Chassis No. GHD3L110410

Engine No. 18GBRUH62830

Body No. GBD009284P

If there was ever a British brand for the American audience that combined lightweight construction, speed, a throaty sound, great handling, and value it must be MG. By the mid-1960s MG had thoroughly hit their "Safety Fast" stride with the four-cylinder MGB and while the model is most often associated with the Roadster body type, the sporting GT with its rakish profile and practical rear lift gate certainly deserves more than its fair share of the conversation. Such was the interest around the model in the United States that the official MG importer created 1,000 Special Editions of the GT for the 1967 model year that included front fender badging, a wood-rimmed steering wheel from Personal, an Australian "coach wood" shift knob, and a fender-mounted racing type exterior mirror.

Constructed in mid-December of 1966 in left-hand drive for the North American market, this MGB GT was originally finished in Grampian Grey (so named for a northern region of Scotland) over a Black interior with leather seats trimmed with White piping. Additional equipment as fitted by MG included overdrive, knock-off wire wheels, and a heater among other items. According to its third owner, MG expert and Pebble Beach Concours judge Mark Lambert, this MGB GT was purchased new from Berkeley British Motors of Berkeley, California with original ownership until 1996. The second owner began a restoration that Lambert then completed in 2010 after acquiring the car three years earlier.

The resulting work must be called a master class in MG restoration, a reference grade example, and no-doubt one of the finest on offer today. Nearly 15 years after the comprehensive restoration, finished in Dark British Racing Green with an interior trimmed as original, it still sparkles with all of the correct Special Edition pieces fitted. Among the light modifications made are an attractive set of Minilite knock-off aluminum wheels shod with Pirelli tires. The highly detailed and correct engine compartment is of particular note with its correct 1800 cast engine block with twin S.U. carburetors and all manner of correct components and finishes-no doubt a point of pride for Lambert during restoration. Acquired by the Academy of Art University Collection in 2012, this concours-grade MGB/GT Special is offered with a copy of its British Heritage Trust Certificate, a wire wheel spare, and jack.