1980 Austin Morris Mini Special

This Mini was first registered in February of 1980 and left Longbridge with the 998cc A-Plus engine under its tiny bonnet. It is thought to have left the factory in a silver livery and was a UK specified home market model. Its early life and times remain largely unknown before it blips back on to the radar in 2006. By this time, it is thought to have been refinished in a green and white colourway.

Big things happened to this little car in 2006, however. The then owner put it in the capable hands of specialists Minimaster in Cumbria. Minimaster undertook a very comprehensive schedule of works to the Mini which totalled an investment of over £5,600 at the time. Helpfully a fully itemised list of works undertaken, and parts procured is included in our documentation section. The highlight of this specialist work was the fitting of 1,380cc engine with a Swiftune Level 3 Road Rocket head and a SW5 Hi-Lift kit.

For seven of the next ten years the Mini reportedly languished in a barn before being rescued by current owner Thomas in 2016. Thomas undertook a comprehensive rebuild by stripping the Mini back to a shell and fitting many new panels including the roof panel, floor and a number of other lower body parts. In 2017 the car was resprayed in its current livery. Thomas also fitted new suspension to include Gaz shock absorbers, 4 pot callipers and discs on 12-inch wheels as well as new wheel bearings all round and CV joints. Thomas didn’t neglect the interior either, fitting full leather John Cooper Works seats, replacing the carpets, underfelt and adding additional floor soundproofing. In 2022 he commissioned a full engine strip down and rebuild and had a new clutch fitted. A lower final drive ratio has also been added to improve the Mini’s motorway cruising ability and to reduce accompanying noise.

Having enjoyed such knowledgeable and specialist care at least twice in its life, this Mini is now ready for pastures new. The well chosen, no expense spared improvements made make this a very special... Mini Special and one that’s sure to raise the pulses of Mini aficionados everywhere.
 

This Mini is the perfect embodiment of that “infectious merriment" we heard about earlier. It could be its bright and breezy Tartan Red livery with Old English White roof and wheels. It could also be that innate likeability that the classic Mini has by the bucket load. More likely it is a combination of both.

Given that the Mini was treated to a new livery in 2017, just a few thousand miles ago, it looks very bright and fresh and exudes a deep, lustrous shine throughout. These uprated, sporty Mini signals those sporting credentials in a number of charming ways, too. The black wheel arch extensions provide protection for the wider wheels and tyres and a set of four driving lamps tip a nod to the Mini’s illustrious rallying past. The bullet backed, chromed wing mirrors combine perfectly with the large diameter, centrally mounted stainless steel tailpipe to round off this car’s distinctive and eye-catching external treatment.

Those aforementioned wheels are a 12-inch set of MWS Racing Minilite style items finished in Old English White. These are shod with a high quality, matching set of quality Yokohama tyres in a 165/60 configuration. These were fitted new this year with negligible mileage covered to date.
 

Today it is hard to see a classic Mini in the metal without pondering on how really small they are by today’s maximalist standards. Given this, it was the Mini’s amazing cabin packaging that drew so much surprise and positive comment back in its early days. You really can get four moderately sized adults in here without much trouble. The current record for the number of people crammed into a classic Mini still stands at 27 after all.

As you might by now expect, the cabin of this one is far from standard. Current owner Thomas has fitted full black leather seats from a John Cooper Works model. The condition of these appears excellent and the perforated seat centres helps add a real air of sophistication to this cabin. The rear bench is identically trimmed and equally well presented.

Other highlights in here include the bird’s eye walnut dashboard facia panel and three-dial instrument binnacle. These are accompanied by three supplemental Smiths auxiliary gauges fitted to the centre of the fascia. A Blaupunkt Stockholm 230 DAB head unit is fitted as are a pair of useful 12 volt power sockets. A removeable, three spoke Alcantara trimmed Motacorsa steering wheel is also present. The door furniture is of the shaped alloy variety and those new carpets look hardly used.
 

As touched on already, this Mini has benefitted from a wealth of mechanical improvements as well. There is that 1,380cc engine with Swiftune Level 3 Road Rocket Head, and SW5 high lift kit of course. Other key mechanical upgrades include the lower final drive ratio giving the Mini longer legs on the Motorway. A full stainless steel LCB exhaust system is also fitted.

Braking and suspension systems have also been upgraded to handle the extra power on tap. This includes quality Gaz shock absorbers and discs pinched between four-pot callipers up front. Add in those almost new Yokohama tyres and the Mini’s already legendary go-kart-esque handling and you have got a veritable back road hero on your hands.

This well-chosen mechanical specification translates into some impressive aesthetics under that short bonnet, too. Both the block and cam cover are finished in gloss red with the latter detailed in silver. The inner panels of the engine bay are finished in black providing a striking contrast with the red finished elements. The underside of the Mini presents strongly too, being finished in black, protective underseal with that shiny stainless steel exhaust system providing a dramatic contrast.
 

There is some useful, provenance providing paperwork included with the Mini. This includes the current V5 registration document which classifies the car as an Historic Vehicle. This status renders the Mini MoT exempt and zero rated for VED in the UK. A number of pre-exemption MoT hard copies are also present.

The remainder of the archive predominantly consists of invoices for work done and parts procured. The extensive schedule of works from 2006 is particularly interesting and the remainder are well worth pouring over to fully appreciate the many thousands spent on this Mini. A pair of Haynes Manuals are also included.
 

Whilst many post-war, recovering economies developed an iteration of the people’s car, few could boast the ingenuity, panache and unbridled charm of Issigonis’s Mini. Given this, it is perhaps little wonder that the Mini’s popularity and production life far outlasted pretty much all of its contemporaries. It even went on to inspire a hugely successful reinvention model under BMW’s auspices. Sir Alec would be justifiably proud. 

This example is gem. The Mini’s verve and character just begged for further modification and this example is a proud exemplar of that approach. It has been thoughtfully and intelligently improved twice in its life and has managed to add a thrilling extra dimension to that already magical Mini recipe. It ready to be loved and enjoyed so bid today.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £8,000 - £13,000.

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