mk1-forum.net

Just some good news from the Netherlands !!

http://excoboard.com/immcc/77467/1932738

Nice project Lets hope it dont get one of those "blinged up" restorations.


Whats with those floors (pic 9 & 10) ?? are they changed ? or is this Dutch spec ?

I do hope that they do it right as I already noticed some incorrect items and mods on it. Born (the place where it is all going to happen) is very close to me, so if they need any advice or parts, they may know whom to contact

Looks much like my retirement project.... perhaps a little older and a little rattier...

Mine's only claim to fame is its first garage address .."Parliament House, Canberra"...owned by one our more notorious pollies...

Cheers, Ian

As soon as the second half of 2014 MINI's will be made in the Netherlands. To mark the occasion BMW is sponsoring the restoration of a 1959 Mini originally assembled at Molenaar’s Car Factory in Amersfoort, Holland.

Official Release: Today VDL Nedcar employees started the restoration of one of the first Dutch Minis. This classic Mini – one of the oldest Minis in the world – was assembled in 1959 at Molenaar’s Car Factory in Amersfoort, Holland and is now being completely rebuilt by a team of five VDL Nedcar employees.
They were selected from the pool of 1,500 VDL Nedcar employees who will be involved in the future production of MINI at VDL Nedcar in Born. The plant is currently in preparation for MINI contract manufacturing starting in the second half of 2014. It makes MINI the only car brand that will be in series production in the Netherlands.
Mini built in the Netherlands.
For the second time in history this British icon will be produced in the Netherlands. From its year of introduction (1959) up until 1966 the importer J.J. Molenaar’s Car Companies in Amersfoort assembled over 4,000 Minis. BMW Group Netherlands initiated a search for one such Mini built in the Netherlands.
Having found this Classic Mini, VDL Nedcar reacted enthusiastically and put together the restoration team, made up of a bodywork builder, a welder, a painter, an engine specialist and a project manager.
Before the end of this year the genuine Dutch Mini ought to be reborn in the same factory in which a new generation of Dutch MINIs will be produced in the second half of 2014. The restoration process may be followed every step of the way on MINI’s Dutch Facebook page.
After the start of the MINI production in Born this oldest of Dutch Minis can be seen at VDL Nedcar. The Mini – officially recognized by the international 1959 Mini Register – will then be put in a prominent place in the Dutch factory as a token of the 1,500 employees’ pride.
http://www.motoringfile.com/2013/05/07/ ... therlands/

Assembly in The Netherlands (Amersfoort):
1959 30 Minis
1960 472 Minis
1961 520 Minis
1962 836 Minis
1963 861 Minis
1964 1031 Minis
1965 445 Minis
1966 180 Minis (production stopped)

In 1965, assembly (CKD) commenced in Seneffe (Belgium)
In 1966, BMC started British Motor Corporation Belgium S.A (august 6).

Production in Belgium (Seneffe)
1965-1974 (Mini, Austin 1100/1300/GT, Morris 1100/1300/GT, MG 1300) no records/production not known
1975 25,518 Minis
1976 42,959 Minis
1977 53,988 Minis
1978 50,156 Minis
1979 34,523 Minis
1980 27,478 Minis
1981 778 Minis (production stopped)
http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/around- ... therlands/

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=17 ... =2&theater

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fx43tJiEzM

The thing is Molenaar in Amersfoort assembeld Morris cars and only occasionaly they badged it as an Austin when the Austin importer Stokvis couldn't get enough cars from the factory.
If this is one of them then it's even rarer.
AT-32-81 Sipke Blom's registered 15-04-1960 as BK is a later number this isn't the earliest!

Sipke's is not a CKD it's a UK built export car, Rene's is one of 273 Austin CKDs dispatched in Mid August 1959. It's the only known Dutch built 59 CKD to survive so far.

So Bill, if only 59 were dispatched to Molenaar that year how many did get an Austin badge (as i said before Molenaar did produce Morris cars, Austins were imported by Stokvis). The only figure i've ever heared was 30 850's assembled (Morris, two of them were even exported to Belgium!) and 14 850 saloons imported. the earliest dutch licenceplate on the first Morris was AT-11-25. The first costumer car (a blue mini minor) was delivered on the 15th of januari 1960 had BG-79-91(the production only started in december of '59).
The Dutch assembled cars had some local features aswell, the windows were made by Staalglas (they leaked even more because of the poor fitting), tyres by Michelin and the battery.

BK-12-41 indeed seems quite a bit later than AT-32-81. One could also ask whether the production date or registration date counts. In the very beginning, those Mini's did not sell too well so the production order could be different from the registration order. Furthermore, I am not completely sure about the 'chronological ordering' of the registration numbers for this first 'modern' series (just looking at the regular numbers, not at all those exceptions and later additions like the ZZ-plates). We didn't have Internet or even a healthy phone system in those days to 'order' the latest registration number.

For those who like their history: the Netherlands were the first country in the world to introduce license plates in 1898, apparently because cars had become too fast for police officers to chase them on their bicycles.

@Bart,
The Dutch licenseplates weren't as bad as you think the range for '59 whent like this;
ZX,AD,AG,AK,AP,AT,AX,BD and then BG
For '60 it was like this;
BK,BP,BT then BX(used for not dealer imported cars) etc. the last normal issue for the year was EG (and DD commonly known as Duitse deuk (German dent for our non Dutch audience).
So the AT registered cars were really earlier then the BK that fits right in with the production of Dutch CKD's of December '59.

So where did i leave my anorack

Updates from The Mini Reborn operation here -> Mini Austin Seven '59 Reborn @ Driiive.com
(also some stuff that you'll not find on official Mini Reborn FB page)
http://driiive.com/minireborn/Mini-Aust ... 9-Reborn-/#

http://driiive.com/minireborn/Mini-Aust ... cf48b0326a

I keep seeing the same pictures over and over...