1969 MG MGC GTS

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Stunning car on eBay with bidding at $26,000 plus but reserve not met.

UPDATE: On May 19, 2011 someone put the money down at $37,888 to take this home.

The car on offer here is 30MGC. Built by Doug Smith, the renown MGC expert at MG Motorsport in 1988 for Malcolm Young to the exact specifications of RMO699F, as he had just missed purchasing this car earlier in the year. Using aluminum for the roof, fenders, doors, bonnet and front and rear valences the car was correctly engineered with rear disc brakes and up rated springs with adjustable telescopic turreted springs located by radius rods per the works cars. A nickel-plated front suspension to works-spec and special 2.5 turn lock to lock steering was fitted. The wheels are a set or ex-works magnesium Minilites and are exceedingly rare. The engine is 3.3 liters, fed by a set of Weber 45 DCOE carbs and is dyno’d at 244hp. The details of the engine build are very extensive, and to quote Doug ” there are some very rare and expensive parts in there”…I have detailed build notes and invoices too detailed to list on eBay, but happy to go through them with serious buyers. Drive is through a straight-cut, 4 speed, close ratio gearbox with limited slip differential. Seats are by Bob Ridgard, and are very comfortable even for long distances.
30MGC was the winner of the Concours Cup at the 1990 MGCC International Meeting and was 1st in class at the AMOC Sprint at Goodwood a few weeks later. 30MGC is referenced in many motoring publications and is featured in MGB, the Racing History, by John Baggott
With some more modern upgrades done by a later owner this car is magnificent in both condition and drive quality. I have receipts for over $150K worth of work done to the car and it has to be driven to be believed.
The MGC Sebring project was launched in the late 60’s when the BMC Competition Dept realized that the Austin Healey was getting long in the tooth and the mighty Mini Coopers were also starting to get outclassed in international competition.
Five chassis were obtained from the factory and panels were made by Pressed Steel in Aluminum, mainly through the ‘old boy’ network. To allow the use of bigger, cast wheels special fenders were produced by Abbey Panels. Two cars were built up, MBL546E and RMO699F. The debut was the Targa Florio in 1967 where MBL, known as Mabel, ran with a 2 liter engine in the prototype class. A great story tells how the car was built up in Tartan Red, the traditional MG competition color, and only a couple of weeks before the start of the race did anyone realize that the cars had to run in their respective country’s color, Green for the UK. There was no time to strip the car, and so the outside was quickly sprayed in the appropriate BRG and to this day the outside is green and engine bay and interior is red. RMO699F, know as Romeo, was built up to run the Nurburgring Marathon de la Route and Sebring alongside Mabel.
About this time MG was acquired by British Leyland and the Competition Department was wound to a close. John Chatham, a noted MG and Healey racer came in a bought all the parts and chassis left unbuilt and proceeded to build up the remaining 3 chassis and a mod-sports racer.
A history file about 4 inches thick comes with the car. This details all the restoration work done, together with a folder of photographs of the work in progress.30MGC offers a truly versatile car, which would be welcome at any vintage event or a serious competitor in road rallies. This car is available for inspection to serious parties, please email for details.

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