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Documents
for the launch of the V8 Register
Peter Beadle says during lockdown he has been clearing out some
of his "40 plus years of hoarding" and sent in copies
of three documents covering the preparations for a V8 Register,
the half page V8 Newsletter in the November 1978 issue of Safety
Fast! and the letter sent out to all members who had responded
to the news of the launch of the V8 Register on 8th October
1978. More
210124 |
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Costello
designed gearbox
Peter Beadle says "do you know if anybody still has the
"Costello" designed gearbox fitted in their car? It
was manufactured by Kent Transmissions Ltd of Sidcup. A copy
of their sales brochure is attached. The British Patent number
is 1581272". More
210124 |
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Nightmare
buying the last 40 MGBGTV8 bodyshells
Peter Beadle unearthed a copy of an article by Ken Smith and
Neil Aldred published by Classic MG Magazine back in 1980s.
It relates a hair raising tale of how they bought the last 40
bodyshells for the Sprite & Midget Centre in Richmond from
MG in May 1981 following the sad closure of the MG Plant in
Abingdon in October 1980. Article
210120 |
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MG
Plant gates stolen for scrap
Looking through his scrap book John Dupont found this report
in the Oxford Times of the theft of large iron gates at the
rear of the former MG Plant. As usual they were believed to
have been stolen for their scrap value. They did not bear the
famous MG badge as they were removed when the factory closed
in October 1980. More
210119 |
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Gate
3 at the MG Plant
One of our founder members of the V8 Register in 1978, John
Dupont, has sent in some photos of his visiting Gate 3 at the
MG Plant in Abingdon two days after the Plant closed for the
last time. More
210119 |
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V8
Register Journal published in Summer 1980
A neat A5 sized book packed with useful maintenance tips for
the MGBGTV8 model. On the cover is Chris Dodds, an early member
of the V8 Register in Australia. Tragically he died far too
early in life but the V8 Register maintains his memory with
an annual award.
It was the third publication following the formation of the
V8 Register in October 1978 which was followed by the first
V8 AGM held in May 1979 on the Sunday of the Club's annual meeting
at Silverstone. At that time the first volume of the V8 Workshop
Notes was well underway and soon to be published as the "First
Fifty". More
201019 |
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Essence
of MG by Syd Enever
"We aim to give sports car motoring to as many people as
possible at the right price. We do not wish to make a small
quantity of high-priced, specialised cars for the few. At the
same time, we set out to provide the fastest possible car combined
with the greatest possible degree of safety" 200925
Syd Enever
March 1962
More
Source: posting on the V8 Register Facebook Group by David Knowles
|
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Costello
MGBGT V8 in an Observer article in February 1972
John Fry says "going through some MG papers the other day
I came across an article from the Observer dated 3rd February
1972 on the Costello MGB which had just launched. My father
before he forwarded the clipping to me when I was living in
South Africa! According to DVLA checks I have made the car seems
to be still about - it is taxed to 1st June 2021 but has not
had an MOT for a year or two, but of course it no longer requires
one". 200911 More |
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Would
I sell this V8?
Mike Authers recalls meeting Cliff Humphries who built his own
MGBGTV8 with a LHD USA Spec V8 bodyshell and other obsolete
parts bought at the MG Plant when he worked there. Mike's interesting
article describes the car and how he came to own it. 200813
More
|
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Top
Ten car producing countries from 1950 to 2019
Peter Beadle has found a link to this video with an interesting
series of charts showing the levels of car production in the
top ten countries from 1950 to 2019. It shows how Japan rose
as a producer (by volume of cars produced) to pass the USA,
the UK gradually sank down the chart and in the recent decades
China has stormed into the lead. 200808
More |
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Well,
I never knew that!
