∙Repainted
∙1,275cc engine upgrade
∙Re-upholstered interior
∙South African import, now in the UK with all import paperwork completed.

The story of the British Motor Corporations and British Leyland’s presence in South Africa is a fascinating one. Quite apart from the political posturing back in the UK, which ultimately led to the formation of British Leyland, in SA there was the small matter of import tariffs, which were increasingly punitive depending on the percentage of non-local content in the car.

For Leyland-Morris South Africa, the best-selling model was the Mini, which was as much of a trendy car in ZA as it was in the UK. It was also popular enough to spawn locally built examples of the van and pick-up variants, which were assembled in the Blackheath factory near Cape Town using 50% locally made parts, giving the models some strange anomalies over UK models.

For example, the car we have here is a 1977 Austin Mini Pick-up. Ostensibly the same as the model sold in the UK, there are some key differences between a British Mini Pick-Up and the South African ‘Bakkie’, which was primarily aimed at farmers and land workers but later became a cult vehicle in its own right. The differences include door hinges, grilles, badges and a lot of the interior components, as it was often the bolt-on parts that were locally sourced. 

This example of the Mini Bakkie has recently arrived in the UK and is now ready for its next owner. 

The Mini has been imported to the UK from South Africa by the vendor, who sources a few cars a year form the country. A British national, he worked in ZA for over a decade in the motor trade before returning to the UK and now sources a range of quirky and interesting right-hand-drive cars via his contacts in Cape Town.

Prior to its import, the Mini was resprayed and retrimmed by its owner in South Africa and it is now ready for a new life here in the UK, where it is currently stored in Norfolk.

The seller has completed all of the import and duty paperwork relative to the car so there are no additional taxes to pay, while the DVLA NOVA notification and original South African registration document are included. 

The vendor is happy to help the buyer register the car in the UK if that’s where it remains after it is sold, though the age of the truck does mean it could also be easily exported to the USA. 

There is no additional paperwork or additional service history with the truck.

The Mini has been resprayed in Olde English White and the colour really suits it, while the paint finish is good overall. there are a few bits of overspray in the engine bay where the VIN plate and chassis details could have been better masked off, but on the plus side it does show that these are the originals and they haven’t been removed.

It comes with period 10-inch ‘Mistral’ alloy wheels, similar to Minilites, which are in used but very presentable order, while the rear load bay has been treated with a rubberised protective material both to preserve it from corrosion and to stop it getting damaged by loose loads.

It has also been fully undersealed to protect it from the damp UK climate, however that said, the vendor has had a look underneath the car and would like to advise that it could well need a new floor as it has previously been worked on but is not to UK standard. 

It’s all very basic inside the Mini Pick-Up, as you’d expect from a vehicle that began its life as a commercial model for tradesmen on a tight budget. 

The previous owner has had the interior retrimmed, though, and the black and red carpets and black leather-style seats look very smart.

There are a couple of areas the new owner my choose to tidy up. The speedometer bezel, for example, is slightly damaged and there’s no lid on the dashboard ashtray. 

A sports leather three-spoke steering wheel is a nice touch and features a period Mini central boss, while the truck has also had a supplementary oil, temperature and ammeter gauge pack fitted ahead of the gear lever.

Under the bonnet, the stalwart BMC/BL A-Series engine comes as no surprise, but this is not the Mini’s original 38bhp 1.0-litre unit. 

Instead, it has a later 1,275cc unit which offers much livelier performance. It is fed through a single SU carburettor and standard air filter, so if someone wanted to take the performance further there are some very simple mods that could make it go and sound even better.

As it stands, it’s still an absolute hoot and the engine runs well. The vendor says it drivers exactly as it should with typical Mini handling, but don’t expect it to be quiet and refined! 

The Mini is, of course, an enduring classic and in pick-up form is one of the more unusual Mini derivatives, highly prized by collectors and Mini fans alike. 

That makes this one an especially desirable machine. Not only is it a mini pick-up, but it is also seemingly rot-free, great to look at and mechanically fit, with the added fascination of being a South African built model.

It’s a vehicle that’s brimming with appeal and future investment potential and will be an absolute joy to drive in addition.