1974 MG B GT (RV8)

This wonderful MGB GT shows that you’ve never really seen it all because it is fitted with genuine MG RV8 steel bodywork, lights and bumpers, which is a first for us at least. It also has an upgraded interior, power steering, and RV8 front brakes.

In “an excellent condition” according to the chap in the office who inspected and test drove it, it has been in the care of the vendor for the past 11 years since being completed as a part-finished project by Abingdon Car Restorations.

As you can see, it looks like a proper factory job - except it’s probably better than anything that came out of MG during the period. Based on a standard 1.8-litre B GT, it is being offered with a very sensible reserve and guide price making this is your opportunity to get your hands on one of the most interesting MGB GTs we’ve seen in a very long time.

The underlying MGB GT has been assembled with an unusual devotion to getting the panels aligned correctly and the shutlines as tight and consistent as possible – and if you’ve ever restored a car then you’ll recognize the dozens, if not hundreds, of hours must have gone into making it look this good.

And then there’s the genuine RV8 body panels, which can’t have been an easy thing to get looking so accurate. Made of steel – this was a time when the panels were readily available, after all – they look so good that frankly, after seeing them released new all those years ago, we wouldn’t be surprised if the overall fit ‘n’ finish on this one is better than the factory ever managed…

It’s been fitted with the correct front and rear lights units too, which is a lovely touch and one that goes to the heart of how carefully this example has been built.

The Flame Red paintwork is excellent too, having been applied with more than the usual skill. Free of bad orange peel, runs and other defects, it looks glorious, even after all this time. This is, at least in part, due to it being carefully stored every winter away from the corrosive effects of road salt.

The wheels, are the standard RV8 rims with the correct centre caps. In great shape, they are, of course, free of scuffs, scrapes and other signs of a careless owner. They’re shod with matching tyres too, Lassa Impetus Revo in 205/65R15 in this case.

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 a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The door mirrors are, unusually, screwed to the quarterlight glass. Incongruous perhaps, but nicely done nonetheless. Less controversially, the aerial has been relocated to the rear of the roof.

Blemishes? Well, if you can bring yourself to overlook the usual small stonechips and minor marks that any car will collect, then there’s nothing there that would worry us significantly at all.

The ruched tan leather seats (is there a more period word than ‘ruched’?) are very good, both in the front and the rear. The matching door cards are good too, as is the headlining, which is recent. It’s all really rather nice in there in that gentle, unassuming way we’ve all come to know and love with the MGB.

The steering wheel is a fat-rimmed Raid item, fulsome and satisfying to hold it looks as good as it feels. Other upgrades include a high-end JVC headunit, a semi-hidden battery cut-out switch, and a pair of neatly integrated seatbelt guides for the front seat occupants.

Lifting up the (good but slightly grubby) carpets shows solid, well-painted metal floors.

The boot is very solid – and clever too. You see, not only has the battery been relocated to the underbonnet to make more space but the floor has been raised to accommodate a full-size spare wheel. It’s the correct split-rim alloy too – and while everyone else would have continued to struggle with the factory jack (and probably buggered up the plastic sill extensions into the bargain…) the owner has fitted a small trolley jack, complete with brackets to stop it rattling. Neat, huh?

Blemishes, aside from a gently developing patina, seem to be limited to a split in the armrest on the centre console and a large stain on the centre console’s carpet.

The engine bay is very neatly organized and clean – but then having come this far you wouldn’t expect anything else, would you? Closer inspection shows the inner wings have even been fitted with outlets for the V8’s exhaust manifolds, which would make dropping a V8 engine in there even easier. #justsaying

The standard single exhaust, in concert with the twin K&N air filters, still gives the MGB a rorty note we love; please listen to the video to hear a glimpse of how good it sounds. Our man in the office says that it “drives very well, with no noises or rattles other than what you'd expect from an MG of that vintage”.

There’s a newish gearbox in there too, plus a good secondhand overdrive unit. Other new components installed under his watch include a fuel pump, alternator, and starter motor. Power steering too, plus MG RV8 front brakes, electronic ignition, and a relocated battery that was new in September this year.

Like everything else on the car, the mechanical components appear to have been done properly. Then owner tells us that the oil pressure (or “blood pressure” as he calls it) is very good. He also tells us that while he isn’t sure of the replacement engine’s true mileage, it runs very well and has always been very reliable thanks in part to it being serviced every year despite often accruing only a token mileage between jobs.

PS. As a mark of how diligently he has looked after the car, the owner told us of his sadness that COVID-19 had prevented him getting the car serviced this year. Says it all really, doesn’t it?

The MGB’s MOT certificate, which is valid until October 2021, was gained without a single advisory point, something it’s made a bit of a habit of.

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.

It also has a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate showing its original build specification plus two sets of keys and plenty of other bits of paperwork including the fitting instructions for the RV8 front brake calipers and discs.

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 built 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.

Oh, and that ‘V’ registration comes courtesy of its reimportation from Ireland in the late seventies. It is actually a 1974 car, as British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate confirms.

As the vendor points out, owning and driving a car that was both born and modified in his home town of Abingdon (his grandfather was Gus Thomas, a well-known character in the MG factory) is something very special, and when it manages to merge the old and the new as successfully as this there is extra cause for celebration.

Only being sold as a result of his age (“my wife says it’ll give me a chance to grow up a bit!”) this well-known car is being offered with a guide price of anywhere between £12,000 and £19,000 and while we know that modified MGBs aren’t for everyone, we’re confident that there must be a huge number of folk out there who appreciate this one’s rejuvenation as much as we do.

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’.