Keith Belcher has a series of items from the past which capture
the times and the interest people have had in an MGB. 200807
See listing webpage |
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Early
MGBV8s
Several V8 engine conversions were made to MGBs before Ken Costello
was able to develop and offer his MGBV8 Conversions. His advert
promoted the "Costello MGB V8 as the most economical high
performance sports car available". The Factory MGBGTV8
was eventually given approval by BL to go into production and
was launched in August 1973. Here we have a timeline showing
three earlier MGBV8s. 200630
More |
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MGBGTV8
seen on the forecourt at Former Glory in 1989
This framed photo shows the MGs on display outside Former
Glory's first trading premises on the A40 Western Avenue
in Acton west London in 1989 before they moved in 1996 to another
location two miles away on the A40 in Perivale. In 2015 Nigel
Guild decided to escape to the country to their present location
at Postcombe near Thame, conveniently just off the M40 south
of Oxford. The MGBGTV8 in the photo is Midnight Blue 1706, originaly
Citron. 200531 More |
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Neil
Aldred talks about his family's MGBGTV8
Neil Aldred was a key figure in Moss Europe with fellow V8 Register
member Peter Beadle. A fascinating video of his reflections
on his cars and the family's MGBGTV8. Peter Beadle says "Neil
Aldred is a key figure in the history of Moss Europe and he
has had many interesting cars over the years but the MGBGTV8
in Aconite has a particular value for his family. He talks of
the completion of a major restoration carried out as a project
by BMH at Witney". The video is one of the series produced
by Moss. 200503 More |
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MGBGTV8
Press Car featured in Autocar road test in August 1973
John Fry has the rare press car Green Mallard 0124 with
the registration plate HOH 920L which featured in the roadtest
in the August 1973 issue of Autocar magazine. Later in 2015
the car was driven by Quentin Willson for an episode of a 13
part series of one hour programmes on Channel 5. He is seen
flying by on a straight country road saying "Ding Dong!".
The video doesn't seem to be available now but see our photo
screengrabs of the MGBGTV8 from Episode 6. 200414
Video photos |
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John
Fry recalls his MGBGTV8 in South Africa
John Fry says "it's amazing what one manages to turn up
through the lockdown!" He had found a copy of Safety Fast!
from July 1981 and had read the V8 Register's section in the
Register News part of the magazine. John says "on perusal
of the article I see it makes reference to my MGBGTV8 - Mirage
1675 - when I owned it in South Africa. The first owner
lived on Mull in Scotland". 200414
More |
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Thames
TV feature on British cars at the motor show in 1973
In the video Tony Bastable and Richard Hudson Evans
take a look at the latest British offerings that were being
shown at the 1973 motor show at Earls Court. It includes a brief
view of the MGBGTV8 launched at that show. Keith Belcher says
"I haven't seen this film from 1973 before but it includes
an early MGBGTV8 - HOH 902L" It's a Pre-Production car,
Bronze Yellow 0113 built in March 1973 and first registered
in April that year. 200325 More |
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BL Directory
of Approved Distributors & Dealers (AKD8593)
Peter Beadle
, parts manager with University Motors in Epsom in the mid 1970s,
posted on the V8 Bulletin Board that he had found a link to
a BL Directory of Approved Distributors & Dealers (AKD8593)
- an interesting document for those wanting to know who were
the British Leyland dealers (including MG) back in 1973. The
copy is Issue 3, November 1973 with 32 pages including front
& back cover. 200220 List
|
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MGBGTV8
Driver's Handbook editions
The MGBGTV8 Driver's Handbook AKD8423 was published in four
editions from 1973 (launch of the model) until 1974 (with the
launch of the rubber bumper model). Copies of the title page
and contents page for each of the four editions are in a note.
200219
MGBGTV8
Driver's Handbook editions |
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Beige
envelope handed to new owners of MGBs and derivatives in the
1970s
All new BL (Austin Morris MG) cars around that date were
supplied with a beige envelope containing useful material by
the dealer. The BL part number of the envelope was AKD7553.
The text on the envelope says: "This envelope contains
a Driver's Handbook and other important literature for the new
owner". More
|
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BL
Standards revised 1974 motor show specs
Peter Beadle, was parts manager with University Motors in Epsom
when the MGBGTV8 model was launched in August 1973. Here he
has a collection of Austin Morris Standards for motor show cars.
