1968 MG B GT 5.0 V8

The metallic blue coachwork hints that ‘VPJ 910G’ is no ordinary MGB GT. The flared rear wheelarches and 15-inch Minilite-style alloy wheels reinforce the impression, while afficionados will also have noticed an MGC’s louvred bonnet and the sizable tailpipes.

Because this MGB GT is powered by a five-litre Rover V8 engine that feeds its 300bhp to the rear axle via a Cosworth T5 gearbox and Hoyle Engineering front and rear suspension.

Power is nothing without control, so braking is by way of discs on all four corners. We’ll delve into the full specification later but rest assured, this is a Proper Job, and the finished car is as capable on the track as it is storming along an autoroute, both of which it has done often.

It’s a helluva looker too, so if you’ve ever considered owning a retro-modded MGB GT, this might be the car you’ve dreamed about.

Fisher Services carried out the bulk of the bodywork conversion in 2012, charging the MGB’s owner almost £25,000 for the privilege.

But it did the work correctly, taking 32 hours per side to weld in a 2” strip of metal around the rear wheelarch before lead-loading it to produce a seamless join: no P38 used here…

The respray contributed another 72 hours of labour but then given how good the paintwork and panels still look it was worth every penny. Another 24 hours went into fitting the doors and the external trim, and the final tally was 248 hours on the bodywork alone.

It followed this up in 2016 with another £7,000-worth of fettling to tidy the MGB up. Clearly, the investment the seller tells us his father-in-law made in a new heritage bodyshell twenty years ago continues to pay dividends.

(And he was so determined to build his ideal track car that he had the roof section, which came from the factory with an aperture for a sunroof, removed and replaced with a solid item.)

The keen-eyed will have noticed the presence of an MGC louvered bonnet, while the eagle-eyed will have seen that the V8 badge on the radiator grille has been neatly wired in place; this is one of those cars that gets better and better the closer you look and the attention to detail, both aesthetic and practical, is excellent.

The Minilite-style alloy wheels, which are a full 15 inches in diameter, are all in an excellent condition being free of dinks and kerbing damage. They’re also shod with matching 205/55R15 Toyo Proxes tyres, all of which have good tread left on them.

We will never get tired of telling you that 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.

As for the glazing, it tells this MGB’s story, a story that encompassed pretty much all the UK’s great racing circuits. The seller has many fond memories of track days with his father-in-law, and they even indulged their shared passion for motorsport with a couple of trips to the Classic Le Mans – and if doing that in your long-term MGB GT V8 isn’t a Bucket List trip we don’t know what is.

The chromework, badges, glazing, and lamp lenses are all excellent, which just leaves a little microblistering at the top of the passenger door as the only issue you might like to address.

The interior balances road comfort with track-day support very well. The seats, grey leather with contrasting piping, are only lightly creased and their role in holding their occupants firmly in place is helped by a pair of blue Sparco harnesses.

These attach to a half-roll cage that’s been bolted to the bodyshell, and the driver also has a rather lovely Old School Moto-Lita steering wheel to hang on to whose leather rim is attractively patinated.

Not that patination is a theme because the headlining is both taut and clean, the carpets are excellent (possibly because they’ve been protected by rubber mats), the door cards are good, and the dashboard has been neatly and sensibly modified to meet the MGB’s role in life.

Speaking of modifications, the electronic speedometer has only recently been fitted and we love that the rev counter does a little dance around the dial when the ignition is turned on!

The engine cost more than £7,000 when it was supplied by JE Developments in 2004. This equates to around £13,000 today, so you know the job was a good ‘un.

The modifications are extensive and can be calculated from the invoices in the history file, but the bullet points are:

• 5.0-litre Rover V8 engine with around 300bhp when built
• Cosworth T5 gearbox
• Hoyle Engineering front and rear suspension, with the front being fully adjustable
• Hoyle Engineering disc brakes on all four corners
• Cosworth differential
• Holly carburettor
• Two oil coolers plus an oil temperature gauge
• Kenlowe cooling fan with an override switch
• Samco Sport silicone coolant hoses
• Magnecor Electrosports HT leads
• K&N air filter, a swirl pot and two fuel pumps
• Engine steady bars
• Serpentine front cover
• Uprated front anti-roll bar
• Aluminium fuel tank

Of course, all this counts for nothing if it has been done badly or has been neglected but neither seem to be the case here. As you can see (and hear!) the V8 runs well and sounds awesome. It also shows good oil pressure, which is just as important.

As you’ve probably guessed by now the engine bay is as beautifully engineered and immaculately presented as everything else. Witness the heat-wrapped exhaust manifolds, the uprated coolant pipes, the leather bonnet strap, and the presence of industry-leading names like Filter King, K&N, Samco, and Magnecor.

Discreetly colour coded, it would be a delight to work on – and just as much fun to pop the bonnet when someone asks what you’ve got under there.

The underside is clean and solid and well protected by underseal, which is about all you could ask of it, isn’t it?

NB: Spares include two sets of rear brake pads and some spare centre caps for the wheels. Pleases see the photos for details.

The MGB’s MoT certificate is valid until February 2025. Wonderfully, not only was it free of advisories but every single MoT certificate it has ever been given has been completely clear too. That’s a helluva record.

Mind you, we have 98 pages under the ‘Documentation’ section of the listing, which gives you an idea of how meticulous the owner was both in the preparation of his car and the retention of the paperwork afterwards.

There is, of course, far too much to list here but if you’re looking for a shortcut then the bulk of the invoices are from the MG Owners’ Club Spares and Accessories with the next most common supplier being Midland Sports and Classics, Clive Wheatley, and Hoyle Engineering, which is reassuring.

Better though to make a brew and set aside half an hour to browse through it all. Or make an appointment to come here and we’ll pop the kettle on.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar the marker for a change of colour, and the MGB comes with two sets of keys.

With a guide price of between £20,000 and £25,000, this MGB GT V8 would open the doors to an awful lot of fun. You could continue to attend track days, perhaps courtesy of MGs on Track, like the owner did.

You could hillclimb it too – and getting to and from the circuits would be an awful lot of fun as this is also a peerless fast road car.

Beautifully presented and boasting an unimpeachable MoT and maintenance record, if you are on the hunt for a modified fast classic sportscar, we can’t think of a single reason not to bid on this one.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am- 12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, 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, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.