1972 MG BGT V8

We will start this off by saying that this is not your average restoration. The vendor purchased this 1972 MG in 2018, and right away, he knew exactly what he wanted to achieve with his dream BGT V8 to make it as good as possible.

The only way to achieve the highest quality is to start from the beginning, and that's precisely what he did. The car was sent to the renowned classic and sports car specialists, CCHL Limited, who specialise in the way people buy MGB classic cars. The no-expense-spared restoration took just over two years to complete.

The process began with a completely new heritage MG BGT V8 body shell, followed by an upgraded five-link rear suspension conversion, a fully rebuilt 3.9-litre V8, and a Mazda 5-speed manual gearbox. Hours and hours of work were dedicated to the fixtures, fittings, and interior, ensuring that everything was as good as it could possibly be.

Obviously, with a new heritage body shell, the panel fit is excellent, with an equal gap, and there are no dings or dents to mention. The superb colour choice is Ferrari Blu Mirabeau Metallic; there are some stone chips and small chips on the edge of the driver's door and a minor blemish on the wing, but that is after three years, and other than that, it is excellent.

From the front, the chrome work is in very good condition with no tarnishing. There are some minor scratches in some of the chrome, possibly caused by polishing. The headlights have been treated to some upgraded headlight bulbs, enabling better night visibility. Moving up the car, the windscreen is free from any chips or cracks, the seal is in excellent condition and has a chrome insert as they would have had from the factory. 

Along the sides, the swage lines are nice and straight, and the trim is in line across both quarters, doors, and wings. The chrome window surrounds are all in excellent condition with a bright and tarnish-free finish, and the windows appear in good order with no noticeable scratches. The roof has a Webasto sunroof, perfect for those runs out in the summer months. 

At the rear of the MG, the condition is like the rest of the car… excellent. The chrome is bright and clean, along with the window and lights, which are free from any splits or cracks. The wheels are replica V8, and these are in excellent condition with no damage. The Avon tyres are matching and have plenty of tread remaining.

The interior of any car is an important space to feel at one with the vehicle; the better the interior, the more relaxed and pleasant it is to be in. It's safe to say you'll be pretty relaxed inside the MG. The Connolly hide cream leather seats have been finished with blue piping to complement the exterior and are in excellent condition, as are the matching trimmed door cards.

Behind the wood-rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel is a new piece of walnut that now graces the dashboard fascia with a new set of cream-coloured instruments. The odometer shows a reading of 6,392 miles, and it is working as you would expect. The switchgear is also working correctly; although the vendor did point out that the heaters don't get very warm, the air conditioning does blow cool.

The plush blue carpets are in excellent condition with no signs of wear, and there is also a set of rubber mats fitted to help protect them. The carpet runs into the rear and boot area, where lifting the false floor reveals the spare alloy wheel, and you can see the floor has been coated in Dynamat soundproofing.

MGB's can get hot inside in the summer, but this beauty has working air conditioning thankfully.

When you consider that the MG BGT initially came with an 1800cc engine, which already made the car great fun to drive, upgrading it to accommodate the monstrous V8 was quite an achievement – and what a result it was! 

The engine in the MG is a Vitesse 3.9-litre V8 that has been fully rebuilt. The car has also been equipped with a Fitech Go Street fuel injection system. Various mechanical upgrades have been implemented, including an aluminium radiator with twin fans to keep the engine cool, and the addition of air conditioning to ensure the comfort of the occupants. The engine starts up as expected and sounds fantastic. The vendor reports a slight tick on the engine, but this disappears after it's been run for a while.

The five-speed manual gearbox is a Vitesse conversion that utilises a Mazda gearbox. It offers a smooth change with no reported issues on the road.

The suspension has undergone a complete treatment, featuring a Frontline Developments five-link rear suspension upgrade and a telescopic damper conversion at the front. There are no knocks or bangs from either corner, but there is a rattle coming from somewhere around the boot area, which has not been investigated.

With a big 3.9-litre lump up front, the braking has to be up to scratch. This has been achieved by using an MGB Wilwood brake upgrade kit, bringing the car to a stop with ease.

Since its completion in 2020, the car has covered just 6,392 miles. As you can imagine, it has been a great pleasure driving these miles and gently breaking in the virtually new MG BGT V8.

There is a substantial amount of paperwork, ranging from various instructions for the fuel injection system to the upgraded five-link suspension conversion. Additionally, there are crucial invoices from CCHL that detail the use of a new Heritage MGB GT V8 shell, costing £39,995. This is in addition to the expenses for all the other parts that have contributed to the stunning MG, totalling over £60,000. Since 2020, an additional £3,500 has been spent on further improvements.

This very well-sorted MG BGT V8 has had in excess of £63,500 invested in it. The finished car boasts a new heritage body shell, a reconditioned 3.9-litre V8 engine, and a stunning interior with modern touches. This restoration project was driven by passion rather than budget constraints, as evident in the detailed invoices. For anyone seeking an MG BGT V8 without concerns about hidden issues from the restoration, this is undoubtedly the car to choose.

We estimate that this no-expense-spared MG BGT V8 will fetch in the region of £20,000 - £25,000 - an absolute bargain when considering the overall investment.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. 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’.