Possible Project - too much to take on?
Discussion
A friend of mine a previous owners club member (you might remember the car?) has offered me his Gilbern as I am after a new project.
Not knowing too much on the make I have done some digging and found the owners club, so hoping you may be able to give me some advice!
Basics are -
- Not been on the road sice 99, but did run and move last year,
- It has been partly rebuilt in the past so mechanicals were pretty decent,
- Interior is pretty much shot - full of mushrooms and standing water,
- Electrics are shot
- bodywork is questionable - all seems solid but some worrying 'cracks' appearing
My main questions are - new wiring looms available? Can the bodywork be fixed? How hard are the odds and sods to come by - switchgear, window rubbers etc etc!
Sorry for all the questions!
Here is one of the cracks (maybe 12 in total over the car)- looks like the fibreglass is delaminating?
Not knowing too much on the make I have done some digging and found the owners club, so hoping you may be able to give me some advice!
Basics are -
- Not been on the road sice 99, but did run and move last year,
- It has been partly rebuilt in the past so mechanicals were pretty decent,
- Interior is pretty much shot - full of mushrooms and standing water,
- Electrics are shot
- bodywork is questionable - all seems solid but some worrying 'cracks' appearing
My main questions are - new wiring looms available? Can the bodywork be fixed? How hard are the odds and sods to come by - switchgear, window rubbers etc etc!
Sorry for all the questions!
Here is one of the cracks (maybe 12 in total over the car)- looks like the fibreglass is delaminating?
Hi,
This is a very dead forum !!! You may like to put a similar request on the Gilgern Owners Club Forum.
Firstly the car is restorable - everything is available - the Club actively encourages and supports getting cars back on the road.
If you don't take up the offer please talk to Club as we will find a home for her !!
I am currently "rebuilding" a 1968 Genie having played with Fairthorpes and TVRs a little.
Some pointers to go check :-
1) The Chassis - the chassis is made primarily of square tube - go look for rot - it can be fixed with the body on but a more long term fix is to split the body and chassis.
Before
After
We're going to Hillclimb and Sprint this one so I decided at the start to split it to get the cage mounts in and start from a good base.
2) Electrics - new looms from the Club or Autosparks ! - these cars have a high spec including electric windows - heated rear window - cigarette lighter etc I think a new loom is easier than tracing old stuff - especially in fibreglass cars.
3) Is the front windscreen intact as these are specific to the car - new ones are available but a good front screen probably doubles the value of a project car.
3) Hopefully you have a complete car as mine was just a rolling shell and there are a few obscure parts that we re harder to source.
My advice would be talk to a few people (feel free to PM me) and understand what you're getting into. There are several dismantled projects around that are trickier to put back together - an unmolested complete car is far easier ... !
This is currently a "not for profit" exercise but you end up with a brilliant car for not much money (compared to most other 60'sports saloons).
Does this help ??!!
If you want to come and look at a part restored car I'm in Basingstoke.
Chris
This is a very dead forum !!! You may like to put a similar request on the Gilgern Owners Club Forum.
Firstly the car is restorable - everything is available - the Club actively encourages and supports getting cars back on the road.
If you don't take up the offer please talk to Club as we will find a home for her !!
I am currently "rebuilding" a 1968 Genie having played with Fairthorpes and TVRs a little.
Some pointers to go check :-
1) The Chassis - the chassis is made primarily of square tube - go look for rot - it can be fixed with the body on but a more long term fix is to split the body and chassis.
Before
After
We're going to Hillclimb and Sprint this one so I decided at the start to split it to get the cage mounts in and start from a good base.
2) Electrics - new looms from the Club or Autosparks ! - these cars have a high spec including electric windows - heated rear window - cigarette lighter etc I think a new loom is easier than tracing old stuff - especially in fibreglass cars.
3) Is the front windscreen intact as these are specific to the car - new ones are available but a good front screen probably doubles the value of a project car.
3) Hopefully you have a complete car as mine was just a rolling shell and there are a few obscure parts that we re harder to source.
My advice would be talk to a few people (feel free to PM me) and understand what you're getting into. There are several dismantled projects around that are trickier to put back together - an unmolested complete car is far easier ... !
This is currently a "not for profit" exercise but you end up with a brilliant car for not much money (compared to most other 60'sports saloons).
Does this help ??!!
If you want to come and look at a part restored car I'm in Basingstoke.
Chris
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