A 3867 mile late model MGB GT is to cross the block at DT Mathewson’s Saturday, March 17th sale.
Estimated at between £14-15,000, the GT was among the last few standard examples built before British Leyland shut down the Abingdon ‘Pavlova’ works.
Supplied and registered as a 1981 car to its first owner, Mr M Ellis, in Kidderminster – costing the equivalent of around £22,000 today – it led a pampered life, needing just two stamps in the (fully documented) service history. Auctioneers DT Mathewson’s have confirmed its originality; aside from a set of modern radial tyres, the GT is as a buyer would have purchased one in 1982, right down to the orange upholstery.
The MGB and MGB GT found themselves in a changing landscape by the Eighties: continued demand from the USA prompted the 1974-1975 impact bumper conversion programme which gave the model a new lease of life. A small but loyal band of domestic followers kept sales afloat on our side of the pond.
MG Enthusiast editor Simon Goldsworthy commented: “It is amazing just how many of the very last MGBs and Midgets turn up with minimal mileages that were originally bought as ‘investments’ and stored away to wait while prices rocketed. This GT is an interesting case because it is not quite a one owner car, nor one with effectively zero mileage. It does look in immaculate condition though, and not something that you would need to pay a fortune out for recommissioning, as is so often the case with the no-mileage investments. You would, however, have to inspect both the car and its paperwork carefully to decide how true that is in the metal.”
Simon concluded: “The bottom line is that the cost of paying to have a car restored to this standard would far exceed the estimated price, and in that regard it could be viewed as cheap. A restored car would never have that genuine ‘new car’ feel either.”
For more info see DT Mathewsons
