THEY are still an iconic name in motoring history.

So when the MG Car Club wanted a classic car for a top exhibition, they knew just where to go.

They turned to Huddersfield garage owner John Denton with a plea: “Can we borrow your MG?”

Now the stunning MG CGT that John has spent years restoring is to have pride of place on the MG stand at the International Classic Car Show at the Birmingham NEC later this month.

John, who runs Quarry Garage at Mount, said: “The MG Car Club wanted an MGC on their stand that was as original as possible.

“Our car fitted the bill as I have hardly used it at all for over 38 years.

“I am delighted to be invited by the club to display my car which is part of my life and now keeps company with about 25 other classic and vintage MGs, which are part of the Quarry Classic collection which have all been rebuilt by myself.

“We have done the work through the various Quarry workshops which now undertake restoration work on a wide range of classic and vintage vehicles.”

The car was one of the last sold by University Motors in London and was registered in December, 1970.

John, who bought it in 1972, said: “All the road tests of the time said that they were evil–handling slugs, but I was convinced that with me behind the wheel the car would be like Pegasus – the winged horse of the Greek gods.”

At the time John was working in the engine development department of David Brown Tractors and over the winter of 1972-73 he stripped out the car’s engine and “smuggled” various bits into work for polishing, balancing and gas flowing.

It finally came back together in the early hours of April 4, 1973, and John ran the engine in driving up to RAF Topcliffe where he had entered the car in an MG Car Club sprint race.

The MG was up against Healey 3000s, which at the time were considered a much faster car than the MG, but it gave John first place.

John took the car off the road when petrol went up from 24p to 35p a gallon in the aftermath of the Arab Israeli 6 day war.

The car then slumbered for over 35 years whilst John started and built up Quarry Garage, got married and had kids and found little time for the MG.

It was five years ago that he turned his attention back to the car, resurrecting its original bodywork, chrome, trim, running gear and Dunlop SP68 tyres.

The NEC show runs from November 11-13.