1969 MG C GT

If you’re a fan of cars with a story, then this MG C GT is right up your street.

Initially delivered to North America, the car spent a number of years residing in the eastern seaboard city of New York, before making its way west to Wisconsin.

Subsequently, it was repatriated back to British shores during 2015 by the prior UK owner, though it was never registered in their name.

From what we can tell, the prior owner had the car sprayed in the correct green colour, perhaps tidied up one or two things, and then sold the car on to our vendor, who is the sole registered UK keeper of the car.

Since acquiring the car in 2017, our vendor has comprehensively overhauled the car mechanically, converting it to right-hand-drive in the process - not that you’d ever know, unless he told you.

The result is an MG C that starts first time with ease, drives fantastically and is reliable enough to simply “smoke around in” rather than having the usual worries and nagging doubts that are associated with classic car ownership.

As previously mentioned, the paintwork appears to have received attention prior to coming into the vendor’s care, and whilst it looks fantastic from a distance, there are a few patches of orange peel and dull paintwork to be seen.

The bonus of that, however, is the very reason our vendor loves this car - it’s wonderfully useable. No, it’s not a concours car, but it is a car you’re happy to use and enjoy without worrying about every little stone chip, minor mark or patch of wear-and-tear it accrues through being driven and enjoyed.

The wire wheels look excellent and are factory-correct, though they would benefit from a refurbishment to bring them back to their best. All four wheels are wrapped in matching Avon rubber.

The glass, lenses and chrome work all appears to be free of damage and cracking, though in the latter case there is a few patches of pitting and wear, particularly on the rear bumper which can be seen in the extensive gallery below.

Looking along the flanks of the car, the panels look wonderfully straight and free of impact damage, with the only issues noted being the bonnet which does not appear to close properly on the nearside front edge.

As with the exterior, the cabin of this MG is in great condition, and has clearly been a true labour of love for the vendor.

The right-hand-drive conversion has been executed superbly with no visible indication of the process having ever taken place as far as we could see.

The dashboard is free of cracking, and the instruments are all wonderfully clear and working correctly. The vendor notes that the rev counter wears a 4-cylinder ‘face’ but has the correct six-cylinder internals and calibration, so it is accurate and working correctly.

Elsewhere, the carpets are in excellent condition and have all been replaced during the work carried out by the vendor, as was the steering wheel which was a brand-new item.

The seats have been upgraded to later models which have the all-important headrest, whilst the vendor has also fitted period-correct inertia-reel seat belts for added safety, a choice made due to carrying his son in the car regularly.

Up above, the headliner is in generally good condition, though there are minor signs of staining and wear noted around the rear hatch and door areas.

The vendor does note that the odometer is not accurate to the car - it was swapped out during the RHD conversion process, and the original mileage was not noted.

Upon opening the bonnet, our photographer was impressed to see just how clean the engine and bay were - a great sign of an owner that is fastidious about the upkeep of their car.

As far as we could see, there were no signs of any oil and fluid leaks from up above. The car started with ease and would settle into an idle quite happily, and on the road there were no noted signs of smoking from the rear of the car during the short journey to the photo shoot location. The vendor reports that the car has been excellent to drive and enjoy, with no known faults, and the gearbox overdrive on the top two gears engaging perfectly.

Along with the right-hand-drive conversion, the vendor has also meticulously overhauled and refurbished this MG C’s mechanicals and suspension components, with the following items having been addressed:

New valve seals

Head gasket

Water pump

Oil and filter change less than 200 miles ago

New oil cooler and pipes

Electronic ignition conversion

Full stainless steel exhaust system - sounds very refined

New gearbox oil filter and seals

New thrust washers, seals and rear differential oil change

New clutch master and slave cylinder

New clutch servo

New front brake calipers and pipes

All suspension bushes renewed and all-round

Fitment of a new wiring harness and battery

Looking underneath the car, the chassis and suspension components are all wonderfully clean and in excellent condition, with the only noted issue being a misting of oil or grease around a CV joint as seen in the photographs.

The vendor believes the outer sills and front floor sections were replaced prior to his ownership, and, having peeled up the carpets inside the car, it’s not hard to believe, as this ‘C’ is wonderfully solid throughout as far as we can see.

Despite the impressive word-of-mouth history of the car travelling the globe, there is very little history on paper prior to the vendor’s ownership.

However, since the vendor has owned the car, there are numerous invoices for parts fitted to the car showing the extensive works carried out, a copy of the car’s wiring diagram, and the all-important Heritage Certificate confirming the original specification of the car, and the fact that the engine and chassis are numbers-matching.

The UK registration documents are also present, along with a copy of the car’s Wisconsin title. Of course, the requisite V5 registered keepers document is included, which shows 0 former UK keepers.

Mechanically excellent and fastidiously maintained with a through refresh below the service, this is a cherished and eminently usable example of the classic six-cylinder GT, which would make an excellent weekend toy or even a classic daily driver for the distinguished motorist.

Given the condition of the car, its history and right-hand-drive conversion, we estimate the hammer to fall in the region of £13,000 to £18,000.

Viewing is always encouraged and this car is located with the seller in Fordingbridge, Hampshire. 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’