1969 MG C GT Auto

This car was first registered in May 1969 and it has ticked up a modest 26,000 miles on the odometer. This motor has had four previous keepers and it is being sold with its original owner’s manual. Having had the best part of £40k spent on it, this car has been completely rebuilt by the owner previous to the vendor. The vendor assures us that the electrics work well and the car runs sweet.

It’s being sold with a CD record of all the works that have been carried out. The restoration took six years and it completed just two years ago. The car has travelled a mere 1000 miles since completing the restoration as the owner sold it due to his wife’s struggle to climb in and out. In the words of the vendor: “It’s in such good condition; there’s a lovely bark to the exhaust and it’s a lovely long-distance car, particularly the automatic – it’s ready to go”.

Beyond that, the car comes with a heritage certificate to verify that it adorns its original mineral blue colour. It comes with a spare chrome spoked wheel under the boot floor. Another nice feature is that the paintwork in the engine bay and inside the boot is finished to the same high standard and gloss finish as the external body.

At first it’s easy to think you’re walking round a beautifully presented MGB GT until you spot that the wheels are filling the wheel arches rather more enthusiastically than the B’s 14 inch items. The C sits a little higher, and the 15-inch wheels were fitted primarily to accommodate the 11-inch Girling front discs and rear wheel drum with vacuum servo assistance that Abingdon’s engineers specified to haul its increased weight to a safe standstill.

The impression that this is not your usual MG coupé of the period is affirmed when you spot the bonnet. It has a large power bulge covering 80 percent of its area running down its central section, capped off by an aluminium trim strip near the front of the panel. There’s also an excitingly bulbous hump that’s there to clear the most forward of the two SU carburettors.

The impression is that this is a bit of a factory hot rod, albeit a very conservatively styled and restrained one. that being said, it certainly looks rather more special than your average MGB GT. The mineral blue paintwork is complemented by glistening chrome spoke wheels (which look to be in fine condition throughout) and lovely details, like the Union Jack flags that furnish both front side panels. The only imperfection worth highlighting is on the lower valance behind the front bumper as it is mis-shaped on the passenger’s side and there is a slight gap where it joins inside the driver’s wheel arch.

The traditional MGC black crackle finish dash has been replaced with a walnut finish. There is an aftermarket Kenwood radio, a USB power outlet to keep devices charged up, and the grey leather seats have blue piping to match the outside colour. The period black three spoked steering wheel gives the cabin a classic feel. The carpets, door cards and veneer have clearly been installed recently as part of the restoration, and they remain in top condition throughout. The only imperfection worth highlighting is with the slightly untidy seal between the door and the headlining on the driver’s side.

The 140mph speedometer assures you that motorway speeds are no strain for the big six MG. Modern inertia reel seatbelts replace what would have been fixed versions originally – another very sensible upgrade that just makes the car easier and safer to use.

Under the bonnet, this is clearly not an MGB. From its twin 12 volt batteries, to the 2.9-litre straight six BMC C-Series engine which fills the engine bay, and is noticeably different to the four-cylinder car, with the top mounts for the front telescopic dampers clearly visible (the B has lever arm units). The detailing under here is impressive, with the long C-Series rocker cover complete with all its period labels. It looks as if a modern electric cooling fan has been fitted, which is a sensible modification for any classic car, and especially one with a large engine in a cramped engine bay. This GT can cope with modern traffic conditions without breaking a sweat. As you’d expect with a car that’s had this level of restoration work, everything under here is as it should be – clean, tidy and in its right and proper place. Again, the differences to the MGB are obvious as the C’s front suspension design channels suspension forces through torsion bars that run alongside the front chassis rails.

This 2912cc engine can reach a top speed of 120mph and gets from 0 to 60mph in 10 seconds. The engine is mated to a Borg Warner automatic transmission. The model 35 automatic gearbox is fairly bulky and theoretically should have been mounted further back in the chassis to give a more even weight distribution, but this would have led to further modifications (like enlarging the transmission tunnel). This was rejected as it would have meant reducing the size of the passenger compartment which in turn would impact comfort.

The car had its last MOT on 4th July 2020 at 25,295 miles where it passed without any advisories. This car comes with reems of paperwork, as it’s had the best part of £40k spent on it. One invoice from 2016 shows that £12k was spent on carrying out key pieces of bodywork, such as new wheel arches, bonnet, sills, footwell sides and inner front wings, among other things.

These are rare beasts at the best of times and this one is particularly special given its uniquely low mileage and comprehensive rebuild. As such, we estimate that a prospective buyer will have to part with somewhere between £25,000-£35,000 to make this aesthetically pleasing, fun-to-drive, functional classic theirs.

Viewing is always encouraged and as stated this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.