1969 MGC Roadster

Our vendor has owned this MGC Roadster for the last seven years. “We bought it from our neighbour who had owned it for 48 years – almost from new,” he explains. “Although on its V5c registration document it states three previous owners, two were in fact in the same family with the father subsequently putting the car in his son’s name”.

As stated above, the MGC is a rare and sought-after University Motors example. “The car’s Heritage Certificate confirms this. The company bought the last of the MGCs and added some changes, but I can’t verify exactly what was done in period. It does remain a highly original car and the original steel wheels and tonneau are both supplied. The colour is Mineral Blue – a rare, deep shade of Blue that I believe is to University Motors’ specification”.

Comprehensively restored at the start of the Nineties, our vendor says he has had to do relatively little to the car since taking ownership. “It had initial suspension and tune-up work by Colne Classics, a recognised and highly thought-of specialist approved by the MGC Owners’ Club. The brakes were also serviced with a full rustproofing Dinitrol treatment undertaken; finally, repairs were made to the original tonneau cover, with new wire wheels, fresh tyres and a new pack-away hood fitted”. 

During his ownership, the MGC has always been kept in an air-conditioned Carcoon storage system. “It’s never been driven in winter or in the rain during our ownership, so the underside remains in very solid condition”. 
Having enjoyed ‘Sam’, as the ‘C is known in the family, for the last seven years the time has come to say goodbye. “I have over 12 classics but as I’m now retiring it’s time to downsize and reduce our fleet. We’d love Sam to be enjoyed by another family who will take pleasure in the car’s patina, use it for touring and hopefully, keep the car for a long time”.
 

An invoice in the car’s history file shows a full body restoration carried out in 1990 by A.D.C. Restorations of Bishops Stortford. Today, the car’s panel work remains in nice, smart condition. It has developed a charming patina.

That means the Mineral Blue paint remains nice and consistent, although with a few marks here and there, and a little very light blistering in places; the latter looks to be general ageing of the paint rather than anything untoward lurking underneath. Photographs in the Mechanical section show nice solid metal on the undersides of both doors.

There are some areas of very light surface rust on the extremities of some panels, such as the lower front valance and rear wings aft of the rear wheels; again, this lends the car a gentle patina. 

The ‘C wears the exceedingly pleasing wire wheels that Keir purchased shortly after buying the car, but it does also come with the original steel units. Matching Vredestein Spring Classic tyres, with period tread pattern, are fitted at all four corners.

Brightwork is solid, intact and complete. It also provides a good foil for the paint hue and combines to give the MGC a rakish Sixties’ sports car demeanour.
 

The cabin is MGC to a T. That means it’s a study in black, punctuated by chrome dials and the odd splash of colour (on the steering wheel boss and rev counter).

Again, restoration took place in 1990 and it also remains in very pleasant condition. The seats remain tear free and have a comfortable looking patina – something confirmed when you park your derriere in one. The original medium/long wave radio and single speaker both remain in-situ. There’s touch of surface corrosion on the outer edge of the steering wheel boss, around that famous octagonal badge.

Door cards, dashboard and carpets are all good. Lifting the latter, both inside the car and in the similarly trimmed boot, reveals nice and solid body-coloured metal.

In the boot you will find a matching wire wheel, smartly enclosed in a matching carpet cover. The original tonneau still fits well and is included, while the convertible top is in similarly tidy condition.  

Very nice.
 

Having owned and enjoyed the MGC for seven years, and having known the car for decades prior to that, our vendor is best placed to describe how it drives: “it starts easily on the key and always drives beautifully, with no signs of understeer thanks to University Motors’ tweaks. It will cruise at 70 miles-per-hour at just 2500rpm, and can happily go faster if required. The 3-litre engine accelerates in a smooth and confident manner. For me, it remains the perfect grand tourer and the original owners used to do just that, taking it on continental holidays as far as Greece”.

It was driven up from Essex to Bonhams|Cars Online’s HQ in Abingdon, which he says included extended stop-start traffic on the M25. “In all, we covered 120 miles; it took 3 hours and it didn’t miss a beat or get hot. That’s no surprise, as the MGC has always been reliable. We have probably driven it around 4000 miles in our time, using it for everything from a Sunday jaunt to a weekend tour of the Yorkshire Dales”.

Generally, the engine bay remains in good condition sporting the patina of a car that’s been used regularly and enjoyed. The one exception to this is the area around the brake master cylinder, where spillages of brake fluid over the years mean that the paintwork (on the housing itself, and below) shows considerable signs of surface corrosion. The next owner may wish to tidy this area up.

The Dinitrol treatment that our vendor had applied when he took ownership of the car means that the underside remains in excellent health, with just one or two small areas of light surface rust where the paint surface has chipped or flaked away. The metalwork is finished in body colour paint, which a pleasant change from the multitude of examples out there with thick black underseal applied. 
 

The MGC’s V5c registration document is present, confirming three owners from new, as is a recent online vehicle check indicating no known issues with outstanding finance, theft, having been written off or importation/exportation.

A period MGC Workshop Manual is also included, as is a special M.G. issue of Cars and Car Conversions, a 1966 Fuel ration booklet and a ‘the very special special from UNIVERSITY MOTORS’ handbook.

You will also find a wide range of invoices for work carried out on the car. These date right back to when new and it’s worth taking your time to electronically leaf through our Photo Gallery, as this gives a real feel for the MGC’s life. Key invoices include one from A.D.C. Restorations (dated 1st March, 1990, for £5940.90) for body restoration, as well as engine and gearbox rebuilds, and another from the same company (dated April 2nd, 1990, for £2,817.71) for further restorative works. You will find a further two (3rd May, for £4021.99 and 4th July, for £885.50) for completion of the car.

Our vendor had additional work carried out on AGH 30G in October 2018 by Colne Classics of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex (£4,667.41). This included a comprehensive refresh of the car’s suspension and a brake service, as well as steam cleaning of the underside and that full Dinitrol rust-proofing treatment.

A host of expired MOT test certificates are also present. The car comes with two sets of keys.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos to support our claim that this MGC has been maintained to a very good standard. 
 

This is a very pleasant example of one of the last-of-the-line University Motors’ MGC ‘specials’. This is confirmed by the car’s Heritage Certificate and as such, makes it quite a collectable example of the breed.

A full body and mechanical restoration completed in 1990 sees the car remain in very pleasant visual and mechanical conditions. Keir says it drives beautifully and we can confirm that to be the case; it’s smooth, powerful and delivers its wares with a suitably peppy exhaust note (check out 4min 16secs on our Video Review above).

With a low number of owners each of whom has treated the car very well and that older restoration under its belt, ‘Sam’ will surely provide its next owner with a consummate ‘C experience.

We think it will realise somewhere between £15,000 and £18,000, which just goes to show that even today, an MGC remains an incredibly affordable sports GT proposition. 

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 ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.