Description
This is my 1988 Austin Mini Jet Black limited edition, one of 1000 made. The car was purchased by my grandmother in July 1988 from Hartwells of Bristol (we have the original purchase invoice, it was owned by a Hartwells staff member for a few months before she bought it). It was her daily driver for the next twenty years, primarily used for short trips to the shops, hence the low mileage for a car of this age. When my grandmother died the car was passed on to my uncle, cousin and father until I took ownership in 2021.
I have kept the car garaged since then, and used it sparingly. I have had the following jobs carried out in addition to regular services:
1. Rust treatment and re-spray to drivers side of the car + new set of decals (I have videos of the work done).
2. Installed an Optimise Automotive boot liner.
3. Period Pioneer 'cheese wedge' speakers fixed.
4. Seized clutch pin replaced
5. New windscreen washer pump and tubing installed.
6. Driver's side window adjusted to correct alignment.
The car comes with 5 months MOT. Please note that the car has two MOT advisories as follows:
1. Both front floor pans slightly scabby with corrosion
2. Scabby corrosion around boot floor area
This is a mini, so rust is an occupational hazard - if treated in the near future this would be a straightforward fix.
The original interior of the car is clean and in good condition with no rips or tears. There is discoloration to the velour seats and the red piping as a result of the sun over the years, this is typical for Jet Blacks and reflective of the car's age. The car retains a period Goodmans cassette player and radio that my grandmother had installed shortly after buying the car. All of the other electrics work as they should. The steering wheel, gear knob, carpets and all the plastic trims are original. The floor mats are a recent purchase.
The exterior of the car is in generally good condition with no dents, however there are fine scratches and imperfections in some areas when you get close. There is a small amount of rust bubbling starting to appear on the passenger side door. The car retains its original red steel wheels and silver plastic wheel trims, which I refurbished myself. At some point in its life the original exhaust was replaced with a Maniflow system, which is a nice upgrade.
The car drives as it should, no issues with engine performance, gear shift, handling etc. I believe the car has electronic ignition. There are a few minor oil leaks, but this is pretty standard for a Mini! We have lots of paperwork including the original manuals, as well as various spares which will come with the car. I first sat in this car when I was seven years old, and I have a huge affection for it - having spent over thirty years waiting for a chance to have it, I was overjoyed when I took ownership. Unfortunately progressive arthritis in my left foot means that now I need to drive automatics these days, hence the need to pass the car on to somebody who will cherish it as our family have. There are only 49 Jet Blacks on the road today and it is very hard to find one that retains its original features. This isn't a show car - it has been driven all its life, but if somebody wanted to spend the time and money then the foundations are there.
