1969 MG MGC Roadster

First registered on the 1st of August 1969, this lovely MGC Roadster has been in the vendor’s care for the past eight years. A long-time vintage car man, he was casting around for something a little bit more modern and comfortable for long-distance trips.

He settled on the MGC after long consideration – and then spent nine months looking for the right car; after a lot of wasted trips, he found this restored example and snapped it up. Only used since then for the odd long run to Norfolk and the gentle Sunday fun in the sun, he’s covered around 4,000 miles in that time.

Very reliable since he’s owned it, he’s just not using it enough now to justify keeping it, hence this reluctant sale.

A total of 185 hours of labour went into restoring the MGC’s bodyshell back in 1993 – and the list of new panels fitted is impressive. The work was clearly done to a high standard as it has stood up to the intervening years very well.

So, the panel alignment is still good and the doors, bonnet and boot all open nicely. The shutlines are pretty even as well and the paint still wears a healthy lustre even after 25 years of use.

The black mohair hood is in great condition both inside and out. It fits properly and folds and rises as it should and the hood frame is in a nice condition being free of the sort of rust and dinks that many accumulate over the years.

The badges, glass and light lenses are good too, as is the extensive chromework.

The eight-spoke, 15-inch alloy wheels, which includes the spare in the boot, are in great shape – and they’re shod with matching Yokohama tyres, all of which look to have good 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.

Faults? Well, apart from the usual stonechips and minor marks, the centre caps are a little rusty and there’s a small paint touch up on the bonnet. But, these flaws aside, there’s really nothing to worry about at all bar the need for some minor remedial work to the front wheelarches where some of the paint is starting to flake off.

The interior is a riot of red with the leather seats supported by matching carpets, door cards and gear and handbrake gaiters.

Those red leather seats are in good shape too, still plump and supportive and free of anything bar a light patina. The condition of the rest of the interior is similarly impressive and it’s hard to believe that it was fitted more than a quarter of a century ago.

Further proof of its gentle life comes after lifting the (good) red carpets, which shows a solid, well-painted floor that’s free of corrosion and rot. The door shuts look good too, as does the boot floor. This is a well-cared for example that wears its years more lightly than most.

The three-spoke Mota-Lita steering wheel feels as good in the hand as it looks, and the modern JVC head unit adds a modern sparkle to an otherwise traditional interior.

With the exception of a master cylinder a couple of years ago the MGC has been very reliable in the eight years he’s owned it, needing little other than routine servicing and maintenance. He also mentioned that he’s not aware of anything that needs doing to it as his local garage has kept on top of it thanks to regular servicing.

We’ve driven it and can confirm that it drives exactly as you’d hope, feeling solid and very usable. It starts promptly and quickly settles into an even tickover. It pulls well throughout the gears and feels indomitable; if we were looking for a convertible sportscar on a tight budget then something like this would be at the top of our list.

The engine bay is very clean and beautifully laid out. Someone went to a lot of trouble to get it looking right and subsequent owners honoured that commitment by keeping it that way.

The underside is strong and neatly undersealed. We spotted a set of Spax gas dampers too, plus a decent exhaust.

The MGC’s MOT ran out in June 2018. While it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

It has a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years, including a handwritten list of the work during its restoration that totals almost £10,000 (or £20,000 in today’s money…) for parts alone.

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.

It also comes with an indoor car cover, a wind deflector, a tool kit, a red hood cover, and a black tonneau cover.

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 MGC’s time has come and discerning enthusiasts are willing to pay good money for the very best cars - and this car is certainly one of the nicest we’ve seen for quite a while.

Beautifully restored, albeit some time ago, the obvious attention to detail and emphasis on its future longevity back then means that it is still a very solid, highly presentable and ultra-usable example that needs little other than continued routine maintenance to ensure another fifty years of carefree motoring for the discerning driver.

We think it will sell for between £15,000 and £21,000, which might be at the upper end of the scale for an MGC but then the quality of the car is at the very upper end of the scale, too.

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’.