While most barn finds are of the domestic type, every once in a while, a gem from the Mother Country emerges from the dust. Take for example this 1968 MG MGC GT for sale on eBay in Archbold, Ohio. This rare inline six-powered MG coupe is said to have been mildly restored around the 2001–2002-time frame, driven for a short bit, then unceremoniously shrouded with a sheet after being dumped in a dusty garage. Back on the road and running, this coupe has some cosmetic issues but has quite a bit of promise for someone good at tuning SU carburetors. Are you the Anglophile that can take this car from barn find to backroad tourer? Is the $21,800 obo price market correct for this rare MG?
While the MGB was incredibly popular, one of the lesser-known versions of the car was an absolute sales flop. The MGC was an attempt to produce an upmarket version of the MGB and a corporate replacement for the beloved Austin-Healey 3000 series automobiles. This version of the MGB, available in both coupe and convertible form, would replace the venerable MG inline-four-cylinder engine with an inline six from the corporate parts bin. It was indistinguishable from a regular MGB except for a handsomely bulged hood (or bonnet in English speak). This engine transplant necessitated a redesign of the existing front suspension and added weight. Customers complained that the more expensive car didn’t handle as well as the nimble MGB and the performance gain wasn’t worth the rise in cost and complexity.
Now that 57 long years have passed since the MGC debuted in 1967, with the last ones being sold in early 1970, we have some perspective on this controversial car. Perhaps the biggest issue back then was the idea that the MGC would replace the beloved Austin Healey 3000. That was the plan, but the usual bungling and stinginess of BMC resulted in a car that was heavier and pretty much indistinguishable from the MGB to the average commoner. While complaints of understeer due to the redesigned front suspension and extra 200 pounds of weight were legitimate, the 145 horsepower under the hood and 125 MPH top speed show that the car was fantastic for touring in comparison to the standard MGB. Looking back, if it were marketed properly, sales would have likely far exceeded the 6,999 examples built.
The 1968 MGC GT you see on these pages is quite a rare bird. Of the nearly 9,000 MGCs built, only 2,483 convertibles and 1,773 GTs made it to US shores. One can only imagine how few are left considering the toll rust takes on MGB and MGC unibody construction. This car has kind of an interesting history. The seller found it under a sheet in a local barn. The story was that it went through a mild restoration around 2001 or 2002 and was driven for a bit before being parked again. The depths to which this mild restoration went are a mystery. The firewall shows evidence of the car’s original bronze metallic paint. It also shows that the car was painted a Riviera Blue. The seller describes its current color as British Racing Green. Perhaps the pictures show the paint lighter than it is in person.
Once the seller purchased the car, it was taken to a local MG expert and returned to roadworthy condition. The seller provides an extensive list of mechanical repairs in the ad. However, it would be safe to say that the local MG expert rebuilt the engine from main bearings to freshly refreshed carburetors by Joe Curto himself. The amount of work done was surely time consuming and that plus parts is likely a huge contributing factor to the asking price.
Despite the extensive mechanical work, there is a fair amount left to do on this MGC. The engine doesn’t run perfectly. This may be due to the carburetors not being perfectly synched according to the owner. The car does, however, have 50 miles under its belt since the repairs. The brake pedal is reported to be firm and the transmission shifts without issue. The problems that still need to be addressed are connecting the speedometer cable, installing the radio, and dealing with a couple of spare boxes of parts, manuals, and paint. Hopefully, some of the missing interior trim pieces are in the boxes.
On the plus side, the car still wears its original wire wheels on all four corners and for the spare as well. The black vinyl interior with white pinstriping is in good condition where it was replaced. The lights, heater, and windshield wipers all are said to work by the seller. Perhaps the most interesting feature of this car is the roll-top roof insert. Of all the MGBs I have seen, I have never run across one so equipped. Is this an aftermarket item? If any reader has more information about these, please fill us in in the comments.
While the rarity of this car is undeniable, determining what should be done with it opens up a lot more ambiguity. The pictures reveal a car that still has some work left to do. Whoever buys it can strip it down and start a full restoration or put everything back together and drive it. A full restoration would be costly. However, what a marvelous touring car this would be if an overdrive was added, and it was painted in a proper color. Does the asking price allow for a proper restoration? Probably not. Perhaps the best course is to just enjoy the car for what it is.
