I found the car in Denmark when it unexpectedly popped up on a web search involving the words 'Gilbern' and 'FIA'. It had been exported in about 1980 by its emigrating English owner. Oliver is a fishery owner who still lives and works there. But since the early 'noughties' the car was raced in Denmark's active classic series.
Since 2010 the car had been owned by a sympathetic MGB fan who set about establishing a more solid mechanical platform in an old car that I suspect was showing the effect of its recent use. He had managed a super job in producing a car that seemed solid and almost immediately usable, but there was still lots of room left for development in the areas he had not yet reached. Kaj had certainly worked hard to bring the car back to essential race-fitness and to secure new FIA HTP papers, allowing the car to qualify for Appendix K, Period F events.
Following an earlier visit to examine the car, I returned a few weeks later to Billund (aka Legoland International Airport). Kaj met me with the car on a trailer and transported me to Ejsbjerg. An 18-hour ferry ride later, I landed the car at Immingham. A further trailer ride got us to Edinburgh, where the car was deposited in one of my garages. And the work began.....
Since 2010 the car had been owned by a sympathetic MGB fan who set about establishing a more solid mechanical platform in an old car that I suspect was showing the effect of its recent use. He had managed a super job in producing a car that seemed solid and almost immediately usable, but there was still lots of room left for development in the areas he had not yet reached. Kaj had certainly worked hard to bring the car back to essential race-fitness and to secure new FIA HTP papers, allowing the car to qualify for Appendix K, Period F events.
Following an earlier visit to examine the car, I returned a few weeks later to Billund (aka Legoland International Airport). Kaj met me with the car on a trailer and transported me to Ejsbjerg. An 18-hour ferry ride later, I landed the car at Immingham. A further trailer ride got us to Edinburgh, where the car was deposited in one of my garages. And the work began.....