More
191202 |
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MGBGTV8
launch - press release photos
Victor Rodrigues has sent in "four framed original photos
were part of the press release during the presentation to the
media". More
& see MGBGTV8
archives 180818
|
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MGBGTV8
launch - launch posters
Victor Rodrigues has contributed copies of three original MGBGT/V8
posters that were part of a sales promotion made by BL. The
MGBGT/V8 jigsaw puzzle (alongside) was a larger reproduction
of a powerful photo in the original sales brochure. More
180818
|
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MGBGTV8
launch - jigsaw using a sales brochure photo
Victor Rodrigues has sent in the MGBGT/V8 jigsaw puzzle which
was a larger reproduction of a powerful photo in the original
sales brochure. More
180818
|
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Costello
V8 enthusiast and longstanding V8 Register member - Lothar Taverne
Lothar has had his Costello BGTV8 since the 1970s and Walter
reports "he still enjoys owning the Costello V8".
180814 More |
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Early
MGBGTV8 was a product exhibit at Longbridge
Gavin Bailey has owned this MGBGTV8 (Glacier White 0199) for
just over 25 years and it was recently rebuilt shortly before
he emigrated to the US. It's an early production car and was
owned by British Leyland when new, displayed in the exhibition
hall as a product exhibit at Longbridge. More.
180803 |
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Review
of the MGBGTV8 in the Australia Wheels magazine in October 1973
An Australian enthusiast, Shane Dineen, has sent over a copy
of a review of the MGBGTV8 published in Wheels magazine in October
1973 saying it is "a less than flattering" article.
180723 More |
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MGBGTV8
Home & Export specifications in April 1973 and July 1974
Robert Rose has tracked down copies of two interesting 4 page
documents. 180706 More |
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Personal
Export Scheme guides for customers and salesmen - March 1974
Rober Rose has contributed copies of the four page PED Scheme
guides for customers and salesmen.
180628 More |
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1972
Costello V8 Sales Brochure
Peter Beadle, a founder member
of the V8 Register in 1978 and former Parts Manager at University
Motors in Epsom, has found a copy of the 1972 Costello V8 Sales
Brochure which is in his possession, He says "it's printed
on both sides on A4 card then folded in half. Thought you would
like scanned copies of an original". 170720
More |
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David
Franklin, MGBGTV8 enthusiast and British Hillclimb Champion
in 2008
Many V8 enthusiasts attending the Club's annual meeting at Silverstone
during the 70s and 80s will remember David passing fully modified
BCV8 cars in his standard MGBGTV8 in wet conditions. A remarkably
talented race driver who became British Hillclimb Champion in
2008 in a March-BMW. In recent years he's been a regular entrant
at Goodwood FOS and Revival meetings in Jaguars and Ferraris.
170707 More |
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University
Motors playing card
Peter Beadle says this pre -1968 item is the "joker in
the pack" - a University Motors playing card. 170621
More |
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British
Leyland House Badges and the rare Red MG badges fitted to the
MGB wing
The BL "House Badge" fitted to the wing of
MGB models changed over time. Alongside is the rare Red MG
badge used on cars destined for Arab Countries. 170620
More |
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University
Motors rear window stickers
Peter Beadle has a photo of two sample rear window stickers
for the former BL dealership in the characteristic blue colour.
He says "I didn't even realise that they are not even the
same as each other, or even the one which is on the rear screen
of the Mini as shown on a posting on Flicker. I think they must
have been locally sourced by each branch of Uiversity Motors.
170619 More |
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MGBGTV8
at Mann Egerton in High Wycombe in the 1970s
The MGBGTV8 was launched in
August 1973 and Robert Rose has sent
in a photo taken from the in-house Mann Egerton magazine dated
1974 commenting on the sale of the new MGBGTV8 model in their
sales room. In addition to the very short article there is a
showroom picture (the registrations on the cars suggest it is
1973) of the High
Wycombe Mann Egerton branch.
170506 More |
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BCV8
Championship – a successful club racing series from 1976
It's
been been one of the most successful Club based motor racing
series and continues to thrive by providing close racing with
full grids. Your first race is always something you
remember – the unfamiliar sensation of pushing a car to
its limits and the process of learning track skills. The MGBGTV8
has played a major part in the spectator value of the BCV8 series.
