Beschreibung
**** SOLD TO DAVID FROM LANCASHIRE WITHIN 48 HOURS OF BEING ADVERTISED WHO WAS ABSOLOUTELY DELIGHTED AND OVER THE MOON WITH THIS VERY SPECIAL EARLY MINI AFTER VIEWING SEVERAL MISDESCRIBED CARS ACROSS THE U. K AND WILL BE JOINING HIS PRIVATE COLLECTION!! - THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INTEREST FROM ACROSS THE UK & EUROPE RGDS DAVID & JAMES ****
HERE WE HAVE FOR SALE A SIMPLY STUNNING RARE & TRULY UNIQUE 1960 AUSTIN SEVEN MINI DELUXE FINISHED IN ITS ORIGINAL COLOUR COMBINATION OF TARTAN RED WITH A COMPLIMENTARY SPANISH RED/ GREY FLECK INTERIOR!!
*** THIS AUSTIN SEVEN MINI HAS BEEN IN THE SAME FAMILY OWNERSHIP FROM NEW (61 YEARS) AND HAS HAD THE BENEFIT OF A ''DOWNTON ENGINEERING'' CONVERSION MAKING THIS A RATHER RARE AND VERY SPECIAL LITTLE CAR WITH A LOVELY HISTORY AND PROVENANCE AND HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN A CONCOURS/ SHOW WINNING EXAMPLE COMPLETE WITH ALL TROPHIES AND DESCRIBED BY MINI MAGAZINE AS A ''UNIQUE SLICE OF MOTORING HISTORY!!'' ***
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS AUSTIN SEVEN MINI IS A LATE 1959 BUILT CROSS OVER CAR WITH THE RARE EARLY FEATURES STILL PRESENT INCLUDING:
NO DRIP RAILS, NO CORNER DRAIN HOLE TO FRONT GUTTER, OVAL HOLE TO REAR GUTTER, NON RECESSED WINDSCREENS, 1 HOLE GLASS, EARLY RECTANGULAR WHEEL TRIMS, WINGUARD GLASS WASHER BOTTLE, STRAIGHT GEAR LEVER, DRAIN HOLES TO FRONT DOORS, DR WIPER MOTOR DATED 10/ 59, EARLY ASHTRAY, CENTRE HINGED SUN VISORS, BLACK CRACKLE MIRROR, FULL REAR SEAT COVERING WHEEL ARCHES, FLECK INTERIOR TO DASH, PARCEL SHELF AND DOOR CARDS, CHROME REAR NUMBER LIGHT WITH 1 BULB, 1 HOLE GLASS, CHROME 1 PIECE RIVITED WHEEL ARCH TRIM, LUCAS 700 SERIES HEADLIGHTS, 4 BLADE FAN, METAL OIL FILLER CAP, EARLY MASTER CYLINDERS, FLAT TOP RADIATOR, CAST WATER PUMP, GREY CARPETS, THIN CATCH TO REAR OPENING WINDOWS, ALLOY PLATES TO INNER SILL AND CROSS MEMBER, METAL KICK PLATES, EARLY SUBFRAME, EARLY RADIUS ARMS & RIVITED WHEELS ETC
THIS MINI WAS REGISTERED AND SUPPLIED NEW IN JANUARY 1960 BY AUTOMOBILE PALACE AND SOLD TO A MR JOHN STANLEY WHEELER A REAL PETROL HEAD & MOTORING ENTHUSIAST WHO SERVED HIS TIME IN THE FAMILY GARAGE BUSINESS AND WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO OWN ASTONS AND JAGUARS AND PURCHASED THIS MINI FOR HIS WIFE BUT SADLY SHE DIDNT LIKE THE CAR AND HE KEPT AND USED AS EVERYDAY MODE OF TRANSPORT TO THE ROYAL RADAR ESTABLISHMENT AND AS A FUN CAR!!
