RV8 appears at auction with an odd expansion tank

Ian Lindley attended a small auction in Yorkshire the other day as there was an RV8 isted for sale and during his inspection of the car found unusual one feature - a non standard header tank arrangement. To his surprise the tank was dry as a bone!














Posted: 140327


Ian Lindley attended a small auction in Yorkshire the other day as there was an RV8 in British Racing Green listed for sale. When he arrived to inspect the car before the start of the auction he found the colour was in fact Woodcote Green - the auction catalogue had incorrectly described the colour. Ian's comments on his inspection are below but he highlighted one feature saying "this was the unusual header tank arrangement on the auction car - and it was dry as a bone!"

Ian went armed with the inspection checklists from the Buying an MG website and from his close inspection of the car picked up the following:
> Tyres - it was I think on the original Michelin rubber, no sidewall date code.
> Windscreen was beginning to de-laminate.
> Paintwork was generally good with only a few minor stone chips but was in need of much tlc. There were no dings.
> Interior was very grubby but the leather was otherwise in good condition, a good clean would no doubt bring it up. The Elm burr trim was generally good with the exception of the driver's door cap which was beginning to crack.
> Original radio still fitted.
> Wheels were good but neglected, minimal corrosion.
> Non original coolant header tank was fitted with a crude "plastic pipe sighting gauge" arrangement to ascertain how much water was contained - actually it was dry! Taking off the still plastic cap on the header of the radiator showed there was coolant however.
> Top cooling hose was non-original - spiral wire reinforced.
> An MPH speedometer was fitted.
> Toolkit partial and a half tonneau with rails present.
> Car history was sparse both from Japan and in the UK.
> Engine quiet with no smoke on cold start up.
> Bodily a sound the car but in need of TLC to bring it up.to a presentable standard.

Ian concluded "it would make a good car but needs some immediate expenditure - for example on tyres. With say £1,000 of basic expenditure it makes it an expensive car." The car was sold for £11,700 which rises to £13,806 with the buyer's premium and VAT - just over the Condition 1 price in our updated MGV8 price guide. It will be interesting to see if this car reappears through a registration with the V8 Register.
V8 Register - MG Car Club - the leading group for MG V8 enthusiasts at www.v8register.net