Picked up my lovely little car 24th April 2011. The story is long and is worth telling I think! Goes like this:
I was at Southsea classic car show in Hampshire on 17th April with our mini club (Mini-Hawcs). Lots of different cars and a lot of interest in our minis. I spent all day at the show and left having had a great day. That evening mum was on Facebook which was very unusual as she only uses it one a week if that. She was talking to one of her friends who she has only got in contact with a couple of weeks before via Facebook. Before this she had not spoken for 14 years!
Her friend Jackie said she went down to Southsea and on the spur of the moment decided to call into the show. She had spoken to one of the other club members about selling her MK1. The members said eBay is probably the best way to get money for it but one of the members said he would come and look at the car before she put it online. Mum said to me Jackie was selling a mini. My ears pricked up with interest, I asked more details and thats when Jackie said it was a MK1...
My heart lept and I immediately asked mum to ask for her number. She sent it across that evening and I got in touch and asked if I could view the car. She said yes and said she would not sell it until I had seen it.So 2 days later (19th 6pm) I went down to Portsmouth with Ian to see this mini that had been standing for 21 years in a garage. Had no idea on condition and was thinking it might be a wreck, or just a rotted shell with a few bits. After meeting Jackie for the 1st time in 14/15 years (I was 6 last time!) we were led into the garage where this pretty little car sat. Walking round the car were amazed at how good it was, and upon looking in all the usual mini rust zones it did not seem too bad and came with all interior and parts.
Ian's knowledge came in useful as he noticed early features on the car such as seat brackets, speedo etc but it was on an 'A' plate indicating a 63 car. I was non the wiser as I had little knowledge on early cars but Ian believed it to be a 1960/61 and he was right! Registered 13th January 1961. It had been put into the garage in feb 1990 and left there ever since, even had the Haynes manual in the car!Jackie could not remember why the car was taken off the road so it had just sat here ever since!! I asked what she wanted for it but she and her partner did not really know and said she would let me know once she had thought about it. But she insisted that if the car was put online or sold to me that it must not be sold for parts.. I said it would be criminal for that to happen to such an original car. I'v always wanted a perfectly original MK1. She then handed me the early Haynes manual, I said its no use to me as my other mini is an 89 but she said go on have it, so I took it.
Thought it a little strange why she insisted I have it. Ian and me departed and were amazed that this little gem was so close to home.Later that evening around 10pm (sorry got to add the little details
haha) got a call asking if I would pay £500 for it. I swiftly said yes and we agreed to pick up later in the week. I was in disbelief that I had actually bought a MK1. I'v always wanted one and now had one along with 2 other minis and I was only 20!! Wanted a Clipper Blue one too! So its safe to say I did not sleep well for several nights until we picked it up on Sunday 24th April at 6:08pm. So loaded the car onto Ian's trailer and set off home. After unloading had the usual cup of tea and a packet of Maltesers and sat down admiring the car on this sunny evening.After getting it home the next day I set about cleaning and polishing the car as it would be living outside for some time. Had more of a chance to see what condition it was in and were just surprised the more I looked.
It needed, valance repair, rear pocket patch, front floors had been badly repaired and a couple of holes where seats had punched through floor. Also all parts were present apart from the 'Whiskers'. I throughly enjoyed spending the whole day cleaning the car and picking up the few miscellaneous bolts.Considered doing a full resto but decided that due to not having the funds to do it as I would want (factory condition) I was going down the 'minimum possible' to get it roadworthy.
After having it a few weeks started building a big 26ft long carport to house it! So this is the start....
