“The greatest car of all time.” Autocar, 29th August 2012
We are pretty sure that most people who are reading this listing know what a Mini is and what it has (or more perhaps more relevantly hasn’t - unnecessary equipment, fripperies, wasted space etc.) and if you don’t, where have you been for the past 65 years? We hence won’t dwell too much on Sir Alexander Issigonis’ wheel at each corner ground breaking masterpiece but rather focus on what this super-early Mini is all about. So, in brief, shoving the wheels as far away from each other as is physically possible within the cars tiny footprint and dropping a compact engine, along with its gearbox and driven wheels, into it at right angles to the direction of travel made for a Tardis-esque amount of space; effectively the blueprint for every compact front wheel drive family car made since. Launched in August 1959, unrivalled levels of charm and style coupled with a super-low price meant that by the mid-1960s the Mini was literally everywhere from Carnaby Street to both Country and Council Estates, transcending the nation's already dissolving social boundaries.
Though production of the Mini (there is only one Mini in our view so we won’t bother prefixing it with ‘original’) started in April 1959, it was not officially launched to the general public until 26th August, thus allowing for a stock of cars (generally thought to be in the region of 2,000) to be built up and shipped to dealers. Though the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate on file confirms this example was manufactured just twenty-three days post launch, it would be disingenuous of us to describe it as one of the very first handful of cars produced though there can be no denying it comes from the first six months of manufacture. However, with well over five million examples manufactured over a forty plus year period, it is very much “Chapter One, line one, first syllable” of the Mini story. The Heritage Certificate also states that this ‘Seven’ was built to right hand drive, home market ‘Basic’ specification (they really called it like it was back in those days) with the optional extra of a heater and that it was finished in period perfect Speedwell Blue with Grey cloth trim. Completed on 18th September 1959, it was dispatched just two days later to Kennings in Derby (Invoice Number 306) and was registered on 1st November 1959, undoubtedly making it one of the very first Minis on the road.
With pictures painting many thousands of words it is easier to list what isn’t part of this beguiling project. While possibly not definitive, the list of the main bits that have gone AWOL is as follows:
Steering system (wheel, column, rack and track rod ends)
Road wheels x three
Hubcaps
Wiring loom
Grille
Front and rear lights
Number plates
Front seats
One sun visor
The safest rule of thumb is probably, ‘if you can’t see it, it probably isn’t there’ but do just ask if there is anything specific and we’ll happily dive into the cardboard boxes.
Most of the body work has already been completed to a good standard, with just a couple of areas already cut out and awaiting new panels included in the sale (e.g. inner and outer ‘A’ panels, rear valance, battery box). There are a few parts of the shell where old metal still needs to be removed, though again, new panels are supplied (e.g. inner rear wheel arches). The rear companion boxes also need replacing, though in this instance we could not find any panels with the car.
This seems to be a really solid, un-messed with shell with even some presentable paintwork on its outer panels, though it does look a bit cosmetically scruffy in places. The most ‘challenged’ areas are the engine bay, interior and boot floor, which appear to have been media blasted but not primed so light surface rust has formed. None the less, anyone who has spent time with a welder and a Mini (quite possibly in a cold and damp single garage), will appreciate this example is actually very good with relatively little left to do. There is also very little evidence of previous repairs; another bonus when so much of the time and effort involved in bodywork is often expended undoing previous poorly executed attempts.
It is worth noting that there are a number of ‘early car’ pointers present such as the small drain holes in the roof gutters along with flush front and rear screen openings with no rebate formed for the rubbers. The Mini was developed piecemeal during production and these sorts of details quickly disappeared, sometimes within a matter of months of production starting. Other slightly more common, longer lived features are obviously also present such as the button start floor pan, four vent sills and flip down rear number plate plinth.
While we are on the shell, it should be pointed out that it is just sitting loosely on the rebuilt subframes to aid moving it around, hence its somewhat ungainly stance.
We understand the Mini has been mechanically rebuilt and it certainly looks that way. The subframes seem to be new or certainly well refinished while the repainted suspension components and brakes have clearly been fitted with a number of new parts such as brake lines, wheel cylinders, nuts and bolts. Fresh grease is evident in a number of places so one could realistically expect to be driving the Mini without the need for anything more than a precautionary check over. The freshly painted engine and gearbox box could be worth running just as they are, or the new owner may choose to strip and inspect them just for added peace of mind.
Though there are only two steel wheels with the car, there is a full set of five later alloy versions, the sale of which should more than fund three more steels and possibly hubcaps to suit.
The history file is slim but it contains the all-important current V5C Registration Document, A British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Certificate and a new, correctly stamped chassis plate.
Ripe for relatively simple completion of the well advanced restoration, the new owner will have a golden opportunity to choose between finishing the Mini as either a very desirable, early, standard road-going example or perhaps as a pure bred competition machine.
Valued (and reserved accordingly) at the same sort of level as far less significant later cars in much worse condition, we feel this is a very attractive proposition for a buyer keen to see the project through to completion, in whatever specification they desire.
COMMENTS