Gilbern was founded in 1959 by Giles Smith and Bernard Friese in Wales, spurred by Friese’s desire to create a few race cars for weekends. To this day Gilbern remains the only commercial automaker ever birthed in Wales. The cars were fiberglass-bodied and used a variety of BMC engines at first. They were generally sold as kits to avoid certain taxes, but factory-finished cars were available too. All told, Gilbern produced just 1000 cars. The first of these was the beautiful GT, which sold 280 copies and was made until 1967. At that point, the company moved upmarket with the Genie which was powered by a Ford Essex V6, divorcing the company from BMC’s reluctance as a supplier. The Genie gave way to the Invader in 1969, but underlying mechanicals remained so similar that the name change was almost unwarranted. Here on eBay is a 1971 Gilbern Invader Mk II for sale, currently bid at $4,051, reserve not met. This car is located in La Vernia, Texas, and the tip comes to us courtesy of Larry D. Thanks, Larry! For further information on this unusual car, we consulted an old listing on an auction site, as well as a recent craigslist ad.
The Ford Essex engine produces a healthy 135 bhp from its 3.0 liter V6 configuration. It breathes through a Weber carburetor fitted in 2015. The transmission is also from Ford, a four-speed manual with overdrive. The car’s top speed is 120 mph. Service performed includes an oil change, radiator recore, new water pump, and a relatively new starter. The master cylinder, brakes, suspension, and transmission have all been refreshed within the last few years. The odometer sits at 11,000 but the total mileage is unknown.
Right-hand drive is nothing to worry about as far as technique – any Barn Finds reader can handle that – but the car’s salability is probably suffering. The interior is plush, with a gauge-and-switch-saturated dash. The rear seats offer enough space for a poodle or two. Sharp eyes can see a separation of the panel material around the driver’s interior door handle (an MGB part), and a mismatch in the seat fabric: the fronts have cloth inserts, and the rears are perforated vinyl.
The car has a ragtop sunroof; these were usually supplied by Webasto. By the time this car was made, Gilbern was using MGC rear ends, and with that change came alloy wheels instead of wires. The company made its own wheels. These 2+2 grand touring cars were Gilben’s swan song, as it turned out. The gas crisis and the advent of VAT in the UK was the final blow to a tiny company that managed to survive on a diet of very few sales. As far as price, the craigslist ad gives a clue to what the seller is thinking, but the recent auction brought a bid of only half that. What do you think this one should sell for?
It feels a little silly and/or petty not to mention Bring a Trailer as the source of the auction. I mean, 99% of your readership are fans of both sites!
Anyway, lovely Gilbern, but I think it’s unlikely the seller will recoup his importation costs (a concern he mentioned in the BaT comments.) If he’s serious about the sale, that Craigslist price should go way down.
Not trying to be petty or silly. That’s not why I am spending my time writing these articles.
I’ve never heard of this car, but for 1971 the looks are pretty refreshing. I live in a gated community of 18000 people spread over about 50 square miles and this would be a neat car to drive around our hills and curvy roads, but I wouldn’t want to take it outside the village. As is, if I had extra cash, I’d like to try this one… very interesting car, and not well known would cause most of the old guys around here plenty of rag to chew on.
I had one of about 5 LHD Gilbern GTs which was sold on BaT about 5years ago. I was a member of the Gilbern Owners Club at that time and it was the most helpful car club I ever been involved with. Spares and advice no problem.
I don’t think the company offered Genie or Invader in LHD. Gilbern was a well-respected alternative manufacturer in the 60s and 70s. Very good quality over square tube frames, handbuilt but not kit cars.
This shape was based on the Alfa Bertone Coupe. A good example in the UK could bring $10-15000 , but in Texas I think it’s going to be less.
I was thinkin the Wolwo Bertone Coup (ie 240 model) sedan/coupe to my waggy of 20 yrs (’74 to ’93) boy those cars lasted!.
Replying to myself, Michelle. You are correct, Like Lotis, Marcos and some others these cars could be supplied in CKD kits to your door. It saved about 20% in tax.
We used to call them component cars, to differentiate from Kit cars. This because in this case, every car was identical to cars assembled by rhe manufacter at base, all parts were new and homologation was same as a factory car.
A kit car then and now would be assembled by the owner sourcing their own ( usually 2nd hand parts,) so no two are the same. Cobra replica would be a modern kit car, for example.
The Craig’s List ad only has one photo, and posted 27 days ago.
Unusual car. But RHD in America is a tough sell. Chances of an accident when trying to pull out enough to see if it is safe to pass could be a bit hazardous.
I have never driven a RHD vehicle, but i think making a left hand turn at a intersection could be tricky.
