'Oldest' MK1 Mini rediscovered........

[nickacb]

Thanx, pretty clear now

[rich@minispares.com]

Anorak (def)



Hence, someone with an obsessive interest in any subject is called "An Anorak".

what do you call someone who collects anoraks and anorak paraphernalia?

apart from dry?

[InimiaD]

Anorak (def)



Hence, someone with an obsessive interest in any subject is called "An Anorak".

what do you call someone who collects anoraks and anorak paraphernalia?

apart from dry?

Bibendum.?

[251 ENG]

Does that include Dunlop rally jackets

[tomarroofboxhire]

Hello everyone,
My name is George Smith, I have the "totally worthless 434NWL (paperwork)"however I would like to clear a couple of things up.

I bought the car on behalf of a friend who, once he realised that he had to pay out a couple of grand and didn't know how to explain to his other half "lost his bottle"

I bought the car myself as a lover of all cars, new and old, I don't judge peoples taste as we are all individuals who treasure and enjoy different things.

If I were looking to turn a quick profit then I would be quite within my rights to, as would anyone.

If I am honest then the money I paid for the car was destined for a beetle to match my VW camper.

Anyway, I am turning in to the afore mentioned "anorak"

I have bought, restored and owned all varieties of classic cars over the years and feel quite privileged that you are all discussing my little MinBIN.

As yet I still have no idea what to do with NWL, however, whatever it is will be my choice and I would love to be part of its history whether you call it a "fake,not a nut and bolt" which I have no idea how you all know so much seeing as it's been of the radar for so long, or I decide to replicate a part of motoring history.

I will be at the NEC on the Saturday and would be delighted to talk to anyone that can give me constructive advice.

Kindest regards
George 07866 740 908

[rich@minispares.com]

I think its a little rude to simply write this car off as a 'logbook', its got a pretty much continuous history since day one and was 'rebuilt' in the 1980s (when the rules and attitudes about using secondhand shells was far more lax than it is now) - I would say that it is what it is, and what has happened to it is simply part of its great story.

its a far different kettle of fish than someone simply recreating a car from a v5c harvested from the dvla or bought from ebay in the last few years, that's for sure.....


if people are going to get all '2013' about cars that have had historical reshells, rebuilds etc etc then where does this leave many ex-works cars and a vast quantity of cooper s's that currently exist?

I for one would be happy to own this car as it is, and would be happy to tell its tale to anyone, to me its a nice bit of 'mini' history that should be enjoyed and used, not simply rejected as 'a logbook' - it has after all survived longer in its second 'incantation' than it did in its first!!

sure, its a shame that it wasn't restored to a concours 1959 car in the 1980s, but realistically, what was a rough 1959 mini worth back then? far less than any restoration costs I bet!

peoples attitudes to early minis have changed as the years have passed and as the values have crept up in the last few years - but there has to be room in the mini world for survivors like this that don't fit into the neat boxes that people expect of minis nowadays.....

[bill773mini]

Hello George,

Good to hear your thoughts again. As I said to you at the start of the year, 1 of your options was the one you first intended for NWL when you bought it. Finish the shell and rebuild the car as it is, enjoy it for what it is, some Mini fun.

You are now part of NWL's long a varied history, the future is still unwritten. Your car, your choice it's not up to anyone else.

Rebuild it, use it and enjoy it being proud of what it is. Or recreate 140, which will cost 10's of thousands of £, or sell it and let someone else worry about those decisions.

Me I'd openly recreate 140 but then I'm not sane as many will testify.

Bill

[mk1]

Hi George,

Thank you for taking the time to come on here & explain things for yourself, this is in my opinion always the best way to address things.

I for one am fascinated by the story of your car, it is after all the story of SO MANY early cars, not just minis.

I would like to wish you the very best in whatever you choose to do with NWL, be it a nut & bolt restoration back to how it was in 59, or a quick tweek & an MOT so you can have some fun. It is of course, your car & you can do whatever the hell you want with it. I know there will always be folks who think they know better than you do what to do with your property, but when you are lucky enough to own such an interesting Mini I hope that you can understand that most of this is simply healthy interest & is not meant as an insult to you or your car. Unfortunately owning such an interesting Mini is always going to provoke opinions of this type.