WHILST THIS MINI COSMETICALLY IS JUST AS IT LEFT THE FACTORY IN EVERY RESPECT MR WHEELER WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THE 848CC PERFORMANCE AND HE CONTACTED A TUNING COMPANY CALLED ''DOWNTON ENGINEERING WORKS'' AND PROCEEDED TO HAVE THE ''DOWNTON'' CONVERSION COMPLETED IN EARLY 1960'S WHICH INCLUDED A MODIFIED CYLINDER HEAD, EXHAUST MANIFOLD & TWIN CARBS (THE SINGLE SU WAS REFITTED DUE TO THE TWINS FLOODING FUEL SHORTLY AFTER!!) MR WHEELER WANTED A ''SHEEP IN WOLFS CLOTHING'' AND WAS FASCINATED BY THE MINIS 848CC ENGINE AND IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT HE HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DANIEL RICHMOND AND THE INTERNALS OF THE ENGINE ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN LIGHTEND & BALANCED AND FITTED WITH A SPECIAL TUNING CAMSHAFT ALTHOUGH THE EXACT SPEC IS UNKNOWN MR WHEELER WANTED THE CAR TO PROVIDE SMOOTHNESS AND HIGHER REVS AND IN THE HISTORY FILE THERE ARE SEVERAL HAND WRITTEN NOTES AND EVEN DETAILS ABOUT THE DOWNTON CONVERSION PRESENT AND IT IS NOTED IN THE MAGAZINE FEATURE THAT THE CAR CRUSED AT A STEADY 90 WHICH WAS INCREDIBLE AND IT MAY BE THAT THIS CAR COULD OF BEEN USED TO SHOWCASE WHAT DOWNTON HAVE ACHIEVED WITH THE REVOLUTIONARY LITTLE 848cc MINI AND A STORY FOUNDLY REMEMBERED BY THE FAMILY IS THIS AUSTIN SEVEN MINI SPED PAST 2 PROTOTYPE 997 COOPERS WHILE TESTING ON A WELSH ROUTE WHICH AMAZED THE TEST DRIVERS AS TO ALL INTENSE AND PURPOSES IT WAS JUST A STANDARD LITTLE RED MINI SEVEN IN APPEARANCE BUT LITTLE DID THEY KNOW IT WAS A VERY SPECIAL & WELL SORTED MOTOR CAR INDEED!!!
THIS MINI WAS USED AND ENJOYED BY MR WHEELER RIGHT UP UNTIL HIS SAD PASSING IN 1983 AND AS A VERY SPECIAL PART OF THE FAMILY THIS MINI WAS GIVEN TO HIS DAUGHTER AND SON IN LAW (DAVE & CHRISTINE HAWTHORNE) IN ITS ORIGINAL UNMOLESTED STATE WHO USED AND ENJOYED THE CAR AS INTENDED AND IN 1984 THEY HEARD ABOUT THE MINIS 25th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS AND WERE INVITED TO ATTEND AND ONLY THEN DID THEY REALISE WHAT A RARE AND SPECIAL LITTLE CAR THEY REALLY HAD AFTER BEING INFORMED BY MANY PEOPLE IT WAS A VERY EARLY EXAMPLE RETAINING ITS ORIGINAL FEATURES AND EVEN MORE SPECIAL WITH REGARDS TO THE ''DOWNTON'' TUNING CONVERSION!!
DAVE & CHRISTINE CONTINUED TO USE AND ENJOY THE MINI AND EVENTUALLY MOVED TO SHROPSHIRE AND WHEN DAVE TOOK EARLY RETIREMENT IN 1990 AND ALTHOUGH THE MINI WAS STILL IN VERY GOOD CONDITION AND WELL LOOKED AFTER THE PAINT WAS LOOKING A LITTLE TIRED AND IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE MINI WOULD BE CAREFULLY & LIGHTLY RESTORED, REPAINTED AND DETAILED TO BRING IT BACK TO ITS FORMER GLORY WHILST THE MAIN AIM WAS KEEPING THE ORIGINALITY EVERYTHING WHERE POSSIBLE ORIGINAL TO THE CAR!! - ONCE THE CAR HAD BEEN CAREFULLY STRIPPED IT WAS FOUND TO BE IN EXCELLENT OVERALL CONDITION THANKS TO HIS FATHER IN LAW PROTECTING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR AND ONLY NEEDED MINIMAL WORK TO INCLUDED A PANELS, VALENCES & REPAIR TO OFFSIDE SILL!! - WE ARE INFORMED THAT THIS MINI RETAINS ITS ORIGINAL PANELS BAR THE ABOVE WORK COMPLETED IN 1990 AND THE CAR WAS THEN CAREFULLY PUT BACK TOGETHER UTILISING ALL THE ORIGINAL ITEMS FITTED TO THE CAR NEW HENCE WHY IT RETAINS THE RARE EARLY FEATURES STILL TO THIS DAY AND THE DOORS JUST CLICK INTO PLACE WHICH YOU JUST DONT FIND AND IS ONE OF THE BEST EARLY SHELLS WE HAVE EVER SEEN!!!
THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING/ DRIVING SUPERBLY AND NOT WANTING TO ALTER THIS MECHANICALLY EXCELLENT SET UP LITTLE MINI SO ONLY THE TIMING CHAIN & WATER PUMP
WERE REPLACED AS A PRECAUTION AND ENGINE REPAINTED!!
THE INTERIOR AGAIN WAS IN VERY GOOD ORIGINAL CONDITION HOWEVER THE SEATS AND CARPETS HAD FADED AND DAVE CONTACTED NEWTON COMMERCIAL AND SENT THE ORIGINAL SEAT MATERIAL AND THIS MINI HAD A NEW CARPET SET AND INTERIOR TO CORRECT EARLY FLECK ORIGINAL SPECIFICATION REPLACED AND STILL REMAINS IN LOVELY OVERALL CONDITION!!!
THE MINI WAS FINALLY FINISHED AND PUT BACK TOGETHER AND AS A PART OF THE FAMILY THIS CAR WAS LOVED, PAMPERED AND CHERISED AND ONLY USED IN DRY WEATHER AND HAS ATTENDED MANY MAJOR MINI SHOWS ENTERING MANY CONCOURS/ SHOW EVENTS OVER THE LAST 38 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP AND HAS BEEN A MUCH LOVED AND ADMIRED CAR AND INFACT THEY HAVE BEEN APPROACHED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS BY COLLECTORS ASKING TO BUY THE CAR WHICH THEY ALWAYS POLITELY DECLINED AND SAID IT WOULD NEVER LEAVE THE FAMILY!! - IT HAS BEEN KEPT IN WONDERFUL CONDITION BY DAVE & CHRISTINE AND IS A REAL TESTIMENT TO THEM FOR THE LOVE THIS LITTLE CAR HAS RECIEVED AND HAS SUCH A WONDERFUL PATINA AND CHARM THAT CANNOT BE REPLICATED!!!
THIS MINI HAS BEEN FEATURED IN MINI MAGAZINE WHICH TELLS THE STORY OF THIS VERY SPECIAL LITTLE CAR AND HAS BEEN FEATURED ON TV WITH QUENTIN WILSON & USED AS A MARKETING TOOL BY A CLASSC INSURANCE COMPANY AND HAS WON MANY CONCOURS/ SHOW AWARDS OVER THE YEARS ALL OF WHICH REMAIN WITH THE CAR!!!!
THIS MINI HAS BEEN USED SPARINGLY COVERING MORE RECENTLY JUST 200 MILES A YEAR TO KEEP IN FINE WORKING CONDITION AND HAS BEEN MOTD TO ENSURE THE CAR REMAINS IN ROAD WORTHY CONDITION!!
SADLY DAVE PASSED AWAY EARLIER IN 2021 AND ALTHOUGH A VERY HARD & EMOTIONAL DECISION IT WAS DECIDED BY CHRISTINE THAT SHE COULD NO LONGER LOVE AND CARE FOR THE CAR LIKE IT HAD BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO IN DAVES FASTIDIOUS OWNERSHIP AND THE MINI NEEDS A NEW LOVING ENTHUSIASTIC CUSTODIAN TO CONTINUE ITS JOURNEY FOR YEARS TO COME AND AFTER 61 YEARS IN THE SAME FAMILY OWNERSHIP THEY FEEL IT IS NOW TIME TO BE ENJOYED AND TO BECOME PART OF ANOTHER FAMILY TO MAKE MANY HAPPY MEMORIES AND IS NOW OFFERED TO THE OPEN MARKET SOME 61 YEARS AFTER ITS INITIAL PURCHASE BY CHRISTINE'S FATHER NEW IN JANUARY 1960!!
THIS MINI REALLY HAS A WONDERFUL AND A KNOWN DOCUMENTED HISTORY AND PROVENANCE AND TO FIND A COMPLETELY CORRECT EARLY MINI RETAINING ITS RARE EARLY FEATURES WHICH HAS HAD 1 LOVING FAMILY OWNER FROM NEW AND WITH LINKS TO A ''DOWNTON'' CONVERSION IN SUCH WONDERFUL PAMPERED CONDITION IS WITHOUT QUESTION A VERY SPECIAL AND TRULY UNIQUE LITTLE MINI IN ITS PURE FORM AND IS A MUST FOR ANY MINI COLLECTOR OR ENTHUSIAST WHO APPRECIATES THIS EXCEPTIONAL AUSTIN SEVEN MINI AND ITS LOVELY STORY AND HISTORY!!
