1979 MGB GT Sebring Evocation

• MGB GT built 15 years ago as an homage to the original Abingdon Works MGC GTS Sebring racecars from 1967
• Still looks fabulous in Metallic Royal Blue with a white stripe, Sebring arches and deep-dish Minilites
• Fitted with a 220 bhp, 3.9-litre fuel-injected Rover V8 built by specialists RPI Engineering
• 5-speed LT77 Rover SD1 gearbox, 3.07:1 diff, 285mm vented discs with 4-pot calipers
• Spax adjustable hydraulic shocks all round. Lowered suspension with anti-tramp axle mounts
• Extensive history file - photos of the restoration. Details of every nut/bolt/component involved
• The car has featured in various magazines over the years and copies are included
• Recent oil change/new distributor cap/leads/fuel pump and steering rack/track rod ends

For those of us “of a certain age,” who got hooked on cars in the early '60s, MGBs were good cars, dependable, competent and accessible but they lacked the joyous impracticality of a TR3, the bulldog hairiness of the Big Healeys, or the exotic delicacy of the Alfas and Porsches of the era. For those of us who wanted a hormone rush in our cars, the MGB left us asking, “Where's the excitement?” BMC must have realized this deficiency, and during the middle to late sixties, MGBs and MGCs in a variety of guises left Abingdon heading for international motorsport success all over the world. The handsome and distinctive MGC GTS prepared for Sebring is still regarded as one of the most desirable creations to ever emerge from the BMC Competitions Department and the MGB offered here has been created as a tribute to these famous cars.

TCK 527T started out its life as a 1979 MGB GT and went through its transformation around 2005. There are lots of photographs of the build along with a huge history file all contained in four A4 Volumes. The car has been magazine featured over the years and has travelled some 22500 miles since its inception.

The 3.9-litre V8 was built by RPI Engineering and is fitted with a Piper 270 fast-road cam, a lightened flywheel along with a 14 CUX fuel injection system and a TVR Tornado chip. We understand power output is around 220bhp and this is fed through a 5-speed LT77 gearbox from an SD1 and the diff is fitted with a 3.07:1 final drive. The engine breathes through tubular exhaust manifolds and a stainless big-bore RV8 system. The discs are 285mm vented with 4-pot calipers and the car sits on deep-dish Minilites. The suspension is lowered and fitted with, Spax adjustable shocks and anti-tramp axle mounts. The full spec is far too long to list here but full details will be available at our Documents Desk.

The conversion was carried out around 15 years ago but the car still looks impressive finished in a delightful shade of Lapis Blue with the obligatory white stripe. The interior is prepared for motorsport and, as always, any safety equipment should be checked for legality and currency. The car has recently benefitted from an oil change along with a new distributor cap, HT leads, a TVR high-flow fuel pump and a brand new steering rack with track rod ends.

This is not a replica, it's a fast road, occasional sprint, rally, hill-climb car that has been created in the spirit of those legendary Sebring GTS racers from the sixties. Sensibly guided, it could be a lot of fun.