MGB GT Sebring
June, 2023
Press Rally is known as traditional rally for car journalists. Actually, anyone can participate in it who wants to. A separate classic car category gave us the opportunity to participate with the 1978 MGB GT Sebring. Together with co-driver Linas Zvinakevicius we started first in the whole line-up. We faced scorching sun and heavy rain over two days of racing. But the important thing is that we won the first place.
There is a nice sakura trees garden in the center of Vilnius. Together with Autohouse Detailing we restored the body of the MGB GT Sebring car and took a photoshoot among the blooming sakuras.
It is a special feeling to drive an old classic car. This is perfectly revealed by TOO Photography's photo session with me and my MGB GT Sebring. A car made in 1978 was "born" earlier than me. Its forms were invented even earlier.
When you sit inside you can feel the smell of time. You hear a classic clock ticking. When you start the engine you can feel how it catches air. You press the speed dial and it start to clumsily move forward. Nevertheless, it is ready to give you all the power it still has. And at that time people used to drive like this every day.
MG
What is MG?
MGB
What is MGB?
GT
What is MGB GT?
Sebring
What is the MGB GT Sebring?
A racing car was developed by the MG sports division, which made its successful debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1967. The car was fitted with a V8 engine from Land Rover and a special body kit was prepared. At the Sebring race the MGB won the first place in its class and became a real hit among the racers of the time. The small body and big engine were used by racers in Great Britain for several decades. It is still being raced with. We are also racing with him.
Before and after
The restoration of this car lasted for 6 years. Bought in Warsaw as an ordinary MGB it looked awful, was all rusted and after the accident it barely was alive. Many would say its place was in the scrap-iron. But not for us. Fully dismantled and selected, restored and supplemented with a Sebring body kit its body became like a new. All parts were either restored or replaced with new ones. That's how we gave it a second chance. See how it has changed before and after the restoration.