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Hello from Australia. I've owned many cars of many types, but this made-in-Wales gem is something else! I bought it sight unseen (for way too much) from the other side of Australia, and have spent mainly time (not money) getting things sorted. You can Google the fascinating history of this super-rare car (only 270-odd were ever made), and you can see recent photographs of my car at www.grouseguitars.com.au/gilbernEnjoy looking at it as much as I enjoy driving it!
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1958 Mercedes 220S 1960 International AA151 truck 1965 Gilbern GT1800 1965 Datsun Fairlady 1600 SP311 roadster 1971 Norton Commando 750 fastback / Dunstall motorcycle 1974 Bedford CF / Dolphin camper 1977 Peugeot 504GL 1979 BMW R100/7 motorcycle 1981 Moto Guzzi SP1000 motorcycle 1981 Mercedes 280TE 1983 Mercedes 230TE 1983 Mercedes 230E
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Anglia68
Posted a lot
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Posts: 2,049
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Welcome and what a beauty you've got there, I don't think I've ever seen a cleaner example.
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Mark
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,097
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I've never seen one of them, it's absolutely fantastic. Welcome to the forum, we're gaining a fair few Aussie members now
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Blimey. If that could talk, it would have a great story about how it ended up in Oz.
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Had one of these when i was at college.not quite as nice as this though.
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Ginetta G15 BMW K1100 conversion Sold Mk1 Mx5 on ITB'S Sold TVR Chimaera 400 supercharged MR2 Red Roadster 2ZZ Bee*R 324 Skyline 95 Cherokee Jeep
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,538
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That's a beauty! Not seen one of these steering wheels before, with the solid lower spoke. Do you know if it was a Gilbern 'special'?
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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That's a beauty! Not seen one of these steering wheels before, with the solid lower spoke. Do you know if it was a Gilbern 'special'? Interesting you should say that! I had wondered about the steering wheel, but look at the publicity photo used by Gilbern! It seems the steering wheel changed to a three-spoke design just before my car (or maybe mine was the first), as a car with a chassis number (B.100217) just 4 before mine (B.100221) I inspected recently had the 2-spoke wheel.
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1958 Mercedes 220S 1960 International AA151 truck 1965 Gilbern GT1800 1965 Datsun Fairlady 1600 SP311 roadster 1971 Norton Commando 750 fastback / Dunstall motorcycle 1974 Bedford CF / Dolphin camper 1977 Peugeot 504GL 1979 BMW R100/7 motorcycle 1981 Moto Guzzi SP1000 motorcycle 1981 Mercedes 280TE 1983 Mercedes 230TE 1983 Mercedes 230E
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barrett
Part of things
Plastic cars with metal doors BEST
Posts: 390
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One of my all time favourite cars, and this one is simply stunning. These are well out of my league now and are fully in the 'dream car' strata. A notch below the as-good-as-extinct Ogle 1.5 but just above a Peerless GT in my own arbitrary hierarchy of Silly Plastic Cars I Need To Own.
LOVELY
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Somebody find me a Watling. £££ waiting! (Seriously, I want a Watling. Help me plzzzzz)
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One of my all time favourite cars, and this one is simply stunning. These are well out of my league now and are fully in the 'dream car' strata. A notch below the as-good-as-extinct Ogle 1.5 but just above a Peerless GT in my own arbitrary hierarchy of Silly Plastic Cars I Need To Own. LOVELY Thanks Barrett. It was pure chance that I saw this car come up for sale, and I was one of the few people on earth (you're another!) who knew what a Gilbern GT1800 was. At the time it was well out of my league too, but I sold another much-loved possession, scraped together everything else, and took a huge gamble. It has paid off in the satisfaction stakes. This car is incredible to drive. It also came with impeccable (and fascinating) history, with loads of original documentation regarding its original order and purchase (including letters to and from Gilbern and ACE in London by the original owner), original British registration, then its journey just a few years later to Australia through Canada, the USA, New Zealand, and finally Melbourne, Australia. It then drove across this huge country to Perth, where the owner settled down, and retired the Gilbern in 1972 (yes, only 70,000 miles and 7 years old!), where it was mothballed until discovered a few years back, had some restoration work done on the chassis and some serious tuning done to the original MGB engine (radical cam, large valves, Weber 45DCOE etc), and then sold to me, the car's third owner. I've owned a near-mint 1961 Porsche 356 Super90, an incredibly low-mileage and original 1964 Mercedes 230SL, and some other nice cars, but this is definitely my favourite. Driving pleasure that challenges my favourite motorbikes (including my Norton fastback). I truly believe the Gilbern GT1800 is one of the greatest 'sleepers' on the classic car market. With total production of just 270 (at best), not many people have had the chance to actually drive a well-sorted example, so it's hardly surprising.
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1958 Mercedes 220S 1960 International AA151 truck 1965 Gilbern GT1800 1965 Datsun Fairlady 1600 SP311 roadster 1971 Norton Commando 750 fastback / Dunstall motorcycle 1974 Bedford CF / Dolphin camper 1977 Peugeot 504GL 1979 BMW R100/7 motorcycle 1981 Moto Guzzi SP1000 motorcycle 1981 Mercedes 280TE 1983 Mercedes 230TE 1983 Mercedes 230E
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