1968 MGC GT

‘MFX 115G’ is one of the last 200 cars built and was supplied to University Motors, who fitted a Downton Engineering exhaust manifold before rebadging it as a ‘University Motors Special’.

It also left the MG factory fitted with a Borg Warner automatic gearbox, which makes it one of just 230 examples so equipped – and, as you’ve probably already guessed, was destined for the United States.

Originally finished in Mineral Blue and sitting on a set of wire wheels, it received a repaint in Damask Red at the same time as the steering wheel changed sides in 1990/91. 

It was recommissioned and serviced in July 2023 by Phoenix Classic Cars of Poole in Dorset, and the garage owner quickly realised that he’d also looked after it for the previous owner, a man who used it for fast runs down to Provence on a regular basis.

Given the fact he knows the car so well, the owner’s wife has asked him to sell it for her as part of her husband’s estate.

The MGC’s panel gaps are very good, as is the swageline alignment, and the panels are free of dents, dinks, and other damage. 

And this strong metalwork provides a suitable canvas for the Damask Red paintwork, which is such a lovely colour for the car. Subtly sporting and yet suitably understated, the application was clearly done very well as it’s holding up nicely.

Sure, there is some micro-blistering here and there, but this seems to be fairly recent and caused by the car having been stored under a cover during the owner’s lengthy illness. 

There’s also a crack in the finish on the bonnet near the University Motors Special badge, but despite these (relatively minor) problems it is still a very presentable car and could be used as it is for a long while to come without embarrassment.

The chromework is pretty good too, with only light pitting, most of which may polish it with a hefty dose of elbow grease and Autosol.

The chromework includes, of course, the all-important wire wheels, which glisten nicely in the sun and, again, have minimal rust on them. 

They are also fitted with matching 165/80R15 Toyo tyres, a size that gives steady, predictable handling allied to a fabulous ride. They also all have plenty of tread on them.

Plus, as we will never get tired of telling you, our experience is 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. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The lamp lenses are all good too, even if a couple have some condensation inside. The badges are also in an excellent condition.

As for the sort of stuff you’re going to want to deal with sooner rather than later, there is some rust on the driver’s door above the handle, on the rear of the nearside sill, and the lower sections of the front wings.

The black interior, which is piped in red to match the Damask Red coachwork, is every bit as good as the exterior. Gently creased but no more, the front seats are trimmed in leather and match the seat - the base is now also fitted, although the photos show only the backrest - that’s fitted in the rear.

The door cards are in a matching colour scheme and seem to be in good shape even if the nearside has some marks on it.

While we are being picky the material covering the sunvisors has gone saggy, but that’s offset by the fact the headlining is clean and taut and we know which problem we’d rather deal with.

The wood-rimmed steering wheel is as glorious to behold as it is to hold and suits the MGC’s mood perfectly.

As does the automatic shifter, which features a wooden knob and a chromed surround within which the gear position is picked out in red. We know you think you want one with the manual gearbox, but the Borg Warmer is a better fit for the MGC’s laidback nature than you might think, and there’s no doubting the bit you can see here in the cockpit looks fabulous. 

(It also gives more room in the footwell, which might be a consideration if you’ve larger than average feet.)

The toggle switches and instruments are in fine fettle too, with bright white lettering still and an authoritative air to their placement.

Rubber mats protect the carpet underneath, and both look to be in a very good condition.

An electrical cut-out switch is fitted, which gives peace of mind as an anti-theft device when it’s parked and also saves the battery when it’s stored in the garage. 

The boot contains a full-size spare wire wheel as well as the jack, a tool roll and tools, and the mallet.

Phoenix Classic Cars recommissioned the MGC in July 2023, work that included a new oil and filter, a new fuel filter and hose, new front dampers, a battery, wiper blades, a brake switch and pipes, and rear brake cylinders and shoes. The seller, who carried out the work, says it’s “lovely and drives really well”.

It is thought to have had a replacement engine fitted when it was in the USA if the engine number is anything to go by, and another appears to have been fitted here in 2004.

As you can see, it starts well, even from cold, and shows very good oil pressure. It also idles nicely, and revs with an attractive exhaust note.

The underside would benefit from being cleaned, not least because there’s some overspray on the offside rear leaf spring, presumably from when repairs were made to that sill in 2018.

The GT’s MoT certificate is valid until July 2024, and the recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar the marker for being an imported car. An email from the MGC Registrars confirms its provenance and suggests it may have been sold first to an American serviceman who was based over here before going home with them later. 

The seller suggests it’s more likely that University Motors took it out with them when they moved out there, but either way, there’s no doubting it’s a genuine one, which is important as “there are a lot of fakes about”.

He went on to tell us that his research indicates the firm only comprehensively modified Twenty Three cars in total, with the remaining 189 receiving the exhaust and manifold and, maybe, some trim.

This MGC also comes with two keys, a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate, a handwritten record of its maintenance between 2010 and 2017, an invoice for the new offside rear sill fitted in 2018, a handful of invoices from Pete’s Motors dated 2004-18, and a bunch of expired MoT certificates.

The MGC, long an underappreciated member of the MG tribe, is now finding a ready home with discerning enthusiasts who are willing to pay good money good cars.

And an MGC always makes for an interesting alternative to an MGB, and never more so than when it is as well presented and fettled as this one. Nicely clean without being unusably so, it is running very well and is in need of nothing other than a little gentle TLC to enable to fulfill its considerable potential.

With a guide price of somewhere between £15,000 and £20,000, it’s likely to be good value, too as the need for that work is reflected in the reserve.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Poole, Dorset. 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’.