What do you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
I had two back in the day and being familiar with everything that can go wrong with a vehicle of this age, I’d be hesitant at that price.
I had a 1969 C and it was difficult to keep running. The front weight resulted in some
tail wiggle at the higher speeds. It was fun and a good collector for about $12,000. That’ll be my offer. It’ll take $10,000 to bring it to suitable.
I have owned a few BGT’s and am retro-restoring a driver right now. I love the looks of the CGT with its bulging hood and 15 wire wheels being the appearance differences from a BGT. However I do not like the mechanicals. The Healey six cylinder ( which is different for the other Healey sixes) never worked with this car. it was much too front heavy and handling suffered. This one looks to be like a decent driver but $21K+ is way too much for my blood. The top looks to be aftermarket modification and in 50+ years of knowing these MG’s, I have never seen one. For that kind of money I would invest in a V6 or V8 project in a BGT plus they handle much better. ( Please don’t get mad if you are a MGC person, this just my personal opinion)
I had one many years ago and was not happy with it. Nose heavy and underpowered and slow. It did have factory air. Way too much money.
Would love to see it in the original bronze metallic. This looks less like BRG & more like something between Mac & John Deere (Oliver?).
It is British, you probably can Race it, and it is definitely Green…But those three things together definitely do not make this car British Racing Green. Lol
Ditto on the not-BRG, which to my recollection is very dark, close to black.
There are BRG (British Racing Green ) and DBRG (Dark British Racing Green). The latter being much darker, almost black, as you state. However BRG is lighter, but not this light. This car’s paint is really not an attractive shade, and the price for a car that needs much work is insane. Just because the owner partially restored (or just repainted?) it 20 years ago does not really undo the 20 years of neglect since. I wouldn’t pay half that for an interesting but unloved MG model.
As a former MGB owner, the MGC was a clear cut case of more is not necessarily better. A last gasp attempt at A-Hs glory, but not well received. I read, no GT left Abingdon with a sunroof of any kind. Several companies did conversions, considering the history of leaks, the top should be no exception. While the MGC is significant to anyone that has an interest in British cars, I feel to many today, it’s just an old British clunker, completely unaware of what was powering it, or care. The MGC will go down as another classic “swing and a miss”, of which there are a few, but to a vintage British car lover, the MGC was the coolest MG made, if not just for the sound they made. Great find.
$21k for this, no way. Looks good on the outside but still has a ways to go. This type of pricing is ridiculous but there is a fool born every day. I would go $15k but that would be it. Its a good candidate with good bones but Here still is some $$$ to go.
Who’s Joe Curto? And why did he rebuild an MGC engine that doesn’t run right?
Joe Curto is an expert in the SU carbs that most British cars (up until 1975) had installed. He, though, does not do restorations.
He does do carb rebuilds, which is what the seller states. This appears to have been part of putting the car back on the road, not the 2001-2002 “mild restoration”.
It’s difficult to be sure from just a few photos, but that looks like a Webasto sunroof. These are pretty common aftermarket conversions in England and have marred many a British car with a leak it didn’t come from the factory with.
$21K seems a bit stiff given it’s not quite a daily driver yet. And it’s rather high as the starting point for a full-blown restoration on a car with minimal market appeal. But the asking price is just an opener; show up with cash in hand and you could probably buy it for considerably less. You could end up with one of the more practical classics out there.
It was thought as being a replacement for the big Healy 3000.
But the old Healy had a much better balance, A typical result of digging in the parts bin.
The best was the original Healy 100 with a four-headbanger!
It had almost 50/50 balance.
Yes, BMC was one of the problems with the C. Had MG gotten the engine they wanted the C would be a different car. I’ve driven a few (although never owned one) and they are great cruising cars. There are kits available to correct the handling problems. There are a couple of national clubs for support and advice for C owners.
Its the sad history if MG from the MGA on. It never got the money to develop the engine or thr car. Either the twin cam inthe 60s or the O-series in the 70s didn’t get the attention they deserved. And of course not getting the Rover v8 when it would do them any good.
As to color, the GN29 dark BRG was not that black. The original MGB GN25 BRG color was better. This looks most like the new racing green of the late 70s RBB. But still not quite right.
