Gerry
Willburn
Gerry was involved with Motor
Sports for over forty years. An electrical engineer by profession, Gerry
was a teen-age Hot Rodder that never grew up. Gerry went on his first
date with his wife Barbara in a 1947 Chrysler Town and Country convertible
(lots of wood). They went on their honeymoon in a supercharged MG.
 The couple's saga with Morgans goes
back to 1959 when the Willburns traded in the honeymooned MG and bought
a new Plus 4 Drophead Coupe. The car seems to have magically spawned
for there was at least one Mog in the family ever since. As a wayward
youth, Gerry was also a National motorcycle racing champion and the Morgan
was pressed into service towing the Ducati to the races. The family
currently campaigns a Peerless roadster (Birdcage Morgan) in vintage races,
though the driving duties has been passed on to son John some years ago.
Throughout the years, Barbara (who passed last year), Gerry
and their two sons, John and Derek (both Morgan enthusiasts) have owned
over twenty Morgans. The Willburns have always done all of their
own maintenance and restoration work on all
of their cars. This has included several complete restorations to
standards that won recognition and awards at major concours, including
the renowned Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
Gerry was a devoted hobbyist historian and can draw
on a library of Morgan historical data that has been assembled and organized
over the last forty years. During
his many trips to England,
Gerry Willburn has had the pleasure of meeting many of the stalwarts of
the British Morgan community and could count many among his friends,
including Peter Morgan. He was a member of the GoMoG Experts Panel
since its inception twenty years ago. His good sense, gentle manner and
welcome to new owners became legendary.
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