1975 MG MGB GT

First registered on the 22nd of April 1975, this lovely MGB GT underwent a full, nut and bolt restoration with the previous owner. A comprehensive job, it was finally completed in 2014.

The work included a full respray, a new and unusual full-leather ivory interior complete with new dashboard and gauges, lower suspension (it was previously fitted with rubber bumpers, so sat a little higher than it does now) and much more.

The vendor bought it in 2018 and immediately set about completely over-hauling the engine, which had been the only part of the car left untouched. Now only showing only 2,844 miles since its restoration, it has covered just 600 miles since the engine rebuild. It’s just had its first oil change, so its nicely run-in and ready to be gently extended across the full rev range.

Why is he selling? Well, he’s now fallen under the MG spell and has treated himself to an MGB V8 and can’t afford to keep both.

Freshly restored with only a couple of thousand miles under its belt since being completed, it’s no surprise that the MGB GT presents as well as it does. The Damask Red paintwork is still fresh and vibrant, shining wonderfully in the summer sun.

As we mentioned earlier, the unsightly rubber bumpers have been removed and the debumpered look adds to the car’s competition-inspired look. It’s been done very neatly, and the suspension has been lowered to give it the purposeful stance we all love.

The full-length Weathershields’ roof brings the best of all worlds, giving genuine wind-in-the-hair motoring when the sun is shining alongside and coupé-like weather resistance when it isn’t.

The general chromework is very good and the headlamp grilles echo that fitted to the radiator; it might be an unusual twist to the usual look but it’s one we think works very well.

As do the 15-inch Minilite-style alloy wheels. A classic look that suits the MGB brilliantly, they are in an excellent condition and fitted with matching tyres, all of which still have a good depth of tread.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you an insight into their attitude towards maintenance.

Problems? Well, there are a few new bubbles in the paint at the bottom of tailgate, plus some minor paint cracks on the nearside rear wing. There’s also a small scratch on the nearside sill and the rubber surround on the fuel filler neck has perished.

Localised repairs would be easy given how fresh the Damask Red paint is, and there’s a tin of it to make the job even easier.

The Magnolia leather interior is almost all new; certainly, anything that wears has been replaced and the bill for the parts alone topped four figures. The seats, for example, have been rebuilt with new foam, backboards, calico base liners, and leather-faced seat covers; consequently, they’re plump and supportive and look amazing.

The fat-rimmed, leather-trimmed Mota-Lita steering wheel is perfectly judged, as are the red seatbelts with their natty headrest-mounted arms. We like the discreet 12V charging point and the hidden battery cut-out, too.

There also looks to be plenty of additional soundproofing in there; someone has put a great deal of thought in to making this MGB as usable and as civilised as possible.

It looks terrific, too. The door cards are like new, as are the carpets bar some wear to the driver’s heel pad. The chrome handles all sparkle and the gauges are among the best we’ve seen.

The vendor tells us that it all works as it should but that isn’t a surprise, is it?

Work to do is minor. The headlining has some pen marks on it (no, we don’t know how or why…) but other than that it all looks good.

NB: The previous owner reset the odometer to zero after finishing the restoration.

The owner rebuilt the engine during the winter of 2018-19. This work included new pistons, re-boring the block +0.040"oversize, new big-end bearings, a timing chain and fitting set, new camshaft bearings, skimming the cylinder-head before overhauling it, a new oil pump, overhauling and tuning the twin K&N filtered carburettors and finally fitting a new clutch. It’s all documented and the owner says it cost him in excess of £2,000 for the parts alone.

Previous mechanical work during the restoration included overhauling the differential and overdrive, and fitting Gaz adjustable telescopic dampers. It’s also fitted with Accuspark electronic ignition for easier starting and better running, and an oil catch can because, well, maybe simply because it looks so damn cool.

The car passed its MOT with one advisory for a split steering gaiter. However – and you’re ahead of me here, aren’t you? – the owner is such a completist that he’s already replaced it …

It starts well, and drives as it should. The vendor tells us that he’s not aware of any faults but then you’d already guessed that, hadn’t you?

The engine bay is gorgeous and needs nothing other than admiring. The underside is strong, rust-free, nicely detailed and neatly undersealed. It is, in other words, exactly how you’d want your undercarriage to be.

The MGB’s MOT certificate expires in July 2021. It has a number of expired MOT certificates plus an enormous folder of invoices and a memory stick of many photographs of its restoration, including the work the vendor has completed. There is also a very handy hand-written sheet detailing and summarising the work.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been restored and maintained to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

And please be reassured, we’ve undertaken a full COVID-assessment and put into place strict control measure to enable us to safely facilitate a no-contact, socially distanced viewing that includes disinfection of the vehicle before and after your viewing.

However, if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

Or, even better, why not contact us with your mobile number and we can set up a WhatsApp video call? You get to direct us in real-time, giving you a virtual personal viewing experience while maintaining the lockdown. We like to call it ‘The Market’s 2020 Vision’…

The competition look suits this Damask Red MGB GT to perfection; dial in Minilite-style wheels and some judiciously applied chrome accessories and we think this is one of the very nicest examples we’ve seen in a while.

It’s got a freshly rebuilt engine too, plus extensive recent mechanical fettling and a huge history file including a large restoration album. Throw in a new Magnolia leather interior and it comes close to being the ultimate MGB GT.

Not that you’d recognize that from the guide price of between £8,000 and £12,000.

Yup, that’s right; this slice of fried seventies gold could be yours for a pitifully small sum – and, perhaps best of all, cars like this tend not to depreciate much if at all, so you might even come out of it cost-neutral with a following wind…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near 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’.