MGBGTV8 sold at Barons auction pops up for sale with a 29% uplift!

Background information
This car with the present VRN - HHN 72N - was registered with the V8 Database back in the early 1980s by a member in Gloucestershire with no mention of a CB conversion. We have had no notification of a sale and change of owner. The car is listed on the copy of the Factory production records we have as a rubber bumper car finished in Tundra with Autumn Leaf trim and was sent from the MG Plant to a dealer in Darlington. So clearly it has had a chrome bumper conversion - this is not mentioned in the auction listing.

Awareness of a chrome bumper conversion
Talking with a number of people at the auction it became clear none of them were aware the MGBGTV8 on offer was a chrome bumper conversion and that it had originally been a rubber bumper model. So it seems they had not seen our Pricewatch NEWS item released in May which highlighted that information. See our NEWS item

Barons auction charges
Buyer's Premium is 10% plus VAT on the premium, minimum of £150.
Seller's Commission is 5% plus VAT, minimum of £150.

MGV8 Price Guide update
Last update to the end of April 2019 released early in May. More

Updated: 190724

Barons auction listing
Tuesday 4th June 2019 at Sandown Park Race Course
1975 MG MGBGTV8 - Tundra 2301 - Lot 131
Guide Price: £16,000 to £20,000
See description from the auction listing. More

Auction result on Tuesday 4th June 2019
1975 MG MGBGTV8 - Tundra 2301 - Lot 131
Sold with a hammer price of £18,300
Sale price including commission and VAT was £20,496
See report on the auction. More

Auction listing said "this extremely rare factory MGBGTV8 having just been recommissioned and is in its original Factory colour of Tundra Green, a rare colour and described by the vendor as looking stunning. The last registered owner in the log book owned the car from 1982 and has only covered a genuine 79,000 miles in 44 years. The vendor tells us that during his ownership he has not had any panels replaced and he presumes they are all original, original Dunlop wheels. It has recently been completely repainted including doors and tail gate off, repainted the original factory colour, new front and rear bumpers, new over riders, new grill, new headlamps, door handles, new side mouldings etc. Mechanical repairs include new starter motor, new battery, recent rear brake work, new water pump and a recent service. The paint work looks to have been carried out to a high standard and looks stunning in this rare colour. The interior is very clean and tidy with its original rubber floor coverings, side panels, door panels all in nice condition, under the bonnet is very clean and tidy and the V8 sounds wonderful. In the boot area the boot floor looks solid and clean. Rare find at auction in this condition and the vendor tells us that only a few were made in this colour and he thinks you would be hard pushed to find another. The car has been Zeibarted from new".
Auction listing 		Advert on Car & Classic website
1975 MGBGTV8 Genuine 79,000 miles, low owners, fully restored For Sale
Price: £26,490 - an uplift of £5,994 or 29% in 5 weeks!
See the advert on the Car & Classic website. More

The advert says "this extremely rare 1975, Leyland factory MGBGTV8, chassis number GB2D1-2301G, just been fully refurbished and is in its original factory colour of Tundra Green. Last registered owner in the log book owned the car from 1982, genuine 79,000 miles in 44 years. Never had any panels replaced, all original, wheels are the original Dunlop wheels. This MGB has recently been completely repainted professionally, with picture history. Many new parts etc. Mechanical repairs include new starter motor, new battery, recent rear brake work, new water pump and a recent service. Nice 4 speed Manual with Overdrive, 5 previous owners, MOT till May 2020. Drives very smooth, Original Burnt Rustic Fabric interior, original mats, Radio, Always get praises by people". The listing shows the advertiser is a Private seller. 190709

Advert on the ClassicCarsforSale website
The car is also advertised on the ClassicCarsforSale website and at £26,490. Advertiser is Aliya in Hounslow west. in west London. Advert
Below: the photo in a showroom is with this advert.
Assessment of the at Barons' auction
Although the paint finish from a recent restoration was good, the engine bay had not been similarly restored and there was some corrosion evident there, the Dunlop composite wheels appeared to be in reasonable condition and the car was a chrome bumper conversion. These features did not seem to attract the reduced price one might normally see. Based on our inspection of the car a sale price of £18,000 to £18,500 might have been expected - in the event that was the hammer price range before the addition of the buyer's premium and VAT! The seller of course will have received a net £17,202 after the deduction of the seller's commission and VAT thereon.


Review of this car
From an inspection of the car at the auction at Sandown Park in Esher in Surrey on 4th June 2019, we saw:

> Chrome bumper conversion - the Car No/VIN is 2301 and a copy of the Factory production records shows it was 200 into the rubber bumper production run which started with GD2D1 2101G. So it appears that at some stage Tundra 2301 has undergone a chrome bumper conversion, possibly when the car was recently repainted. The quality of that conversion appears to be good.

Comment: the auction listing and subsequent adverts for sale do not mention this car has undergone a chrome bumper conversion which is an important matter. In the latest advert it says "the vendor tells us that during his ownership he has not had any panels replaced and he presumes they are all original." This car was originally a rubber bumper model (something which is not mentioned) and has had a chrome bumper conversion. Surely the substantial changes to the bodywork necessary to carry out a chrome bumper conversion cannot be ignored when describing the "originality" of this car.

> Non original features - the front side lamps are installed the wrong way round. The side lamps are usually outboard and the indicators inboard. See photo above.

> "V8" badging is misplaced on the nearside wing and on the tailgate - the "V8" and BL badges on the nearside wing appear to be replacements. Since the auction listing was released in April 2019 a "V8" grille badge has since been fitted.

> Dunlop composite wheels have been given an interesting "spruce up" - it appears any corrosion on the steel rims, which forms near the join between the rim and the alloy centre, has been removed and then the metal painted with a narrow strip of silver paint. Unless you make a very close inspection spotting that remedial work would be easily missed. The removal of corrosion on the chromed steel rim appears to have left a slight drop in the surface on the chrome rim as you run your finger over it so presumably the thickness of the steel rim will have been reduced slightly during rust removal near the join with the alloy centre.

> Michelin XAS tyres look very old - checking the sidewall date markings at the auction suggested they could be over 15 years old or more.

> Colour of the internal trim - the original trim would have been Autumn Leaf not the "original Burnt Rustic fabric interior" mentioned by the advertiser.

> Status of the vendor - it's not clear whether the vendor at the auction was a private seller or a trader. Although the recent advert says "Private" seller there is still some uncertainty.

See our photo report on our inspection of this MGBGTV8 in the auction room at Sandown Park. Photo report