1973 MG B GT V8

Thanks to the included Heritage Certificate we know a good deal about the origins of this MGB GT V8. The car was produced between the 15th and 17th October 1973. It was dispatched from Abingdon on the 22nd October and was delivered to dealers Swift of Birmingham. The car was finished in Bracken paintwork with Autumn Leaf interior trim.

We then lose track of the MG for around four owners and 22 years. We know the car remained in the UK during this period and seems to have been lightly used. The Bracken MG hits the radar again in 1995 when it was acquired by its fifth owner, the President of the Royal Automobile Club in Tenerife. At this point the car was taken to the benign and arid climes of Tenerife. Here it became part of an extensive private collection and was used sparingly for shows and regularity rallies. During this chapter of its life the MG was serviced by the collector’s personal mechanic. A full respray in the original Bracken hue was also undertaken during this period.

In May 2021, the current owner acquired the MG and re-imported it to the UK. At this point he secured the correct Historic Vehicle classification for the car and had it serviced and MoT’d for his own peace of mind. A lack of time and space now necessitates selling the V8. The vendor's hope is that another enthusiast will fall for this car’s considerable charms, just like he did.

The Bracken livery of this MGB GT V8 makes for a very distinctive and head turning example of the recognisable MGB GT. The car left Abingdon in a Bracken hue, but the car has undergone a respray in its original colour in recent years. The paintwork is thickly and smoothly applied and presents well with a deep and lustrous shine emanating from the panels. There are a couple of sub-standard areas, but they are small and quite hard to casually spot.

Respray aside, it is the V8’s faithful originality that stands out. The bodywork appears to be impressively solid with doors, bonnet and boot all opening and closing easily and positively. The light lenses and cabin glass all appear to be in fine order. The car’s current, and original, registration number is etched into the cabin glass. Speaking of registration numbers, the rear plate is currently cable tied in position over the car’s Tenerife plate which is rivetted on to its plinth. Owner Patrick has just lacked the time to remove the underlying plate.

The car sits on its original set of distinctive Dunlop light alloy wheels. These are 14-inch items with highly polished rims. The centres are adorned with 10 oblong cutouts which are edged with polished alloy. The inset sections are finished in black. They appear to be in a good overall condition and set off the look of the MG perfectly.

British Leyland were sensitive to criticism that the V8 looked just like its humbler four-cylinder sibling. Probably as a result, the MG features four original oversized V8 badges. MG Octagons are also present at each end with the British Leyland oblong emblem kept vanishingly small.

The MG’s cabin is almost wholly original and all the better for it. Only some of the carpets are thought to have been more recent replacements. The original Autumn Leaf fabric corded upholstery remains in place. The condition is reasonable considering its 50 years of faithful service. There is a small tear in the passenger seat back fabric, and it has become a little baggy in places. Likewise, the foam of the driver’s seat feels a little tired but, again, not bad for its age.

The dashboard presents in the familiar crackle finished black paint. The white on black Smiths gauge set is present, correct and fully working. A delightful, alloy spoked, wooden rimmed Mota Lita steering wheel is fitted. Both this and the wooden gear knob are thought to be period optional extras.

A sliding Webasto vinyl sunroof is fitted. This is reported to work and be weatherproof but may require some attention to its inner folding mechanism. As such, we didn’t operate it during our visit. The roof is complete with a tinted Perspex wind deflector and an untidy earlier repair to the headlining of the sunroof is noted.

In the boot the carpet mat has faded a little, likely in the Tenerife sun, but the overall condition in here is very good. The floor panel lifts to reveal a fifth Dunlop alloy wheel as a spare and the original jack. The spare wheel aperture seems to be in a fine condition, too.

The 3.5L V8 as adopted by Rover really needs no introduction and, in this application, is particularly unstressed with its lower compression ratio. It’s all about the torque really, making the V8 a relaxed cruiser with more than sufficient urge to render it transformed over lesser engined MGB GTs. Power is fed to the rear wheels via a four speed, full synchromesh manual gearbox. A switch operated Laycock overdrive is fitted for use with third and fourth gears. Brakes are discs up front and drums at the rear.

This car was last serviced in April 2022 and some more recent attention has been given to the ignition system earlier this year. As such, the vendor reports that “the overdrive works as it should and the car drives extremely well with no issues with brakes, steering or suspension.” During our visit the car started immediately and idled evenly. It sounds great, too. There is no mistaking its V8 credentials when you blip the throttle.

The under-bonnet presentation helps underscore the charming originality of this car. It becomes obvious here that no significant modifications have been made to its well-considered factory configuration. The twin SU carburettors are present and correct and the original, distinctive slimline air intake system remains unmolested. The expected data plates are also present. The condition under here is very good indeed. The underside of the car looks to be in good order, too, with no issues or faults noted or reported.

Due to the MG’s interesting background the paperwork archive is concise. The current V5 is present in the vendor's name. This classifies the car as a Historic Vehicle and hence MoT and VED exempt in the UK. Despite that, an advisory free MoT was undertaken in 2021 and has only recently expired. The informative Heritage Certificate is also on hand.

Other paperwork includes a service and MoT invoice, workshop manual and parts catalogue. There is also some paperwork from the re-import process. The vendor also notes that the earlier Spanish registration documents are present, as is an invoice from earlier this year for ignition work.

In the realms of classic MGs of the 1970s, the MGB GT V8 is somewhat of a sweet spot. It is not just it’s dramatically improved driving dynamics that set it apart, however. It was also produced in tiny numbers by MG’s standards of the time. This fact helps lend the V8 a degree of rarity and exclusivity not immediately associated with an MGB GT.

This example is a charmer. Its bright colourway and faithful originality really help endear it to those in the know. It isn’t a concours car, but it is very good indeed. It clearly runs well and sounds amazing. The lucky new owner should be able to enjoy an increasingly rare and sought after British V8 sports car without having to address any pressing issues. Surely an ownership prospect too enticing to miss? We are confident to offer this car with an estimate of £15,000-£20,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Daventry. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.