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End of the road for the Mini? Popular Motoring 1977

Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 6:00 pm
by mab01uk
More from my collection of old magazines......note the Mk1 style steering wheel still survives 20 years later with the Mk4 column.

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Re: End of the road for the Mini? Popular Motoring 1977

Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 11:44 am
by miniminor
Brilliant!
I'm sure no one predicted that it would remain in production until 2000/1.
A standard un modified 70's Mini would be a nice thing to own, probably much much rarer than a Mk1!

Re: End of the road for the Mini? Popular Motoring 1977

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:20 am
by nick@dunsdale
miniminor wrote:Brilliant!

A standard un modified 70's Mini would be a nice thing to own, probably much much rarer than a Mk1!
Your not wrong, i have been keeping and eye out for the right car for some time, never seems to be one that ticks all the box's lol

Re: End of the road for the Mini? Popular Motoring 1977

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:36 am
by foxy52
its so easy to miss the point and with hindsight a crystal ball would have been handy.. simple but effective engineering...huge scope for modding..plus a car that small with 4 proper seats and a boot..!!!!??? compare the orig mini to a bimi or any of the many and various small cars for that matter and there is little comparison to space avail...most manufacurers take the p*** with so called back seats.. let alone no proper spare tyre....??!!...the end of the mini ?? nah.. i can recall the car park at burgess hill in w sussex where i worked 76-79 being stuffed with minis.. plus the later re incarnation of the rover coopers et al..re kindled our interest in this wizz of a small car... never mind the huge and permanent nation wide love of the mini for those that dont even own one !! all this means is will never ever be surpassed ,..no car be it a bimi or whatever will ever come close to the popularity of a true british icon ,.the only comparable vehicle is a vw beetle..... ....foxy52

Re: End of the road for the Mini? Popular Motoring 1977

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:42 am
by JC T ONE
miniminor wrote:

A standard un modified 70's Mini would be a nice thing to own, probably much much rarer than a Mk1!

Agree, thats why i have kept a project tucked away in my garage, for the last 10 years.

Its a 1978, it was taken off the road in 1983, and has 48ooo miles on the clock.

Completely std spec, with Chocolate Brown carpets, and Brown striped nylon seats (MGB type)

Re: End of the road for the Mini? Popular Motoring 1977

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:57 am
by foxy52
JC T ONE wrote:
miniminor wrote:

A standard un modified 70's Mini would be a nice thing to own, probably much much rarer than a Mk1!

Agree, thats why i have kept a project tucked away in my garage, for the last 10 years.

Its a 1978, it was taken off the road in 1983, and has 48ooo miles on the clock.

Completely std spec, with Chocolate Brown carpets, and Brown striped nylon seats (MGB type)
... mmmm late 70,s retro !! nice.. foxy52

Re: End of the road for the Mini? Popular Motoring 1977

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 11:47 pm
by Tim
1977 almost was the end of the road for Minis here in Australia. The cars were still reasonably well regarded (if a little bit down-market) but it was the fact that the parent company was in dire trouble and pulled the last bit of the rug out from under the Australian arm. Moke staggered on to 1980ish, but 1978 was the end of the line for Mini.

After the final collapse the Australian public lost any remaining regard for Leyland products. There was never any attempt to try to continue with imported Minis.

Tim

Re: End of the road for the Mini? Popular Motoring 1977

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 12:33 am
by mab01uk
miniminor wrote:Brilliant!
I'm sure no one predicted that it would remain in production until 2000/1.
A standard un modified 70's Mini would be a nice thing to own, probably much much rarer than a Mk1!
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End of production was also expected in 1982......only 2 saloon models left (Mayfair & City) and a sudden sales drop from the 1980 Metro launch (see chart below).

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Re: End of the road for the Mini? Popular Motoring 1977

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 7:05 pm
by gpmini
Does that make the 2000 model nearly 3 times more rare than the '59? ;)