Personally, I find one of the most interesting aspects of the story of your car the fact that all its history is well documented & absolutely unchallengeable. Something that many, many so called historic cars will never be able to claim.

Good luck with your ownership of NWL, & I hope you enjoy it whatever you decide.

Regards,

mark F

[mab01uk]

Well said George, I'm glad NWL is in safe hands again, I still remember recording the Bernard Ferriman video clip when the original story came up on Breakfast TV in the 1980's. Glad I kept the old VHS tape which the late Taffy uploaded to you tube for me....back then I used to record anything about Mini's off the tv as there was much less early Mini news and information available in those pre-internet days.

PS. If you really want a 1959 bodyshell to recreate the original feature.....I see there is currently one for sale on ebay.
http://r.ebay.com/LuSkKx
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1959-MORRIS-M ... 1254587141
As has already been said whatever you choose to do, it will all become part of this cars interesting and ongoing history.

[bill773mini]

PS. If you really want a 1959 body shell to recreate the original feature.....I see there is currently one for sale on ebay.

Martin,

Wrong age 59 shell sadly, a November shell is totally different to a September shell, a May shell is quite different to a July shell.

The ebay cars is also a very solid good November 59 built project so it would be a shame to lose it.

[mk1coopers]

Martin,

Wrong age 59 shell sadly, a November shell is totally different to a September shell, a May shell is quite different to a July shell.

The ebay cars is also a very solid good November 59 built project so it would be a shame to lose it.

Bill you are scary when it come to these cars

[bill773mini]

Sorry. I'll get my coat.

Sorry anorak.

[mab01uk]

PS. If you really want a 1959 body shell to recreate the original feature.....I see there is currently one for sale on ebay.

Martin,

Wrong age 59 shell sadly, a November shell is totally different to a September shell, a May shell is quite different to a July shell.

The ebay cars is also a very solid good November 59 built project so it would be a shame to lose it.

Very true Bill, I didn't know the seller also had the paperwork to get the original '59 identity revived onto a current V5.....it would certainly be a shame to lose that.
However if an ex-competition '59 (lightweight) shell ever turned up as they occasionally do, with no known original ID it would be a lot closer as a donor than the current Mk2 shell for an NWL replica......plus '59 anoraks could play spot the difference.
(I remember back in the 1970's during my brothers early Mini racing years the lightweight and often rust free '59 shells were much sought after for Mini 7and free formula Mini racing. We were always on the look out for them and ended up with a shed full of very early standard s/h parts that no one wanted at the time....would fetch a small fortune on ebay now!).

Free Formula 850 Special Saloon (1972)
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2431

[bill773mini]

100% agree with you Martin.

[miniminor]

Lovely bit of history, great talking point at shows even in its current reincarnation.
Think it would be pointless trying to make it into an early Mk1 again, you'd end up spending mega money making another non original car. The original NWL is long gone, get the current one on the road and enjoy it

Any pictures of it in it's current state?

[mab01uk]

1959 Morris Mini Minor MK1
434 NWL
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221393664830

[In the shed]

"The car, which has already been given a new shell".

WELL IT ISN'T A BLOODY 59 THEN!!!!!

It really is like giving someone a hand transplant and then fixing the Date of Birth, NI Number, Hair Colour, Height, etc from the dead donor. However, with classic minis, it is accepted practice.

I bought a Morris Cooper in 03. It had been reshelled and like a sensible person, it is no longer a cooper, but a Morris SDL with a complete set of cooper bits bolted to it. I don't call it a cooper, it isn't one. That died when the last shell was beyond repair. However, many many like it are going around saying "Yes, my 1966 Cooper is an original one" and then promptly whack an £16k price tag on it.

MAD.

[Old English White]

Bidding is up to £3275 currently, so somebody must have a plan for it?
I must say that the seller is being completely open about what he is selling, so good luck to him. The hard thing for the next owner will be deciding what to do with it. All those missing bits will take some finding. I can't help wondering what happened not only to the original bodyshell but also the replacement which, you'd imagine, was in reasonable condition

[miniminor]

Sold for £3725.01
Wonder what will become of it now?

[Pete]

All those missing bits will take some finding.

IE : the entire car.

Sorry, couldn't resist.