HIGHLIGHTS

Well presented
Body restoration carried out in 2017
2.9 litre straight-six
Sought-after model

THE APPEAL

The MGC is quite a rare car, with just over 9,000 models built, and approximately 4,450 of those were Roadsters. With dropping sales of the Austin Healey 3000, attention was drawn to the MGB’s monocoque structure and whether it could handle the straight-six engine from the Healey. In the short term, the MGB was designed for the 1800 engine, and thoughts were that the larger 2.9 litre unit would upset the handling of the MG. As a result, there was some redesigning of the chassis and body which resulted in changing the suspension and moving the engine further back, slightly reducing the passenger compartment, but the end result was fantastic, an MG with a 2.9 litre straight-six engine capable of hitting 120mph.

This lovely example had all the body panels removed and repainted in 2017 at the cost of £3,000. The interior is mainly on the original side, which is in good condition. The engine has had the cylinder head replaced to accept unleaded fuel meaning there is no messing about with additives every time you fill up. The vendor has taken the car on a trip over to Ireland, covering around 1,000 miles of trouble-free motoring. He reports it is a great fun car to drive and one you can jump into, take it anywhere and enjoy.

THE HISTORY AND PAPERWORK

V5 is present
Registered 1st February 1970
Good selection of invoices for parts fitted and work carried out
Invoices suggest the car has been well maintained with regular servicing
£3,000 body restoration
Upgraded cylinder head to accept unleaded fuel
The MG has averaged 1,000 miles each year for the past ten years

THE INTERIOR

Well-presented interior, with original features
Black leatherette seats are in good condition with just some small wear patches to the bolster
The dashboard is in good order with no splits or cracks
Instruments are reported to work correctly, and the odometer shows a reading of 1,641 which is believed to be 101,641 miles
The switchgear has a small amount of wear but is all working as it should
A Philips period radio is fitted and working
Carpets are in good condition with a small amount of age related wear
The boot area is clean and tidy, with no signs of any corrosion
A painted spare wire wheel is present and in good order

THE EXTERIOR

Finished in Old English White
Paintwork presents well
No noticeable dings or dents
The panel gaps are equal on each side
Headlights have no chips or cracks in the lenses, and the chrome surrounds are in superb condition
There is a very small amount of age-related tarnishing to the grille and bumpers
Indicators and rear light lenses are in good condition with no splits
There is a small crack in the reverse light, but an easy item to replace
The blue soft top is in excellent condition
There is no damage to the soft-top plastic windows, and they’re clear to look through
The door windows and windscreen look to be free from excessive scratches
Stainless steel wire wheels are less than 12 months old and in excellent condition
The tyres are matching and have covered less than 1,000 miles

THE MECHANICS

2.9L (2912cc) straight-six engine
Four-speed gearbox with overdrive
Cylinder head ungraded to accept unleaded petrol
Twin SU carburettors
Oil change within the past 1,000 miles
The underside presents well and is stone guarded for protection
Sills on both sides look to be clean and free from corrosion
Starts without any hesitation and idles smoothly
The gear change is reported to be smooth, and the overdrive works correctly
On the road, the car is said to be smooth and handle well with no knocks or bangs from the suspension
The brakes bring the MGC to a halt in a straight line

SUMMARY

You’ve caught it just in time for the coming summer months, and what a fantastic opportunity to take over the ownership of a classic British MGC. With just over 4,500 Roadsters made, it’s safe to say that nowadays, these are becoming relatively thin on the ground, and when one comes up for grabs, they get snapped up pretty quickly.

So with the warmer months on the way and an MGC raring to go, what are you waiting for? Your rare British classic awaits.

Notice to bidders

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