mk1-forum.net

I'm 56.

My youth included Minis and Escorts - My Dad had three on the go 1968-74 (66 850, 67 998 Cooper and 70 1275GT) and then a 10 month old Mexico. My grandparents on my Dad's side had Minis from 1970 til 1984, plus everyone seemed to have one. Every year was Yeovilton Sprint - Minis, Castrol R. A great time to be growing up in and an era never to be repeated.

Yet.....

I feel I've done it all now. I still have an interest but I don't especially want one again. I watch the Matthewsons YouTube thing and I see stuff I've never had. A brown 1972 Triumph Stag is subconsciously prodding me at the mo. The metallic green Singer Chamois Coupe (Stiletto) really got my interest.

With 2 pretty nice looking genuine British 60s Mokes selling for around £13.5k each at auctions recently it looks like these have almost halved in value in the last year!

johnv wrote: ↑Sat Sep 21, 2024 10:37 am With 2 pretty nice looking genuine British 60s Mokes selling for around £13.5k each at auctions recently it looks like these have almost halved in value in the last year!

I never really got their appeal in the UK...Spain or Algarve yes.

Yup, I pointed them out on the Moke facebook page - I don't think many have been selling at anything like the daft prices folk have been asking the last few years, but these prices seem very much more realistic.

Al

70s French EV conversion of what looks like a late Tartan Red Mk1 Cooper / S (chassis number quoted is too high though) …. never seen this before!

https://www.aguttes.com/lot/153687/2651 ... nal-french

Pete wrote: ↑Thu Sep 26, 2024 10:40 am 70s French EV conversion of what looks like a late Tartan Red Mk1 Cooper / S (chassis number quoted is too high though) …. never seen this before!

https://www.aguttes.com/lot/153687/2651 ... nal-french

(French to English translation below)

Austin MB Mini Cooper S Electric – 1968 – Auction Lot 11
Austin MB Mini Cooper S Electric – 1968 Chassis No. 1178930 French grey card of origin Vehicle sold without technical inspection Incredible and unique Mini converted into electric and approved by the engineer Maurice Bonafous, the inventor of the Citroen 2 CV Sahara twin-engined 4x4; 4 electric motors Leroy-Sommer, transmission by chain.
The car, modified from an authentic Austin Mini Cooper S from 1968, under the supervision of Varta (for batteries) and in agreement with British Leyland France, was carefully passed to Mines in July 1981, and therefore benefits from a single-limit approval and a registration card in accordance with its new energy mode.
Performance still up to date: 80 km/h at the tip, 1 hour range, 10 hours of charging. Daily car used between 1980 and 1987.

Car to the unique history, with a well-documented history: a major technical file from the archives of Maurice Bonafous, original registration map (barred at the time of an old assignment) on behalf of Maurice Bonafous, various plans, exchanges of letters with the Service des Mines, British Leyland France, Varta, etc.

A single, functional car (video on request, to be revised), with astonishing history, and perfectly in tune with today's fashions: an ideal car for the city, or for a museum ...

"Unique, modified in periods in electric version, by a French automotive engineer already 'father' of the 2 CV Sahara.”
https://www.aguttes.com/lot/153687/2651 ... nal-french

Out of interest the French owner posted the original chassis plate on my page which equates to a Nov/Dec ‘66 Cooper / S and does match the photos of the car. Apparently to get permission for the electric conversion they had to change the chassis plate.

Is it perhaps a bit low because the hydrolastic is struggling with the weight of the old school tech motors and batteries?

OOOhh bloody hell that looks dangerous... bit of damp weather could see you griping the steering wheel and not being able to let go

.......or if you nudged someone parking you could end up spot welded to them

Or try driving along the flooded roads here in Oxfoord and meeting a dickhead in a Land Rover in the opposite direction.......with the bow wave!. That said........ What a waste of a good Cooper S

To be fair that car was converted 46 years ago when they were piled up in scrap yards, deseamed, reshelled, flip fronts, and probably purple! That’s if they made it that far! I hardly think a ten year old Cooper S was a precious or valuable car in the 70s. Im amazed how many others have got similarly raised eyebrows on my page, many quite upset! On a different day the French fella could have been hailed as a pioneer! Not by most of us but you get the point.

Pete wrote: ↑Fri Sep 27, 2024 4:15 pm To be fair that car was converted 46 years ago when they were piled up in scrap yards, deseamed, reshelled, flip fronts, and probably purple! That’s if they made it that far! I hardly think a ten year old Cooper S was a precious or valuable car in the 70s. Im amazed how many others have got similarly raised eyebrows on my page, many quite upset! On a different day the French fella could have been hailed as a pioneer! Not by most of us but you get the point.

If it had not been converted 46 years ago it would unlikely to even exist today!
It is often forgotten that only a tiny percentage of all the Cooper S produced survive today and many of them are not the original car that came down the production line or are only a small remaining part of it!
And yes they were piled up in scrap yards 46 years ago...as I remember climbing up the piles on many occasions, as it was usually the hard to reach Cooper S three or four Minis up wavering at the top that still had any parts left worth having to upgrade my Mk1 850 Deluxe...

And not forgetting that other early EV Mini below from the 1960's.....

Pathe News - 1965 (C Reg) Mk1 Austin Mini Countryman, powered by an electric motor!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIe6y3_uYDk

mab01uk wrote: ↑Fri Sep 27, 2024 5:35 pm

Pete wrote: ↑Fri Sep 27, 2024 4:15 pm To be fair that car was converted 46 years ago when they were piled up in scrap yards, deseamed, reshelled, flip fronts, and probably purple! That’s if they made it that far! I hardly think a ten year old Cooper S was a precious or valuable car in the 70s. Im amazed how many others have got similarly raised eyebrows on my page, many quite upset! On a different day the French fella could have been hailed as a pioneer! Not by most of us but you get the point.

If it had not been converted 46 years ago it would unlikely to even exist today!
It is often forgotten that only a tiny percentage of all the Cooper S produced survive today and many of them are not the original car that came down the production line or are only a small remaining part of it!
And yes they were piled up in scrap yards 46 years ago...as I remember climbing up the piles on many occasions, as it was usually the hard to reach Cooper S three or four Minis up wavering at the top that still had any parts left worth having to upgrade my Mk1 850 Deluxe...

Honestly though, an EV converted 46 years ago, would you let anyone you care about drive or even sit in it

Exminiman wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2024 2:44 am
Honestly though, an EV converted 46 years ago, would you let anyone you care about drive or even sit in it

Probably best to make sure the driver and any passengers are wearing shoes with rubber soles before sitting in it or going for a test drive!

Photo of what lurks beneath!

That's what sit in my Garage currently...

Another original offering...yer right.

https://www.mathewsons.co.uk/auction/lo ... 8&pn=1&g=1

A car that was never built. A Mk3 Cooper Still. Derek won't worry

Very rare MK4 single carb Cooper...single carb, hence no under bonnet shots during the video. Thought they only sold the very best cars at their auctions as they get offered so many.