THIS MINI SEVEN REALLY NEEDS TO BE SEEN TO BE FULLY APPRECIATED AND WHILST NOT A FRESH RECENT CONCOURS RESTORATION IT IS SIMPLY STUNNING AND A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE CAR WHICH IS VERY HARD TO FAULT AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SOME 25+ YEARS AGO SINCE THE LIGHT RESTORATION/ DETAILING REBUILD WAS COMPLETED IT HAS REMAINED IN WONDERFUL CONDITION THROUGHOUT AND LOOKS LIKE IT HAS COME STRAIGHT FROM 1960'S WITH THAT UTTER CHARM AND PATINA THAT FRESHLY RESTORED CARS SADLY NEVER ACHIEVE!!!
WORDS AND PICTURES DO NOT DO THIS CAR JUSTICE AND TO FIND A STANDARD AND CORRECT EARLY MINI IS NOW VERY DIFFICULT INDEED ESPECIALLY WITH ALMOST PERFECT PANEL GAPS AND SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH YOUR AVERAGE POORLY RESTORED OR INCORRECT EXAMPLES SADLY SO COMMONLY OFFERED FOR SALE THESE DAYS!!
THIS EARLY MINI CREATES A VAST AMOUNT OF ATTENTION ANYWHERE IT GOES AND WE FEEL THAT THIS CAR WOULD BE A FANTASTIC SHOW PIECE AND CROWD PULLER AT ANY MINI SHOW OR A REAL TALKING POINT OF YOUR CAR COLLECTION!!!
THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR ARE BOTH IN EXCELLENT CONDITION EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN 25+ YEARS SINCE THE REBUILD IT IS STILL IN BEAUTIFUL CONDITION WHICH CONFIRMS AFTER THIS LENGTH OF TIME WHAT A BEAUTIFUL JOB WAS DONE AT THE TIME OF THE REBUILD IN THE MID 1990'S AND HOW THE CAR HAS BEEN TREATED AND LOVED OVER THE YEARS!!
THE UNDERSIDE OF THIS MINI IS IN NICELY DETAILED CONDITION AS IS THE ENGINE BAY ALTHOUGH THE NEW OWNER MAY WANT TO LIGHTLY DETAIL TO BRING UP TO CURRENT SHOW STANDARDS OR USE AND ENJOY AND APPRECIATE WHAT THIS VERY UNIQUE LITTLE CAR REPRESENTS!!!
THIS MINI RETAINS ITS ORIGINAL RIVITED SPARE WHEEL & ORIGINAL FACTORY TOOLKIT STILL IN ITS TOOL ROLL!!!
THIS MINI EVEN RETAINS ITS ORIGINAL BMC TOUCH UP PAINT GIVEN NEW IN 1960 TO MR WHEELER AND ITS ORIGINAL BMC DEALER KEYRING!!!
COMPLETE WITH A LARGE HISTORY FILE INCLUDING V5 DOCUMENT (JUST 1 P/ OWNER FROM NEW!!) MOT UNTIL AUGUST 2022 WITH NO ADVISORIES AND ITS ORIGINAL OWNERS HANDBOOK, DOWNTON ASSOCIATED PAPERWORK, HAND WRITTEN NOTES AND WORKSHOP MANUALS ALONG WITH A COPY OF THE MINI MAGAZINE FEATURE AND 2 SETS OF KEYS AS SUPPLIED NEW!!
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE ICONIC EARLY MK1 MINI WITH SUCH A WONDERFUL HISTORY AND PROVENANCE IT DOESNT GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS VERY SPECIAL EXAMLPLE WHICH HAS BEEN PRICED FAIRLY AT £19, 995 AND IF NOT SOLD WE ARE QUITE HAPPY TO KEEP IT IN OUR OWN PERSONAL COLLECTION!!
** DAVID BRADLEY CLASSIC & SPORTS CARS IS A WELL KNOWN & HIGHLY RESPECTED FAMILY RUN BUSINESS SPECIALISING IN SUPPLYING RARE, UNUSUAL & ORIGINAL EXAMPLES OF ICONIC CLASSIC & SPORTS CARS IN EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION **
DELIVERY CAN BE ARRANGED ANYWHERE IN THE U. K AT A COST OF APPROX £1. 30 PER RETURN MILE UPON CLEARED FUNDS BEING RECIEVED
PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT US ON the details below OR the details below
RGDS
DAVID & JAMES
