1972 MG B GT

The owner bought this lovely little MGB GT to restore ‘for old time’s sake’ three years ago and he has done a cracking job of bringing out the best of what was already a very reasonable example.

Only being reluctantly offered for sale because he’s lost his garage space, the MGB GT’s bodywork was comprehensively restored shortly after purchase with new metal and/or panels where necessary before being refinished in a modern metallic finish. A new, and lovely tan leather interior was installed at the same time to complete the retro-modern theme.

The car was professionally resprayed in 2014 by Automo (and if the name seems familiar, it probably is given Automo’s reputation for high quality work on classic cars, primarily the Jaguar E-Type). The work ended up costing almost £3,000 but was worth every penny.

It was both comprehensive and documented (please see the photographic record) comprising a new bonnet, inner and outer sills, rear wings, and floor sections as well as a change of colour from its original yellow/orange to the attractive, modern light metallic blue you see today. The repairs to bottoms of the doors can be seen in the current photos as well - probably the weakest point of the car. The paint finish is very good overall, although there is the odd small blemish here and there as a result of its use in the intervening two-and-a-half years.

The chromework is generally in very good condition – the front and rear bumpers are brand new and were only fitted a fortnight ago - although the front grille could really do with some attention to bring it up to the same quality as the rest of the trim.

The Rostyle wheels also need refinishing as they’re starting to look a bit crusty; perhaps their condition might provide the ideal excuse for the new owner to pop a set of wire wheels on instead of refurbishing the original steels?

There is a trace of rust starting at the top of the offside front wing, front wing seams and on the boot lid. We don’t think this is at all serious but we would suggest that potential bidders should come to Patina HQ in Abingdon to have a look for themselves.

The brown leather seats are immaculate, thanks to them having been re-stuffed and recovered as part of the restoration. The door cards, dashboard, switches, gauges and carpets are all similarly good and add to the car’s wonderful vintage-inspired but retro-modern ambience.

There is a small list of other jobs to finish off such as the chrome base of the gear lever, the door cappings, cleaning the headlining etc - but that that is the extent of the problems speaks volumes about the quality of the finish of everything else.

Oh, and the MGB has been fitted with a modern (USB etc), twin-spindle stereo along with new speakers, so the car sounds as good inside as it does from the outside!

The mechanical components were left alone as they were largely in good order, thanks to the ministrations of a previous owner who fitted an exchange Goldseal engine less than 15,000 miles ago – receipt included.

However, the old duff overdrive was replaced in 2015, a twin exhaust system was installed in 2014 (which “sounds amazing” according to the owner) and a new clutch has been fitted in the past year. The old twin 6-volt batteries have also been replaced with a single 12-volt battery and the tyres all have good tread.

We are told that it runs very well, something we experienced ourselves during a short test drive. Certainly, the online MOT history checks shows nothing whatsoever to be concerned about and we can vouch for the lovely exhaust note...

The underbonnet area is a little untidy, but solid and perfectly functional. It unfortunately bears a little evidence of the car’s previous colour. Our cursory glance underneath found nothing of concern and covered in some tidy underseal.

The car comes with a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate confirming its provenance along with a complete photographic record of its restoration. It also comes with an MGB owner’s handbook.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find invoices, photographs and other paperwork to support the car’s current condition and recent history.

With a few small jobs still to do, we can see this honest, well-cared for and recently refurbished example of the archetypical MGB GT going to an enthusiast who wants a solid, reliable example to use while they continue the refurbishment as part of a rolling restoration. It’s also good to see one in a modern colour, it suits the car (although we know it won’t suit purists) and works very well with the light interior.

With the hard work having been done, the few jobs that do still need doing could be done over a series of weekends as and when time and funds allow – and because the owner is very well aware that the car still needs a small amount of remedial work in the future, he has set the reserve at a very, very reasonable level. How reasonable? Well, it’s way below the £6500-8,000 we expect it to fetch.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at Patina HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment 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, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.