And yes its a Webasto top. A local MG guy in Ham Lake, Mn had a factory MGBV8 with a Webasto in the late 2000s. I really wanted that car.
Webasto was/is the company in the UK that put fabric sunroofs in many cars..from Minis to E Types etc.They did a nice job and on usually adds to the value and certain lhy the driving pleasure IMHO.
You’re correct. I had one on my BGT; it was more water tight than the roadster tops were, although a large piece of duct tape cured the problem while driving in the rain.
I would be very leary of a “rebuilt” engine with 50 miles on it that doesn’t run right.
Often the problems with an MG not running right has to do with properly synchronizing the SU carbs and getting the timing correct. It can become a frustrating labor of love.
I’m pretty sure my MGC had an electric overdrive that worked in third and fourth gears. As I remember, my my car would go about 80 miles an hour at 3000 RPM. Great cruiser.
ODs were great in MGs; they really cut down on wear and tear on the engines, and your ears.
The MGBGT V8 was a better solution, but harder to find.
Absolutely. The problem was that the first oil embargo happened just as the V8 was being produced, so that quashed it. An interesting point about the V8 – it was sold to Rover by Buick (bad idea) and it proved to be 200 pounds lighter than the four cylinder in the MGB. I’ve driven a factory V8 and a B that had a Rover engine dropped in it. Both were scary fast (especially the factory one as it was RHD) but handled so well. I accidentally started one up in third but still pulled away. Later MG made the RV8, a remodeled MGB withe Rover V8. They were all RHD and are now eligible for import to the US.
It was lighter than the B-series 4 cylinder, but not 200. Probably 200 less than this 6.
One final note for any BGT or CGT as a driver (not an original to-the-tee restoration); Get rid of that awful contraption they call a rear seat! 50 years ago, I took mine out and built a platform on the same plane as the spare tire cover. I matched carpeting to fit the entire platform. Also if you hinge it at the rear, you have another tool storage area which is accessible above the battery compartment. I am also doing it now on my current BGT redo. It makes the rear area so much more useable and ( I think) look a heck of a lot better. That stupid seat cannot fit even a small adult and only a kid maybe 3-5 years old! Not a great option for a good sports car! I guess you can tell that I am not a fan of that original seat!! If you need to restore a car to original perfection, go for it! If not, get rid of it and have a useable first generation SUV!!
That’s a nice one. I think it’s priced pretty good. What else can you get in that condition? Nothing. MGs are a lot of fun. I had one back in the 80s. Restored a 1967 MGB, painted it candy apple red and drove it all over orange county, up and down the PCH. The beach girls loved it too. Oh man! Was hard to let go but I needed a truck but that thing was a blast for 7 years my daily. So easy to work on but mine was reliable and never left me stuck. The 6 with OD would be sweet. Great on gas. I always miss my MGB. Good luck finding another one like this.
A cheaper option would be to transform a regular MGB to one where the heavy iron is replaced with the much larger Rover/Buick V8 and even save some weight.
Almost pulled the trigger on a ‘C GT about 20 years ago… Modern tires can do a lot to make the heavy front end handling better… The less “busy” engine makes for a better highway cruiser than a standard ‘B… $21K is too much for this one IMO… Just because it’s rare doesn’t make worth a lot… Being a former Stag owner taught me that…
If I recall correctly, one of the period reviews of the BGT uncharitably referred to the back seat as “suitable for legless midgets…”
I heard the same remark. When I had my BGT I put up the back divide and put huge speakers there. Never tried to put people in the back.
Apparently the stories I heard about the lightness of the V8 versus the 4 cylinder engines in the MGs was myth. On the MG Experience website someone named Ameer posted the weights of the inline four cylinder (in the MGBS), the inline six cylinder (in the MGCs) and the V8s (in the factory MGB/GTs) engines. They are 360, 700 and 320, respectively.
I read a page last night saying that the 6 was 610 at first but they thought they could get it down to around 500. But then didn’t state the final
Even if they got it down to 500 it was still rather heavy, leading to the C being front heavy. Had they been able to use the lightweight Healey engine it would’ve been so different. I can’t believe I was fooled for so long about the Rover V8 engine being so light. It just proves one can still learn.
I was in the UK in the late 70’s and a friend bought an MGC. He sold it fairly quickly as it was great in a straight line, which was the direction it wanted to continue in at corners!!