170305 More |
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Second
magazine for V8 enthusiasts in the New Year 1980
The second
36 page joint MGC & V8 Registers magazine was produced for
the New Year 1980. It contained a copy of the article by Chris
Goffey in Autocar magazine on how Rover found the Buick V8 engine
and many of the early V8 Workshop Notes. 170225
More
|
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First
magazine for V8 enthusiasts in Spring 1979
Following
the launch of the V8 Register in October 1978, the first 20
page magazine was produced and distributed to V8 members in
Spring 1979 with articles of interest to both MGC and V8 members.
The editor was Victor Smith working with Rob Gill (who took
over as the secretary of the BCV8 Championship formed in 1975)
and Vic Young who raced an MGC and was their technical guru.
170225 More |
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The
story of the Buick V8 engine which found its way across the
Atlantic to power a generation of Rover and Leyland vehicles
This article by Chris Goffey in Autocar (November 1976) was
reproduced in the V8 Register Journal New Year 1980 by kind
permission of Autocar issued to the V8 Register in 1979. It's
a fascinating story of William Martin-Hurst stumbling across
an aluminium Buick V8 engine lying on the floor of an experimental
shop at Mercury Marine. 170225
More
|
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First
meeting of V8 Register members in May 1979
Following
the launch of the V8 Register in October 1978, when Victor Smith
sent letters to 10 to 15 fellow Club members he knew had an
MGBGTV8 proposing a register for V8 enthusiasts, the first meeting
of the V8 Register was held at the Crossroads Hotel at Weedon
Bec on the Sunday evening of the Club's annual meeting at Silverstone
in May 1979. 170224 More
& Member
list 1979 & MG
Plant support letter |
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Early
pre-production MGBGTV8 used for publicity & press reviews
Richard Kelly used to own a pre-production MGBGTV8 - Black
Tulip 0120 - one of the early pre-production V8s used by
BLMC Longbridge for publicity and as a press demonstrator. It
was reviewed in Motor Sport in October 1973 shortly after the
V8 was launched in August 1973. 170124
More |
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University
Motors at Balham
Robert
Rose has tracked down this photo of the University Motors branch
in the High Road in Balham, London SW17. The Personal Export
Delivery (PED) activities were handled by this branch in 1973.
Prior to redevelopment in the late 1960s this site was used
by Barkers Motors (London) and before that in 1964 had been
the Balham
Constitutional Club.
170226
More |
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University
Motors at Epsom
University Motors was a leading MG distributor in the
1960s and 70s with branches in Hanwell (west London), Epsom
and Kingston in Surrey and Balham (south London). In the late
1960s they also had a showroom in Conduit Street in Central
London. Fellow V8 Register member Peter Beadle was working
at UM Epsom in the 1970s as Parts Manager and has sent in a
photo outside the branch in Epsom. 161220
More & More |
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Three
MGBGTV8 enthusiasts on the Cambridgeshire Tour
David Allen contributes a photo from his files which he feels
sure is worth publishing because it includes some of our V8
worthies. It was taken at the Newmarket Stud during the V8 Tour
of Cambridgeshire some years ago. 161208
More |
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Mike
Breedon a longstanding V8
member who has contributed a great deal
Mike Breedon has had MGBGTV8s for many years, including his
Factory chrome bumper model in Blaze and a recently acquired
chrome bumper car for restoration. He was an active BCV8 Championship
competitor racing an MGBGTV8. Mike contributed many years of
real service to the Club running the BCV8 Championship as its
chairman - a demanding role. Sadly he stood down in 2010. 161206
More |
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MGBGTV8
from Scotland to France
Jean Gros
in Eragny sur Oise, about 16 miles northwest of Paris,
purchased an
MGBGTV8 as the fourth owner in August 2016 and has now succeeded
in registering it in France. It
was despatched from the MG Plant at Abingdon on 25th February
1974 to Appleyard in Glasgow. It was then owned for many years
by Pat Barnet in East Lothian and later owned by Andrew Eddie
in Aberdeen.
