How in the world did John Cena fit in this LS-swapped MGC?

To some, the MGC—more or less a straight-six-equipped version of the inimitable MGB—is a fine evolution of a proper British sports car. It’s shapely, full of spunk, roomy enough for a few weekend bags, and loads of fun to drive. But if you’re WWE superstar John Cena, a man who’s tried his hand at everything from rap music to major motion pictures to suplexing the Undertaker, you’re always open to things getting a little bit … wilder.

We did not have “John Cena’s MGC GT” on our bingo card of celebrity cars, but boy are we glad to know such a space exists. Bring a Trailer is currently selling a metallic gray 1969 MGC that was once owned by the famous pro wrestler (and actor). Predictably, it’s no ordinary Brit coupe.

According to the listing, Cena acquired the MGC in 2020, at which point he shipped it off to Ekstensive Metal Works, a custom car shop out of Houston, Texas, where the little hatchback hit the gym—and then some. The 2.9-liter straight-six that originally came in the car was removed in favor of a herculean LS3 V-8 equipped with a Holley Sniper EFI system, tubular headers, an aluminum radiator, and MSD spark plug wires.

That engine mates to a Tremec T56 six-speed manual transmission sending power to the rear wheels via a 10-bolt rear axle with 3.73:1 gearing. The soundtrack comes courtesy of a dual exhaust system that terminates just ahead of said rear axle. Ekstensive Metal Works also fettled with the suspension and braking system, adding adjustable coilovers and a four-link rear suspension, as well as vented and slotted Wilwood disc brakes with orange calipers.

The madness continued on the outside, as the shop stripped the body and modified it with a Sebring widebody kit, then painted the whole thing with custom metallic gray paint. Inside, a completely custom interior featuring blue leather with custom orange piping contrasts the gray exterior quite well. Added bits of flair include backlit door cards, a matching headliner, a Vintage Air climate control system, and more. Cena’s autograph can be found on the engine-bay firewall as well as the door jamb on the driver’s side.

Along the way, the MGC’s rear seat was ditched in favor of a custom interior mold that houses a 10-inch Rockford Fosgate subwoofer and a 1000-watt amplifier to jam your favorite tunes over Bluetooth.

And if you, like us, are still wondering how 6-foot-1-inch Cena could fit into such a tiny machine: The listing also mentions that a tilting steering column was fitted to the car. Even with the column, we have to imagine this was a pretty snug fit.

With three days left in the auction, bidding currently sits at $35,900 at the time of this writing. That’s within sniffing distance of a stock MGC GT’s #1 Concours condition value, which our data reveals to be $39,900. We’ll have to see at what final price this restomod Brit winds up at, but it’s safe to say that Cena’s ride would turn heads anywhere.

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