1968 MG C GT

This car was the subject to a bare metal rebuild , since when it has been cosseted and cherished. The current owner bought it with the intention of keeping it for the long term, but an unexpected house move means he’s being forced to sell his pride and joy.

Since the rebuild the big three litre GT has covered 28,000 miles and its overall condition is superb. It also has a trick up its sleeve which makes it far more useable than a totally standard car. More on this later.

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 front discs 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. But it certainly looks rather more special than your average MGB GT.

The British Racing Green paint gleams and is fabulously complimented by the beautiful black wire wheels, the latter helping to ensure the car doesn’t look over restored.

The MG’s shutlines are very tight, indicating a high quality restoration. In fact we’d venture they’re probably better than they might have been when the car left MG’s Abingdon factory in the late 1960s.

The traditional MGC black crackle finish dash is in perfect condition and the restorers have thankfully resisted the temptation to fit any kind of walnut ‘upgrade,’ so the car retains its 1960s period feel. The black leather seats have green piping to match the outside colour, but otherwise this is exactly as it would have been in 1968. Apart from the power steering, that is.

With a big 3-litre straight six shoe horned into the lithe but heavily modified MGB shell, some owners complained that the big GT’s steering was too heavy. The owner of this car has sorted that problem by having power steering fitted, meaning this C GT can be driven by anyone, with no need for a month in the gym beforehand.

The only other break from standard specification that we spotted is a pair of auxiliary gauges fitted to the dash – a clock and voltmeter – plus a modern stereo with Bluetooth.

The large overdrive switch on the far right of the dash reminds you that this is a long legged cruiser that can whisk you across 100s of miles with ease, and 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.

Early cars like this retained a foot operated main beam/dip switch, something we thoroughly approve of as its possible to dip your lights while flicking out of overdrive and indicating to make that over-taking manoeuvre simultaneously. You’ve got to be on the ball, though.

Under the bonnet this is clearly no MGB. The 2.9-litre straight six BMC C-Series engine fills the engine bay, which itself 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). 

As you’d expect with a car that’s had this level of restoration work, everything under here is as it should be. Again, the differences to the MGB are obvious, with the C’s completely different front suspension design channelling suspension forces through torsion bars that run alongside the front chassis rails.

If you want to know what a good history file looks like please have a look at the Documentation section of this listing. There are literally hundreds of old invoices created when the car was being restored, plus a fantastic selection of pictures documenting the process.

On top of this there are the original handbooks, a stack of historic MoT certificates and a pile of old tax discs. The owner says:

‘I purchased the car as a ‘keeper’, however an unexpected house move forces the sale. MGCs suffer with heavy steering, however I had power steering fitted to this car, making it very useable in all types of modern traffic.

It has been the subject of an older bare metal rebuild with a huge photographic record plus invoices to reinforce the build, the engine and chassis numbers correspond with the DVLA documents, the engine and all the other mechanical parts were overhauled during the rebuild which took over three years.

‘The leather interior is in excellent condition showing little wear.

The wheels have been powder coated, the tyres are virtually new, and a stainless steels exhaust was fitted by the previous owner. 

‘The body work is in great shape and when driving there are no rattles or shakes. I had the car MoT’d as a matter of course, as did the previous owners, which of course helps confirm the low mileage of 28,000 since the rebuild.’

MGCs are rare beasts at the best of times and this one is a fine example. It’s been expertly restored, and the retro-fitted power steering makes it an eminently usable, appreciating classic. 

We think this will fetch between £17,000 - £22,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the seller in Kingsholm. 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’.