It’s no problem whatever. I drove on the LH side of the road for over 30 years in South Africa before visiting America in 1989. I drove a 1981 Cadillac in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, a Buick from San Diego to Los Angeles and then a Toyota Cressida from Baltimore up to Hershey, via Intercourse and Paradise for the big show at Hershey. Only once did I have a slight problem and that was on the first day of driving when I left a traffic light and turned left into what would have been oncoming traffic if their light had been green. Sorted in half a second and no further problems. I owned several LHD American boats in SA including five Mustangs and never had a problem in overtaking as all I did was hang back far enough to see the road ahead was safe and then floor it. Lovely stuff.
Howie,
It’s all in being able to judge where the opposite side of the car is. If you can make a right turn with LHD, it’s really no different than making a left turn with RHD.
I think you guys missed my point, when you are in a RHD vehicle, in the left turn lane, you can not easily see the oncoming cars from the right seat, when there is other cars wanting to turn left also opposite of where you are turning.
Howie,
Yes, you are correct. That said, even driving a LHD car, I already have the same problem with the cars turning left from the other direction, blocking my view of oncoming traffic. That said, most of the drivers of RHD cars I know here the USA, tell me they have a passenger in the front seat most of the time, and depend on the passenger to tell them when it’s OK to go.
That’s why one would be wise to pull out well in advance of the pass. Had a RHD Austin Mini van, in the mid-70s, and got caught out by a Quebec Firebird in a section of Hwy 401, in Toronto, when he thought that, since his lane was ending, and he was an important man in a hurry, it would be a good idea to force me under a tanker trailer. He was doing a ton (or is ti the ton?), and thank god the Wink mirror caught him rapidly gaining on me, in time for me to fathom his intention. God forbid he should have to brake!
George Birth,
I’ve owned and/or driven hundreds of RHD cars in north America, and many LHD cars in the UK. Yes, it can be a problem if you have to pass a bigger vehicle like a van or truck on a 2-lane road. However when I was driving a vehicle with the “wrong” driving side, 99% of the time I had a passenger in the front seat who could let me know when to pass.
In the 1980s huge numbers of used Rolls-Royce and Bentleys were imported from the UK, and I would estimate that probably close to half of those 2 brands here in north America are RHD cars. I’ve been closely watching the Rolls-Royce market for over 40 years [and until I sold my last Rolls-Royce I was a RROC member], I’ve never head of any of those cars being in a head-on accident due to the RHD situation.
For a potential buyer who is interested in a Gilbern [I’ve owned one myself], unless you are someone who likes to drive alone, don’t let the RHD scare you off.
And when you and your passenger get pulled over for speeding, and the police officer comes over to the left door and asks the passenger for license and registration, the passenger should chuckle and simply ask him “why?” When he realizes his mistake, unless you’ve got a existing warrant or other prior speeding tickets showing, chances are he’s going to let you off with a warning! And yes, it’s happened to me more than once! No officer want to take a chance you will go to court about the speeding ticket, and let the public [or fellow cops] know about his faux pas!
Fiberglass Capri.
Unsafe at any speed as some here attempt to drive. But im
not surprised. Basically; You have to see the road always in any
situation at any speed and also from behind large obstacles.
Any who claim this is not necessary can not drive. Left behind
from politics where no one is interested in the other. Egoism.
Left alone trying to sensitise people to safer behaviour in
road traffic. What is reflected in the number of deaths per year,
where 2019 Las Vegas has 319 deaths, but Helsinki, which is
the same size, has only 1.
A.e. Hungary after the loss of the eastern block implemented
55 hours with trainer. And 0/°° alcohol, they had just too many
road accidents with fatal injury.
This car looks like a sharp edged Alfa tipo 104 standing too
high on oversized tires. With MG B stuff inside conversion
to SECURE TO DRIVE left-hand drive is doable.
@Mitch This is a point of view where the logical end game is to ban such vehicles from the road. In Europe that would keep most Brits on the island, and Europeans out of the UK. Some Brits might vote for that.
It is clear that driving RHD in an LHD system or vice versa is less than ideal, but a good driver adapts to the situation and traffic conditions. In this case, no kamikaze overtaking. Around town and on dual lane roads it really doesn´t make much difference. On narrow country lanes, it can actually be an advantage to be sitting next to the edge of the road.
A particularly slow collectors vehicle with bad lighting (so many pre 60s cars), for me is more dangerous than a Lancia Integrale in the UK or this car in the USA.
Many hot rods are outside the norm being clearly built with power outputs which the chassis cannot handle. Outlaw motor bikes? Monster trucks? Once you start to ban, where do you stop?
I’m a mailman, so the RHD part is no bother haha. My bigger driving issue would be shifting gears left handed. I have a hard enough time shifting the notchy T5 right handed on my 92 Mustang GT.