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Vehicle History
Overall condition: Restoration project
Number of owners: 8
History: No evidence of servicing
MOT: No
If you’ve never driven an original Mini, then you’re in the minority. The first Mini produced was in 1959, by the British Motor Corporation, little did they know, that this would be the start of a 41-year triumph of success for what is one of the most famous cars ever made – with over 5.3 million made during this time! 1968 to 1986 saw the Mini being made by British Leyland before Rover took over from 1986 to its final production of the last original Mini that rolled off the production line in October 2000. During this time there were many variations of this classic car, none better known than the Mini Cooper. Formula One designer John Cooper recognised the potential of the Mini and wanted to collaborate with Issigonis. This led to the creation of the Mini Cooper that debuted in September 1961. The car was given a 997cc engine and twin SU carburettors originally, however, the change in the emission standards saw a fuel-injected version, of the 1,275 cc engine in 1992.
Exterior
As stated, this is a restoration project. The original colour is the stunning British Racing Green, with the infamous bonnet stripes. The bodywork will require attention. The passenger (ns door) will probably require replacing, due to damage, there are rust spots on the roof lining, above the windscreen, the front grille, bonnet, lights and chrome bumpers all appear to be in relatively good condition, will just need some tlc to bring them back to life. The os door will need repairing and will require adjusting to sit properly. There is some rusting to the bottom of the door as well as the bottom of the sill. The window will require re-sitting, as it has dropped within the door. At the rear of the car, the bodywork, seems in good condition on first inspection, although the rear chrome bumper will require re-chroming/replacing. The wheels are all original 165/60 12” wheels, which all require refurbishment and 2 out of the 3 tyres are flat. All windows look in good condition and should be able to be re-used after a bit of tidying up. The trim/edging around the bonnet will require some attention, but should be relatively easy fix.
Mechanics
The 1275 engine fitted in this has been replaced, sometime between 2013-2014. Unfortunately, this was completed by a family friend who was, so we’re told, a mechanic, so there is no paperwork to back this up. The engine doesn’t currently start as the car has been stationary for the past 4 years. The gearbox is a manual box and is untested due to the car not being able to be started, however, it does seem to sit into each gear without any issue.
Interior
The Black and grey ½ leather seats are original and although show signs of a little wear are in good overall condition, without any noticeable rips or tears. The carpet is red and appears to be in nice condition, again, in keeping with the time period of which this car comes from, and it appears free from rips or tears, just requires some cleaning and tidying up.
We are told that the Pioneer face-off radio still works and is in good condition, as is the gearstick and knob. There is some cabling underneath the dash board that could do with tidying up, but that aside, the dashboard is neat and tidy and houses all the things you would expect from a car of this age. Unfortunately, we were unable to test the lights, etc, but we’re told that these were working without issue when the car was running.
Why bid?
There are some cars that require no introduction – the Mini is one of them. One of the most iconic cars of all time, and certainly one of the most well-known. Buying a restoration project, can be a little daunting, however, the pro’s can certainly outweigh the cons. As a project car, you have the ability to personalise the car to your taste, whether it’s a colour change, interior change, engine swap – the list is endless and furthermore, a huge benefit of restoring a Mini is, due to its huge popularity there I a huge amount of support and guidance that are available via forums and various social media owner groups, so you’ll very unlikely come across a problem that someone isn’t able to help/guide you on. This little old gem is crying out for the love and attention that it deserves, to be enjoyed on the open road once again – as we stated earlier, if you have never driven an original Mini, you are in the minority, it’s a wonderful experience that every driver should have – and this one, may just be your perfect opportunity!
Vehicle Specification
- 66,215 Miles (On Clock)
- Manual
- RHD
- 1275cc
- British Racing Green
- Black
- SAXXNNAYCH0044051
Seller Overview
Location
- Chepstow, NP16
Seller Type
- Private
Notice to bidders
Please note whilst Bidding Classics offer the most descriptive auction listings and in-depth photos and videos, we cannot claim they are totally accurate reflections of the condition of each vehicle listed for sale. Therefore, we encourage all bidders to do their own due diligence and arrange a viewing of each vehicle for sale. Viewings can be arranged by posting in the comments section below, this will trigger an email to the seller, who will get in contact to arrange a time of mutual convenience.
Also, it is likely that many of the classic cars sold through our platform will have had repair work in the past that we cannot verify. As such we do not warrant (and no warranty shall be implied) that the repairs have been carried out to a high standard or that any replacement parts are genuine.
Please do ask any questions by filling in the ‘Ask a question’ form and one of our team will be in touch, or visit our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section if you have questions about the buying process. If you require any additional photos or videos let the seller know, and we’ll ensure they are captured and sent over as soon as possible.
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