MGB, a heritage shelled, concours, prize winning car with receipts of work done

I've engaged Car and Classic auctions to sell this car at auction within the next 4 to 6 weeks. By starting that process I am not permitted to sell elsewhere without penalty. I'll leave this advert live until Car and Classic take over. Anyone who wishes more photos or videos of the car stationary and on the move are still welcome to contact me. Apologies to those who have engaged with me and received more photos and information. I'm sure you'll understand it's an important car, world class according to Morris Leslie Classic Auctions, but has to be well promoted which I'm not able to do myself.Too expensive for an MGB ? Well, check out pictures of 30/11/21 C+C auction for a nice one, not heritage shell, welded, new metal but nice enough. Sold for £31000, last night's example sold for £16000, again an “original” car with “patina”.The Heritage shell is the only safe way to go, too expensive, can't afford it at the moment ?  I think the question to ask yourself is can you afford to turn away from this car and buy a less expensive, “original, patinated” example.This one has a heritage shell, I believe it's only way to go now. Is it wise to trust other people's welding skills and what's going on inside those 60 year old sills ? You can hit the metal work with a hammer all you like but you just can't be sure. Remember these 60 year old cars passed through the era of cut and shuts, welded in Heinz cans and egg boxes supporting fibreglass with metal fragments set in to attract magnets. They were not the cherished cars seen today, they were mostly old rusty buckets within 5 years and gone within 10.Think also about accident damage, in the 60's and 70's a twisted chassis was identified by weighted strings dropped from several points on the chassis and chalk marks on the garage floor and there were no CAD machines to measure and straighten bodies. Original body, forget it, most certainly won't be and some adverts promote new floors, sills, inner front and rear wings. So run, just run, the Heritage shell is the only safe way to go. This car is concours and not known on the UK classics / show scene so it has the potential to pick up show wins with ease, if that's what you like to do. It has won a trophy in the only event it entered. My painter/bodywork specialist spent many, many days correcting the heritage shell and it's evident especially around gaps, check out the gaps around the grill and compare with others in sale, that's what you're paying for. You can't buy a heritage shell and start painting, they are not good enough, old patterns now I suppose but really glad I spent extra on a new shell.This car has top class paint, engine work by Engine Resource, gearbox by Chas Butler and sons, new wheels and tyres with zero miles on, upgraded suspension with gaz shocks and new springs all round. All parts, new, renewed or refurbished, all receipts for parts available totalling £14000 not including shell and paint. Heritage shells are now £13000 unpainted.Professional paint inside, out, underneath and arches, clear wax-oiled in chassis legs, sills etc in new shell from new. The underside will shine like the top if waxoyl removed. Not used in the rain but I did get caught out once.Staff at a well known classic car auction described it, only last week, as the best and world class. They will advertise and promote it at the next classic auction if I wish. One senior staff member said he would have taken it to their stand at the NEC classic in November past had he known I wished to sell and he didn't expect to be bringing it back home.It has an extensive history file, see photos and receipts for parts and work filling a lever arch file. The file even has a 1976 professional assessment carried out by the second owner to establish condition prior to purchase, of course, it's very far from the same car now.It has new navy wool carpets, new £400 Prestige hood fitted today 5/12/21 only because I broke the zipper on the previous hood's window, tonneau and half tonneau from Prestige ( there's no shortcuts with this car, if it needs something, it gets it ), engine was rebored, unleaded conversion, new shells, flywheel skimmed, new oil pump, new clutch and carefully rebuilt, the gearbox and overdrive were professionally refurbished and work beautifully, new Aldon distributor, new SU carbs, malpassi fuel king, fuel pump, alternator, radiator, brake and clutch masters, pipes and slaves. new full wiring harness, petrol tank and was powdered coated along with every part restored (including heater box and hood frame, radiator shroud) crackle finish dash and consoles, the screen surround was restored by a specialist and new glass also fitted, seats were refurbished in original basket weave, new door panels and other navy trim parts, boot carpeted in navy wool from Prestige, cd changer in boot, head unit in glove box with period Motorola in centre consol, new tex stainless mirrors. New tax disc from British Repro Tax Discs to reflect the original disc fitted to the car.The original “Rostyles” are perfect and new tyres fitted, no miles on them.This summer, parabolic rear springs from MGOC, GAZ shocks front and rear, new steering rack, new wishbones, new front springs and pans and fitted poly bushes, a new Moss Tourist Trophy stainless exhaust was fitted, so it drives like a car from more modern times and sounds amazing. Think this year's parts alone cost £3000 well £3500 now including the new hood, blast ! The car has a tailored specialised breathable car cover also included.I can supply more photos and videos of the car moving if you wish.The car will increase in price in the spring as most convertibles do. I've had genuine offers in November for 20.5 and 22, one a dealer for sure, the second more than likely a dealer and I turned them down, that's how confident I am in this car's condition and worth. I'm a private seller and so can't offer trade ins and finance. You could buy a car (perhaps not like this though) from a dealer, you'll pay extra I suppose, they'll know the car inside and out, no expense will be spared, you'll get a warranty, a cup of coffee and a good sales experience. In my case, you'll just get someone who has built this car for himself and his family with his own City and Guilds trained hands, someone who cares for this car, I know where it's been and I have a list of receipts to show you every aspect of its build, I will answer all questions honestly and won't let you down and I also do coffee and maybe the odd bun. I'm happy to sell to dealers but I didn't build this car to make a profit nor for others to do so. That's why I'd prefer it to go to someone who will enjoy it and perhaps show it so a private sale would be preferred. Seriously, have a look on ebay and on here and really get into the pictures of MGBs and see where the little differences are. The seams at the rear were correctly lead loaded, most wouldn't bother or use filler, check out the panels gaps, see how the doors, bonnet and boot lie flat in relation to other panels and try to find better, a lot of time was spent getting the gaps around the grill absolutely correct, most restorers don't even look twice at this area. I admit l didn't either but the paint\/bodywork gentleman did it without being asked, it's an example of his excellent work on this car. Look at the paint inside the boot, underside and in the engine bay, check out the alignment of brake pipes and the new wiring in the engine bay, whilst there look at the little details, like powdercoating especially on the heater box, new rocker cover, the malpassi fuel filter and pressure reducer, the new carbs, alternator, distributor, radiator, brake and clutch masters and coil. Little details like stickers and their placement, it even has a correctly pressed chassis number plate but I can't show you that. Most others would be happy with a stamped one. These details do well with concours judges who can see past bling. When you show, remember to put the supplied perfect rostyles and new tyres back on the car. The alloys were only added to protect the rostyles but, in my opinion, they look great in black and silver, well done MGB Hive for having them made in this colour rather than sticking with aluminium. Wire wheels, not original by the time this car was made and do you really want to clean them ? Please don't be swayed by leather, wires and wood bling, rip them off and chuck them would be my advice but I know and accept others like them. To return the car to completely standard for concours, you can refit the old but supplied suspension, the old steering wheel, the glove box cardboard insert, the tin rocker cover and airfilters, remove the radio, speakers and cd changer but really I wouldn't. The costs and time involved are negligible. You might lose a couple of points keeping them but you'll miss these sensible additions. This car was built to be original and whilst I've changed a few things like upgraded the suspension, wheels and tyres it's still an MGB in the raw and all the better for it in my opinion.

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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