1970 MG MGC GT

This 3.0-litre (2912cc) MGC GT manual with overdrive was despatched from MG’s Abingdon factory on 16 January 1969 to University Motors, London and first registered by them on 28 September 1970.

It bears a bonnet badge denoting it as a University Motors Special and whilst the vehicle’s dates and BMIHT certificate support this assertion it is unclear what modifications were made to the vehicle by them prior to first sale.

The most recent owner, its 7th, kept the car for around 15 years, spending in excess of £20k on it during that time. It is now being sold by an enthusiast who occasionally trades classic cars.

The MGC’s black-painted bodywork is not the straightest; with undulations and depressions in the panels. The paint finish isn’t at all great either, there are obvious blemishes all round but most noticeable along the side rubbing strips and the nose. There are also a few dents and scratches here and there such as on the rear hatch.

That said it’s an honest-looking car, the panel alignment isn’t too bad and there are no obvious signs of rust aside from a little bubbling on one of the bonnet corners and at the seam on the bulge.

The luxuriously padded black vinyl roof - possibly an addition by University Motors - appears in good order with no obvious nicks or tears. The chromed trim, especially the front grille and bumpers also looks pretty good.

The GT sits on factory-fit 15-inch wire wheels which are in a reasonable condition. All are fitted with Pirelli P6000 tyres which, although around ten years old, still appear to have a decent tread. Regular browsers will know our predilection for quality matching rubber and that it usually indicates good maintenance with little regard to cost. The History Highlights section below further proves this theory.

The front brakes have been upgraded to Coopercraft 4-pot calipers for improved performance.

Inside the car, things appear a little tidier and sorted than the outside. The front seats are in black leather and, aside from a lightly buttock-polished driver seat and a short section of stitching coming undone on the side piping, they look in good condition.

The remaining upholstery and trim to the dash, door cards and rear seats looks to be vinyl but they are also in good order. The window rubber on the driver’s door has a small section which has split but there doesn’t seem to be any consequent issue with water ingress, although it would be worth replacing.

The leather-rimmed Moto-Lita Mk4 sports steering wheel looks period-fit and may have replaced the original banjo wheel as part of the UM Special treatment. The dash and centre console look in great condition and it has a modern removable-panel Panasonic RDS Radio/CD stereo installed .

The carpets look clear and tidy with rubber overmats in the footwells. The floor underneath appears sound and up above the headlining looks clean and tight. Inertia reel seatbelts have been fitted for additional comfort and safety.

Under the bonnet the engine bay presents in a fairly clean and tidy condition. The light metallic green painted block and rocker cover looks a little scruffy but there is no major corrosion evident, just light surface rust across metal surfaces. A number of ancillary components, hoses and cables look recently renewed.

A closer look reveals that the exhaust manifold is of the 6-branch ‘Maniflow’ type which allows quicker removal of exhaust gases and delivers a slight increase in performance.

Underneath the car there is surface rust on the leaf springs and other bare metal surfaces such as chassis members and suspension linkages. The underbody itself is mostly waxoyled which has been generously applied. There is no obvious damage to the undersides nor vulnerable items like the exhaust which appears in good order.

Lifting the hatch to look inside the boot, the carpet liner looks original albeit a little threadbare in the middle, has a foam underlay and then stereo speakers mounted in the hinged boot floor board. Under that is a full size spare wire wheel with a 2007 Firestone tyre, warning triangle, jack, mallet and a wooden “spanner” to give more torque and save hitting the spinners. Under all that the metal floor looks intact with signs of repair around the spare mounting bracket. At the top of the hatch, on the C pillars, there is a little cracking which might indicate a possible weakness or previous repair.

We are looking after this car during the sale and always encourage a personal inspection so, after scrutinising the comprehensive gallery of detailed photos, why not use the ‘Contact Seller’ option to arrange an appointment if restrictions allow, or otherwise a video call to look at the car a little closer.

This MGC has a current MOT certificate valid until June 2021 which was awarded with no advisories and has an almost complete online record back to 2006. Paper certificates in the car’s file document continuous annual testing back from there to 1998. The car’s odometer currently reads 3,500 but the MOT record confirms this to be 103,500.

The car comes with a history file stuffed full of previous MOT certificates and what looks like all invoices for parts and work done from the time of the last five owners - as well as some others dating back to 1995.

The last owner, keeper number 7, a tax accountant from Buckinghamshire, had the car for around 15 years and in that time spent over £20,000 in servicing, maintenance, repairs and refurbishments; first at Graysheen Garage in Gerard’s Cross and then at Direct Vehicle Services Bletchley where the following works were carried out:

- Jun 2019 - brakes, electrics inc stereo, cooling, suspension bushes, sort underbody and wax

- July 2017 - clutch master and slave cylinders, plugs

- June 2017 - new batteries, fuel lines, electrics, cooling, brakes, oil change and filters

In April 2013 a complete overhaul of the car was carried out by Motorvation in Hertfordshire totalling nearly £12,000.

Keeper number 6 from Birmingham 2003-2005 spent over £1,000

Keeper number 5 from Worcestershire 2002-2003 spent over £6,000

Keeper number 4 from Nottinghamshire 2000-2001 spent over £8,000 including a restoration

Keeper number 3 from Worcestershire 1999 spent over £1,000

This MGC GT has a BMIHT certificate confirming its production information and University Motors as its supplying dealer - it also comes with an owners manual, stereo instructions and two sets of keys for the later replacement door locks and ignition barrel.

We are looking after this much-loved MGC GT during the auction and can report that it starts, runs and drives as it should. We could detect no mechanical issues with the engine, brakes, gearbox or overdrive - all are working well.

Whilst asking prices for sought-after Downton-fitted University Motors Specials are into the tens of thousands, we think this light-touch special needing a little cosmetic rejuvenation will fetch between £11,500 and £14,000, so if you fancy a punt on this honest-looking, well-maintained and relatively rare ‘60s MG, put in your best offer and it could be yours. 

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’.