.
Huntsman said:
I've wanted a Gilbern GT for a long time, went to see a basket case earlier this year near Newbury, I would have taken it on, but could not agree a price with the seller.
Brian Gent is both knowledgeable and helpful.
I am tempted by the one for sale in Sussex.
Mine is the one from Sussex, the pictures in the ad somewhat flatter as they were taken over three years ago! I met with Brian recently, tremendously helpful and passionate about the GT, also very useful to see the various cars that he has.Brian Gent is both knowledgeable and helpful.
I am tempted by the one for sale in Sussex.
Keep it stiff said:
Mine is the one from Sussex, the pictures in the ad somewhat flatter as they were taken over three years ago! I met with Brian recently, tremendously helpful and passionate about the GT, also very useful to see the various cars that he has.
Ah, looked like it might have been worth buying, well done.If you are going FIA then you'll need a 3 bearing engine and 3 syncro box. Not impossible to find and not really very much £££ in the grand scheme of things.
I collected the car today. First impressions are good, bits are mostly marked up and include many new bits that previous owners purchased ready for the restoration.
I lifted the body off and pleased to see that the chassis is good. It needs the adapted coil-overs removed and putting back to MGB original wishbones, also I need fixing points for the cage, seat and belts welded in. I have arrangements in hand for the chassis work.
The body is the big job, the internal panels have been cut away to allow the body to be separated from the chassis, there are a half a dozen sections which will all need to be bonded back together as part of the process of securing the body to the chassis and as part of this a cage will need to be made and fitted.
I found some used race numbers stuck to the boot inner lining suggesting that it may have had some track use, there is also some known rally use. The file includes some period pictures and a copy of the ad from, with picture, from Autosport in March 1966 when it was for sale at £865.
[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/xKfPY7Jw[/url]
I lifted the body off and pleased to see that the chassis is good. It needs the adapted coil-overs removed and putting back to MGB original wishbones, also I need fixing points for the cage, seat and belts welded in. I have arrangements in hand for the chassis work.
The body is the big job, the internal panels have been cut away to allow the body to be separated from the chassis, there are a half a dozen sections which will all need to be bonded back together as part of the process of securing the body to the chassis and as part of this a cage will need to be made and fitted.
I found some used race numbers stuck to the boot inner lining suggesting that it may have had some track use, there is also some known rally use. The file includes some period pictures and a copy of the ad from, with picture, from Autosport in March 1966 when it was for sale at £865.
[url]|https://thumbsnap.com/xKfPY7Jw[/url]Fletchyboy said:
My good friend Will built one of those race cars and at that time I had a share in the ownership as well. Drove it around Goodwood as I have a race licence and Will doesn't. He sold it and paid me out but I can put you in touch if you need any details of the build etc.
That would be very helpful, thanks, could you email me the contact detail for Will please.I collected my chassis from Phil Ivimey yesterday. Phil identified a number of sections with rot lurking under the surface, these were cut out and replaced with new. Removal of the Hoyle coil-overs required some chassis adaptation to return the chassis to the original MGB damper configuration. Various extra parts were added to accommodate seat fixings, belt mounting points and also in readiness for the cage.Next job on the agenda is getting the cage put in, a date is booked for mid-November.
I need to decide how to finish the chassis before it heads to the body shop, paint it or powder-coat it? With economy in mind I was originally leaning towards paint however having seen pictures of of a chassis/cage fully powder-coated, which looks absolutely superb, I'm now thinking that I should do the same.
A few more pictures of work so far:
I need to decide how to finish the chassis before it heads to the body shop, paint it or powder-coat it? With economy in mind I was originally leaning towards paint however having seen pictures of of a chassis/cage fully powder-coated, which looks absolutely superb, I'm now thinking that I should do the same.
A few more pictures of work so far:
What about galvanising? I recall the TVR classics forum having some passionate debate about pros and cons. Some said it was a no-no (distortion/weight) others swearing by it. As a student I had a summer job at a galvanisers, filing the drips of zinc off various metal items (the glamour), some of which were lotus chassis.
Personally I wouldn't powder-coat it - it's very difficult to repair any damage to powder coating. Water ingress through a scrape or other damage can be worse, too, because it sits between the powder coat and the metal.
I agree it looks great - I had a front subframe powder-coated years ago and it looked lovely - but as soon as anything chips, it's a problem. You may also have to consider whether the powder coating will cause issues with fitting bushes or similar - if the thickness will cause things to not fit, requiring the finish to be filed away in that area, or if you have captive threads and so on.
I agree it looks great - I had a front subframe powder-coated years ago and it looked lovely - but as soon as anything chips, it's a problem. You may also have to consider whether the powder coating will cause issues with fitting bushes or similar - if the thickness will cause things to not fit, requiring the finish to be filed away in that area, or if you have captive threads and so on.
droopsnoot said:
Personally I wouldn't powder-coat it - it's very difficult to repair any damage to powder coating. Water ingress through a scrape or other damage can be worse, too, because it sits between the powder coat and the metal.
I agree it looks great - I had a front subframe powder-coated years ago and it looked lovely - but as soon as anything chips, it's a problem. You may also have to consider whether the powder coating will cause issues with fitting bushes or similar - if the thickness will cause things to not fit, requiring the finish to be filed away in that area, or if you have captive threads and so on.
Agree with this, Caterham chassis powder coating was chipped but hadn't realised how far the (surface) corrosion had travelled under what looked likw secure coating until you picked at it and the coating fell away in sheets.I agree it looks great - I had a front subframe powder-coated years ago and it looked lovely - but as soon as anything chips, it's a problem. You may also have to consider whether the powder coating will cause issues with fitting bushes or similar - if the thickness will cause things to not fit, requiring the finish to be filed away in that area, or if you have captive threads and so on.
TVR powder coating was a different story, poor prep, in house set up after a certain date etc
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