Lot Ended
Description
From a deceased estate; current owner since 1972; modified in the
Seventies to look like a newer car; original body shell; 1,360cc engine; funky
dial-filled dash; new tyres; driven 30 miles to the sale; quirky but
cool!
Those of us old
enough to remember the Seventies will recall how fashionable it was for people
who lived in old houses to throw out the original ornate cast iron fireplaces
and the grand ceramic baths in favour of modern flame-effect electric fires and
acrylic bath tubs in avocado green. ‘Chuck out the chintz’ was how IKEA put it
when they tried to revive much the same sales trick in the Nineties.
Well, much the same fate befell this little
beastie – ignore the Leyland badging and the slot-mag alloy wheels, for under
the Seventies bling lies a genuine Morris Mini Minor MkI that was first
registered in London in May 1960.
Our vendor’s
husband bought this Mini as his very first car way back in 1972 when it had the
registration number 3480 MK and hung onto it right up until he sadly passed away
in 2022. Keen to keep up with the Joneses, the young lad immediately set about
modifying it to make it look like a much newer car. Well, it seemed like a good
idea at the time…
As you can see, it now
has several deviations from standard, including wind-up windows in place of
the sliding originals, later rear lights, an oh-so-Seventies Astrali steering
wheel, Paddy Hopkirk aluminium throttle pedal and a dashboard stacked with more
instruments than Thunderbird 2.
Fortunately, he
left the body shell well alone, and it appears to be pleasingly original, right
down to the external door hinges.
To be
fair, Custom Cars was a best-selling mag at the time, and you have to
admit that it does look rather cool. Who doesn’t love a bit of Seventies velour
and that dazzling array of chrome-bezeled instruments, coloured lights and
toggle switches will certainly impress your passengers.
It was
given the go to match the show too, as he also fitted a 1,098cc engine, fully
rebuilt in the Seventies by Tony Blore Racing and bored out to 1,360cc, along
with a twin-tail stainless steel exhaust, Cobra alloy wheels and flared
wheelarch extensions.
Various old MOTs show the
mileage rising slowly from 33,720 in 1977 to 41,496 in 2017, shortly after which
the car was parked up in a nice dry double garage where it was to remain for the
next eight years.
In the summer of this year, the
late-owner’s brother, a trained mechanic, recommissioned the car for sale,
including fitting a new steering rack, new track rod ends and four new tyres. It
then passed an MOT in August with just a couple of minor advisories (insecure
battery; o/s/f coolant leak).
Other documentation includes a green
continuation logbook from 1972 which correctly calls it a Morris Mini Minor and
a modern V5C which mistakenly calls it an Austin Mini but, as any fule
kno, the M chassis prefix confirms that it is a Morris-built car.
The V5C also still states the capacity as 848cc rather than
the 1,360cc that we are told it has. Classed as a Historic Vehicle, it is
of course MOT-exempt and free to tax. A useful quantity of spares will also
be made available to the winning bidder by separate negotiation if desired
(see last five photos).
Now showing
41,590 miles, it was driven some 30 miles to the sale and we are told that it
drove very well. It has certainly been starting promptly and driving very nicely
as we have moved it around on site, with healthy 70psi oil pressure and that
grin-inducing ‘go-kart' spirit that all early Minis have, let alone one
pepped-up like this.
On offer here at a modest
guide price (an excellent original 1960 Mini MkI could easily set you back
£20k+) it now seeks a new owner who will continue to love it as the last
owner has these past 50+ years.
Your only
dilemma will be whether to keep it as it is with its nippy pace and funky
Seventies mods, or return it to original to maximise its investment potential.
Seems like a ‘win win’ situation to us…
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970 309907 – [email protected]