1973 MG B GT 'Sebring'

From the factory, these MGs might be a little soft for the more seasoned sporting driver, but the joy of these perennially popular sports cars is that everything is available to upgrade them. The MGB represents almost a blank canvas, ready and waiting for whatever its owner intends. In this case, the previous keeper had the Sebring MGBs in mind, creating his homage to the racing legacy of this surprisingly successful little automotive David among Goliaths.

The list of upgrades to this ’B goes a lot further than skin deep, as a high-lift camshaft, parabolic springs, Mocal oil cooler and a Revotec electronic-controlled cooling fan are just some of the main mechanical highlights. On the subject of this car’s ‘skin’ the cosmetics might need some attention, if you’re after a show winner. The paintjob carries some fairly obvious orange peel, plus the odd blemish here and there, but that Sebring splitter has been professionally fitted and looks fairly neat. A bit of an on-going project then, but one with apparently great bones and some enticing performance upgrades.

Although this car’s paint is currently letting it down a little it’s still presentable enough, with some shine remaining. Though it doesn’t stand up too well to close scrutiny, that’s not to say it’s beyond improvement, but those of a concours leaning might want to look elsewhere, or factor in the cost of a respray. There is an obvious miss-match between the shades of red on the bottom of the doors and sill tops and the rest of the paintwork. 

Chromework, on the other hand, looks to be in far better shape. It’s the same story with the glass, all of which still seems to have the car’s registration etched into it (even the sunroof). The car’s arches haven’t been modified with the bubble versions seen on some of the real Sebring racers, which is either a bonus or a blotch, depending upon your point of view. The arches all look good and strong, with only the nearside rear showing some very mild and isolated patches of bubbling under the paint.

The aftermarket wheels look near new, with only a few scratches to their centre caps revealing any wear at all. The budget Marshall tyres (2022 dated) seem to have a lot of life left, though if track days – or even fast road use – are your goal, you’ll want to swap these for something stickier and far more predictable.

Unlike a lot of performance modified classics, the interior in this MGB GT hasn’t been gutted. The seats are clearly from a later model but are in good condition and don’t stand out too much. They also clearly offer a lot more lateral support than the factory pews. A Pioneer stereo with USB and auxiliary input has been added, along with large Hertz speakers in the rear three quarter trims. There’s also an additional pair of USB chargers in the cigarette lighter.

Although largely complete, there is some trim missing from the passenger footwell, and the door card fabric looks a little stretched and creased. The dashboard looks in good shape though and we spotted an overdrive switch too. The car used to be blue, confirmed by the colour change note on the mycarcheck sheet (see image 4). Little flashes of the former shade can be seen in the door jamb and sill top (driver’s side). 

In the back, we saw some elastic holding the rear bench up and a spare wire wheel and tool bag – with gloves, centre knock-off and jack – under the boot carpet. There’s also plenty of Dynamat sound proofing back here, which no doubt helps these notoriously boomy GTs stay a lot quieter. Though we hope it doesn’t spoil the lovely note from that fruity stainless-steel exhaust (see video).

Clearly a lot of care, time and money has been invested in this car’s engine and running gear. There are plenty of upgraded parts on show, as soon as you lift the bonnet. We’ve mentioned a few of the go-faster bits already, but you can also clearly see a lot of nearly new clips on the coolant and vacuum hoses. The lines for the front mounted Mocal oil cooler have that near new aura, as do the silicone HT leads and bonnet sound proofing. 

Laying down for a proper look underneath, there seems to be a good coating of underseal, but not so much to obscure an inspection. The floors and sills look straight and clean and we spotted some Spax Krypton adjustable shocks at the rear. The bottom of the engine (front) looks a little oily and the battery appears to be semi-secured in its box via a large cable tie. There’s also what looks to be a slow leak from the rear differential, but nothing that seemed to cause too much concern during the car’s last MoT inspection in October 2022.

There is a load of history to accompany this MG, in fact too many invoices to list in their entirety here. We’ve therefore selected the following highlights, but there are many more we suggest you peruse at your leisure. 

• £2640 spent on welding up bodywork and professionally fitting the front diffuser.
• £93.60 spent on new rear dampers and a repair to the starter motor cable. 
• £234.96 spent on a Spax rear suspension conversion from Moss Europe.
• £323.29 spent at Moss in 2011 for a Retrosound Subwoofer.
• £142.50 spent on a Sebring rear apron from Moss in November 2011, plus £229.28 spent on a badge set, lenses, bonnet strap and other small parts. 
• £199.08 spent on a Revotec cooling kit. 
• £20.70 spent on an upper tailgate seal in 2023, as well as £213.93 spent on several bits of trim and fasteners from MG Owners’ Spares. 
• £853.73 spent on work and an inspection from the MGOC Workshop in August 2019, which lists a high-lift camshaft in the engine, parabolic springs, dash bulb LEDs and an H4 headlight conversion. 
• £141.85 spent in December 2019 with the MGOC for a fan & heater matrix upgrade.

Though it might not have the prettiest paint, this MGB GT has plenty of appeal where it counts, from behind the wheel. Our test drive was a lot of fun, our staff member reporting back that it ‘sounds good and goes like the clappers!’

If you’re not fussed by cosmetics, or fancy improving these as and when time, space and funds allow, you could, in the meantime be having loads of fun driving a well-maintained and usefully upgraded classic sports car. If driving is your passion, then this MGB GT might make the ideal companion.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £6,000 - £10,000.

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’.