1971 Austin Mini Pick Up
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Guide price - £13,000 - £15,000
Highlights
• Wonderful history spanning South Africa to the UK
• Plenty of receipts for work carried out
• Leather interior
THE BACKGROUND
The iconic Mini took the world by storm when it was introduced in 1959 by British Motor Company. Designed by the famous Sir Alec Issigonis the Mini was first available as a car, van and then the mighty pickup.
The Mini Pickup was originally introduced back in 1961 and was built on the longer Mini Van platform. Featuring an open-top rear cargo area and a tailgate. At 3.4 metres in length this petite workhorse could shift 317 kilograms of gear in the 1.20-metre-long and 85-centimetre-wide load area.
A total of 58,179 Mini Pickup models were built between 1961 and 1983. This specific vehicle is a Mark II built in 1971 and features the popular 1275cc BMC A series engine.
THE HISTORY
The vehicle was acquired by its current owner in 2004 and has been enjoyed in both north and south hemispheres. Prior to being imported into the United Kingdom in the summer of 2020 this Mini Pickup spent 49 years on the roads of Cape Town, South Africa where some body and engine refurbishment were carried out.
During it's time in the vendors ownership in South Africa, they told us that because parts were hard to come by, their friend, who happens to be a British Airways pilot, would fly out parts to them on his commercial flights out to the country. What are friends for?
This stand out pick up now resides in a small seaside town in Cornwall.
THE PAPERWORK
There’s a folder of paperwork with a record of the work carried out in South Africa since 2004. Present are numerous invoices listing a magnitude of parts and labour costs.
Various paint work and mechanical work have been carried out since the current owner purchased the vehicle, the main points to note are the engine rebuild in 2018, a clutch in 2015 alongside various paint work.
Also mentioned are the addition of lights, 13’’ wheels and arch kit and a new windscreen.
THE EXTERIOR
Overall the exterior condition is fair for its age but It’s obvious that this 50 year old Mini will need some attention to restore it to its original glory. It’s life in the South Africa climate, staying mostly dry and warm has no doubt assisted with its longevity.
The yellow paint scheme is not the original factory colour but it certainly turns heads, especially as it’s paired with a Cornish Flag rear tourneo cover. There’s several paint cracks and bubbling around the vehicle, with some areas starting to show the Minis age.
13’’ fat wheels just tuck under black plastic wide arches, giving it a bit more of a stocky look. These arches will need either replacing or refixing in some areas, due to some cracks. Also, the front chrome bumper is indented under the left headlight, with noticeable paint damage above.
The white roof looks to be in good order, with no clear sign of any similar cracks to the lower sections of the body. There are a couple spots around where the door meets the roof that would need rectification.
The passenger door has also acquired a dent, easily repairable. The cargo area has been sprayed with a textured paint to give it a more rugged and resilient finish and covers load bed up over the lip of the minis rear. Front headlight has a crack but the windscreen appears to have avoided any chips or damage.
THE INTERIOR
Inside features black leather seats with a matching dash trim. There’s a rip in the driver's seat but the passenger seat looks to be in good condition. Everything else appears to be original, including steering wheel, gear knob and dash buttons.
Signs of its 50 year life are evident throughout, with wear showing underneath the dash as well as small marks across the dash. Unsurprisingly some amount of work will be required to get the vehicle to a perfect standard, it is 50 years old after all!
In addition, the odometer displays 36,000 miles which has been confirmed to be incorrect, the correct mileage is unknown.
THE MECHANICS
We were unable to start the Mini for the photographs due to wet weather but the owner says it runs well and this rarely happens. Extensive work was carried out in Cape Town before its import, including an engine rebuild which should give the potential owner some peace of mind.
The engine bay, while showing signs of the UK’s climate, looks in fair condition.
THE APPEAL
The Austin Mini is an icon, across the world everyone knows a Mini when they see one, the pick up variant has become increasingly rare, even though some 58,000 were sold according to online reports less than 100 are registered and on UK roads.
Sure, this pickup looks a bit different from the day it left the factory and yes it will need both exterior and interior work carried out if a future owner wants to take it back to the original look but this has been acknowledged and reflected in the price.
A British and worldwide icon, this opportunity cannot be missed.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
Vehicle specification
- Year 1971
- Make Austin
- Model Mini Pick Up
- Colour Yellow
- Odometer 36,699 Miles
- Engine size 1275
Auction Details
- Seller Type Private
- Location Cornwall
- Country United Kingdom
14
bids
from 8
bidders
- Bi•••• £9,000 27/09/21
- sa•••• £8,000 24/09/21
- pa•••• £7,230 24/09/21
- sa•••• £7,000 24/09/21
- pa•••• £6,666 24/09/21
- sa•••• £6,400 24/09/21
- cl•••• £6,000 19/09/21
- jo•••• £5,000 19/09/21
- sa•••• £4,000 18/09/21
- st•••• £3,600 18/09/21
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