Description

1980 MGB GT Sebring Evocation

Built as an homage to the Paddy Hopkirk MGC GTS raced at Sebring in the late 1960s; road legal and ready to go 

This rather fine-looking Sebring evocation started out in life as a regular MGB GT in March 1980. Nothing is known of its early history, but a large file of invoices and photos show that the car was restored in 1997/98 with new sills, floorpans, castle sections, doors, wings, propshaft, kingpins etc.

At some point thereafter it was converted into a Sebring lookalike with wide arches grafted onto the original steel wings with a fibreglass Sebring bonnet and front valence. Other external features include Sebring headlight cowls, Lucas P100 headlights, a high level Monza style alloy fuel filler, leather bonnet strap, a side exit exhaust, twin front and single rear fog lights and period race decals and roundels.

Our vendor acquired the car in 2020 and has modified it further, intending it as an homage to the racing MGs that ran in the Sebring 12-Hour race in the late 1960s. There were two cars, Romeo (RMO 699F) and Mabel (MBL 546E), this car being an homage to Romeo which was driven by Paddy Hopkirk and Andrew Hedges.

The car rides on knock-on wire wheels with centre spinners fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport tyres all round. Internally it has matching black sports seats with Sparco racing harnesses, a rear roll cage, alloy sports steering wheel and alloy door handles. Other upgrades include a Kenlowe fan, lowered suspension, front and rear anti-roll bars and servo-assisted brakes.

Under the bonnet is an 1800cc engine running on twin SUs with a three-branch race manifold exiting through the side exhaust. The gearbox is a four-speed manual with overdrive on third and fourth gears. The vendor believes that the engine is a rebuilt GoldSeal unit in standard tune but as it was already in the car when he bought it, this cannot be confirmed.  

The car has not been raced in the current ownership, just used as a fun road car. 21 old MOTs from 1990 – 2018 show that it has been in regular use over this period, covering around 45,000 miles since the 1998 restoration. At the time of cataloguing we were awaiting the V5C to arrive from DVLA, the car having recently been classified as a Historic Vehicle and therefore MOT-exempt and free to tax.

Starting promptly and running well as we have moved it around on site, with good 50psi oil pressure and a very fruity exhaust note, it is no show pony cosmetically but it is a proper head-turner and will prove a real talking point wherever it goes.

For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email [email protected]