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MGC MGC GT

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gsalt57tr3

gsalt57tr3

Jedi Warrior
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I have access to an MGC GT with an automatic transition. Price it reasonable. Can someone please give me recommendations as to the re;liability of the transition. Is there a manual transition that can be put on this?

Thank you in advance.
 
Unless the price is really good, you're better off buying one with a manual gearbox already in it. They are much easier to find. The gearbox in the car is a standard Borg-Warner 3-speed that pretty much, from what I understand, kills the sporty feel of the car. You can change it out, but you will pay dearly for an overdrive MGC unit if you can actually find one out of a car. They are out there but their rarity demands a higher price than MGB units. If you decide not to buy this nparticular C, I have a friend who is looking specifically for an automatic MGC GT and who would love to get some info on it.
 
MGC GT with an automatic transmission is a real "Grand Tourismo" car - like Steve said, not a 'sporty' car - but a real joy to drive!...tranny is reliable & easy to get repaired if necessary...drive it & you'll love it.

Plus, they're too rare to chop up!
 
Go for it! I see from your signature that you've never owned an MG. We're confirmed Triumph people (we each have one), and we *love* our MGC.

Not to hijack the post, but while we're on the subject of MGC transmissions, my girlfriend and I were just talking about the manual gearbox, and both agreed that we wished there was a lock-out device on reverse. I'm a pretty agressive shifter, and once or twice while entering a curve I've gone from third to second, only to find that I've gone a bit too far and gotten a wee bit of grind. Clearly I'm used to my Triumph and Sunbeam transmissions -- on the Triumphs, reverse is all the way over to the right, and on the Tiger, there's a hefty lock-out.

Anyone ever put in a lock-out on reverse? I imagine it wouldn't be too hard.
 
A UK company called MG Motorsport offers a 5-speed gearbox for the MGC.

That sounds like a good solution for automatic conversions.
 
Bill, you shouldn't be able to accidentally engage reverse. It is eupposed to require a firm "slap" to the left from neutral to get the shift lever into the reverse gate. You may need to replace the thingamabobber.
 
Nice avatar NOOB :smile:
 
I'm actually looking and inquiring for a friend...

Price in this one is $2000.

There is also an mgb gt from the same source for the same price.
 
THAT's A STEAL!!! An automatic MGC GT that runs & isn't a rust bucket for $2,000 & you've not put it in your garage?????? That's several thousand below what one in good condition is worth!!
 
Ah, you're being robbed, that car will handle like a train...

Give me the sellers number so I can call & chew him out... :devilgrin:
 
It used to be $2000 bought you a project MGC. Now rust buckets sell for that much, and project cars go for $5K!

The MGC GT with the automatic is probably the least desirable of the MGCs. I know of at least 3 that have been for sale for quite some time. Had they been ODs, they'd have sold by now.

But they are "Abingdon's Grand Tourer" nonetheless. Effortless cruising that will keep up with modern traffic, when it's moving at least!

If this CGT is running and there's no serious rust, snap it up at $2K. If you really want the manual, buy it and install it.

Right now many MGCs are leaving the US - returning to the UK, or ending up in Europe, Australia, Mexico and other faraway places. So if this one goes it may be some time before another comes your way, especially at that price.

My two pence.
 
Just sold my C roadster on E'bay for 4K. After owning a few C's with standard gearboxes, an auto is the only way to go. Please remember that a C came with two different gear ratios.Transmission that is. After building a nice motor, the gearbox would not take the BHP. The car that I sold was offered on this forum for some period of time, but never sold. I did keep this vehicle for 20+ years.
Cheers, David.
 
Well done I hope.
 
Kind of sad,Jack. The new owner is very happy and will restore it back to it's former glory. I just have too many projects that me my attention. Maybe one day I will have another. Atleast the car will remain on American soil!
 
Update time...

The car is still for sale. It is not running, but is a one owner car.

My friend doesn't think he wants it, I may have talked him into a TR6.

It is located in San Luis Obispo, CA. He wants $2000 for it (I think).

Owner has a shop there.

www.britishsportscars.com
 
You goin' for it?
(Man, that web site's slow to open!)
 
Man that site never did open for me!

As far as the automatic, it's just a matter of perception! The MGC and especially the MGC GT is a great long distance touring car and with the automatic it is great in the city or on a tour. The Borg-Warner Type-35 at the time was considered at worst the third best auto in the world behind only the GM 3-speed Turbohydromatic (also used by Rolls-Royce) and maybe the Chrysler. Better than Ford's autos ever were. Easily serviced and there have been ways of improving it as well. Shift Kits from the likes of B&H and papers written on how to modify the B-W for better shifting performance.

More of the auto MGCs seem to be out there, probably because they have been driven easier and more of them have survived. When new the auto was only in about 2 out of every 11 roadsters and 2 out of every 9 GTs in the USA, so they are actually rather rare. In the future this could be a premium feature for collectors.

I traded off the auto I had simply because I had 2 other cars that had manuals with overdrives and I found myself manually shifting the auto until I missed 4th gear too many times. Otherwise I would have kept the auto and had a shift kit installed at the next service.

Don't turn down an otherwise excellent MGC just because of an unjustified prejudice against autos!

C Ya,
Mark
Ps.: Steve your car is a RHD and the manual works better that way, but for us with LHD the reverse is just too easy to get into! I have thought about modifying my shifter to add a lockout for a long time. Maybe as the car progresses I'll have the time to try that idea again. Anyone else interested?
 
I could'nt find the car.
 
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