161128 More |
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MGBGTV8
nearing the stage when a restoration will be undertaken
Gordon Mallett's attractive
rubber bumpered MGBGTV8 is finished in Basillica Blue but was
originally in Bracken. Gordon says "I discovered a couple
of months ago, after speaking to a previous owner of my car,
it was featured in a full page write up in Classic and Sportscar
in their August 1992 issue". 161116
More & Update
180529 |
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MGLive!
and the earlier annual events at Silverstone
The Club's annual weekend meeting at Silverstone has always
been popular with V8 enthusiasts and for many years we have
had a V8 Marquee as a place to meet up with fellow members,
for refreshments and sometimes to take shelter from the elements!
Usually in the week running up to the event there are several
events or visits, not least a visit to the Hook Norton Brewery
and lunch on the Friday. 161113
More |
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Looking
back to the 1970s - UNIPART Wax Shampoo
Victor Rodrigues
says "in my MGV8 bits and collectables I still have this
unused aftermarket car polishing wax dispenser which was offered
by UNIPART, the car and spares supplier as part of the British
Leyland group by the end of the 1970s. Despite the daring labelling
showing a female involved in car polishing works on an MGBGTV8,
it was used to advertise the product!" 161108
More |
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The
V8 is the absolute business!
In a short video Robbie Coltrane sums up why the V8 inspires
affection amongst motoring enthusiasts who can recognise the
subtle qualities and pleasures of the V8 engine - magical comments,
wonderful sounds. 070924
More |
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Pre-development
V8 rallied by Brian Field
Brian Field campaigned his MGBGTV8 for well over 20 years in
the RAC, Welsh, Scottish, Manx and Irish rallies and had many
successes including winning the RAC historic class in 1990.
He was still rallying the car in the 1990s at 80 but in 2002
at 86 decided that it was time for the V8 to go as he no longer
felt he could exercise the machine in the style it was used
to! 021030
More |
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Marketing
brochures for the MGBGTV8
The marketing brochures for the MGBGTV8 still look as exciting
as ever over 30 years later. This collection has been assembled
from copies of original brochures loaned by members so we can
have a reference set available online. The collection is provided
on the basis that any copies made shall be for personal reference
only and shall not be used for sale or trading.
161108 More |
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Memorable
MGB adverts from the 1970s
The strap lines ranged from "Your mother wouldn't like
it" to "Some day you will settle down with a nice
sensible girl, a nice sensible house and a nice family saloon
- some day" to "You can do it in an MG" and more.
See our selection of memorable MG adverts. 161108
More |
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MGBGTV8
launch photos from BL
See a set of the BL launch photos (black & white). 161121
More |
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Press
release for the launch of the MGBGTV8 in August 1973
A comprehensive 19 page package of press releases made on Wednesday
15th August 1973 provided details of the new, more powerful
MGBGTV8 model. The package has five sets of press release documents
on British Leyland headed paper. See the releases here. 161108
More |
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MGBGTV8
at the 1973 Motor Show at Earls Court
The MGBGTV8 was launched at the 1973 Motor Show at Earls Court
in London. A video clip catches the period style of motor show
reporting with references to the "window dressing more
or less as before!" The V8s featured at the show were Citron
798 on display on a ramp with the logo "the new 124mph
MGB GT V8" and Aconite 799 on the stand.
161108 More
. Window dressing provides glamour
at the show. More
|
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MGBGTV8
road test report in Police Review
As
the new MGBGTV8 was launched in August 1973, the specialist
journal Police Review did a road test and reported its finding.
They were
keen on the MGBGTV8 saying "this car combines a businesslike
appearance with a reasonable performance, and is capable of
carrying a surprising amount of equipment. Now we have a new
model which should make this one of the finest enforcement cars
available - the MGBGTV8". 080331
More |
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What
were the views of the press of the launch of the MGBGTV8?
Autocar reviewed the new MGBGTV8 on 16th August 1973 and
the specialist magazine, Police Review, and Motor Sport gave
it a thorough and favourable review in their October issues.
161108
Reviews &
Motor Sport |
 |
Six
years too late, comfortable seating, poor ride, excessive wind
noise, fast and economical - Motor Sport review in 1973
That was the frank verdict of Motor Sport on their 1,900 mile
road test of the new MGBGTV8 model in October 1973. Rather than
test the car immediately after its launch in August 1973, they
had waited for a lengthy 1,700 mile continental trip to test
the car in a demanding Grand Touring role. 101228
More |
