Gilbern | Classic-car-images

A collection of images of classic Gilbern cars, and cars that are likely to become classics, taken at numerous visits to car shows, motoring museums, motoring events and on the road when the opportunity arises.

Gilbern Sports Cars (Components) Ltd was founded by Giles Smith (previously a butcher, who died in 2003) and Bernard Friese, a German engineer with experience in glass fibre mouldings, and was one of the few cars to be made in Wales. Friese had made a one-off car for himself and the two partners used this as the basis for the first Gilbern car. The premises were a tiny workshop in Church Village, Pontypridd but when production started the business moved to a new location at the old Red Ash Colliery at nearby Llantwit Fardre. The cars were available at first only as kits but later complete cars were also available.

The name, Gilbern, was a combination of the first three letters of the name of founder Giles Smith and the first four letters of the name of his co-founder Bernard Friese.

Gilberns have often been entered in competition at the Wiscombe Park Hillclimb, first appearing there in 1962 in the hands of an Aston Martin Owners Club member.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders accepted Gilbern as a member in 1965, and the company was permitted to operate a stand at the British International Motor Show at Earls Court thereafter.

In 1968, following a search for a cash injection, Gilbern was taken over by Ace Capital Holdings Ltd, whose main business was the manufacture of slot machines. Following the takeover Giles Smith left the company to be replaced by Mike Leather and Maurice Collins as joint managing directors. In 1970 Ace was bought by entertainment group Mecca Ltd, who sold the company to Maurice Collins; in 1972 he in turn sold it to Mike Leather.

The cars were expensive for the time and became more so with 1973 taxation changes that added Value Added Tax to kit cars. Production ceased not long thereafter, also in 1973.

A one-off concept car, the T11, was produced, just prior to the company's closure, and was restored in 2009–10, appearing in some classic car articles in early 2010.

1960

1966 Gilbern GT, HAE 767D

Image taken at the NEC Classic Car Show on 8th November 2024.
Vehicle first registered on 10th June 1966.
1798cc petrol engine.

The notice displayed with the vehicle states:
HAE 767D was first registered on 10th June 1966 to Michael McDonald Harvey of Bristol. This is a late GT model and was supplied in light blue with a five bearing B series engine (from the MGB). The current owner is the 6th and acquired it in 1981 as a complete but not running car in need of restoration.
The GT joined a Gilbern family with an Invader Mk III owned by his father (Ron Thomas) and a Genie owned by his mother (Coral Thomas).
The car was restored over the following 12 months and given the current red paint finish. The car, then as now, remains in largely the original specification.
Once the rebuild was complete the car won the Gilbern Owners Club (GOC) GT class concours in 1982 and 1983 and the touring class in 1984 and 1985.
This was the current owners first and only car until 1998 when his daily commute proved too much for the car. It was garaged and the car was not to be used again until 2003 when the second major restoration commenced. Due to a four years overseas work assignment, the rebuild was not completed until 2009 when the car was restored to the current condition.
The car again won the GOC GT class concours in 2009 and 2010 and was again displayed at the 2009 NEC Classic Car Show.

NOTE: This car was on the Gilbern stand at the very first National Classic Motor Show in 1984.

1966 Gilbern GT, HAE 767D

Image taken at the NEC Classic Car Show on 8th November 2024.
Vehicle first registered on 10th June 1966.
1798cc petrol engine.

The notice displayed with the vehicle states:
HAE 767D was first registered on 10th June 1966 to Michael McDonald Harvey of Bristol. This is a late GT model and was supplied in light blue with a five bearing B series engine (from the MGB). The current owner is the 6th and acquired it in 1981 as a complete but not running car in need of restoration.
The GT joined a Gilbern family with an Invader Mk III owned by his father (Ron Thomas) and a Genie owned by his mother (Coral Thomas).
The car was restored over the following 12 months and given the current red paint finish. The car, then as now, remains in largely the original specification.
Once the rebuild was complete the car won the Gilbern Owners Club (GOC) GT class concours in 1982 and 1983 and the touring class in 1984 and 1985.
This was the current owners first and only car until 1998 when his daily commute proved too much for the car. It was garaged and the car was not to be used again until 2003 when the second major restoration commenced. Due to a four years overseas work assignment, the rebuild was not completed until 2009 when the car was restored to the current condition.
The car again won the GOC GT class concours in 2009 and 2010 and was again displayed at the 2009 NEC Classic Car Show.

NOTE: This car was on the Gilbern stand at the very first National Classic Motor Show in 1984.

1970

1970 Gilbern Invader Mk I, AWD 846J

Image taken at the NEC Classic Car Show on 8th November 2024.
Vehicle first registered on 31st May 1970.
3000cc petrol engine.

The notice displayed with the vehicle states:
The car was purchased by the current owner in January 2000 and was in a sad state. The new owner, who is the 6th, proceeded to strip the car down completely including taking the body off the chassis and removing all the internal floor and bulkhead panels. He then proceeded to repair the chassis which had all the usual rust that these cars suffer from (they have a multi-tube steel chassis with fibreglass body).
The car was then re-assembled with parts being renovated or replaced as required. Like many old cars it has had a few colour changes, starting with blue, then red, now yellow. The car was resprayed in a carport by putting on plenty of paint so that by flattening down the orange peel effect, a half decent finish could be obtained. The seats were reupholstered professionally.
The renovation took 3 years and surprised the owner at the reasonable standard achieved. The car has been used regularly since Although it is not used if the roads have been salted. Like most enthusiasts, there have been tweaks over the years to keep abreast of modern motoring but he has always tried to keep the car as standard as possible.
The Invader is great to drive, keeping up with modern traffic easily and making a far nicer sound.

1970 Gilbern Invader Mk I, AWD 846J

Image taken at the NEC Classic Car Show on 8th November 2024.
Vehicle first registered on 31st May 1970.
3000cc petrol engine.

The notice displayed with the vehicle states:
The car was purchased by the current owner in January 2000 and was in a sad state. The new owner, who is the 6th, proceeded to strip the car down completely including taking the body off the chassis and removing all the internal floor and bulkhead panels. He then proceeded to repair the chassis which had all the usual rust that these cars suffer from (they have a multi-tube steel chassis with fibreglass body).
The car was then re-assembled with parts being renovated or replaced as required. Like many old cars it has had a few colour changes, starting with blue, then red, now yellow. The car was resprayed in a carport by putting on plenty of paint so that by flattening down the orange peel effect, a half decent finish could be obtained. The seats were reupholstered professionally.
The renovation took 3 years and surprised the owner at the reasonable standard achieved. The car has been used regularly since Although it is not used if the roads have been salted. Like most enthusiasts, there have been tweaks over the years to keep abreast of modern motoring but he has always tried to keep the car as standard as possible.
The Invader is great to drive, keeping up with modern traffic easily and making a far nicer sound.