Description
1971 Austin Mini 1000 – Early Mk3 – Blaze Orange - (Running a Calver ST 1293 twin 1. 5 su engine)
It is with a heavy heart that I’ve decided to offer my beloved Mini for sale. I’ve owned and cherished this car for the past 8 years, using it only during dry weather and summer months. It has been a huge part of my life and has always been maintained regardless of cost.
This is a rare early Mk3 Austin Mini 1000 finished in its original Blaze Orange with the original dark navy interior. Unlike many modified Minis, the shell remains remarkably original and has never been structurally altered, meaning the car could easily be returned to standard specification if desired. Only 3 previous owners.
The car is structurally very solid, with no rust or rot to the underside or subframes. It retains its original glass throughout, the paintwork presents very well with only the odd age-related mark, and the original interior has been preserved for authenticity. The original steering wheel is included, although a genuine Moto-Lita steering wheel is currently fitted.
The original vinyl seats remain in place and show only minor wear consistent with a 54-year-old car.
Current Specification
The car is currently powered by a fully rebuilt 1293cc fast road engine built by the renowned Keith Calver of Calver Special Tuning. The engine and gearbox build alone exceeded £6, 000 and have covered less than 1, 500 miles since completion.
The result is a Mini that feels incredibly lively, responsive and eager, with an estimated output of over 100bhp. It starts, runs and drives beautifully, pulls strongly through the gears and always attracts attention and compliments wherever she goes!! It is an absolute joy to drive!
Engine Specification
* Fully rebuilt 1293cc fast road engine by Calver Special Tuning
* Twin 1. 5” SU carburettors with AAA needles
* Calver ST ported and polished big valve cylinder head
* Calver ST fast road camshaft
* Calver ST 1. 4:1 solid steel rockers
* ACL competition main and rod bearings
* ARP con rod bolts and competition head stud kit
* Duplex timing chain
* High-capacity oil pump
* High-capacity water pump
* Electronic ignition distributor with custom advance curve
* Road-weight lightened steel flywheel
* Borg & Beck clutch kit
* Copper/ steel shim head gasket
* Kevlar reinforced bypass hose
* NGK spark plugs
Gearbox Specification
* Fully rebuilt remote 4-synchro gearbox by Calver ST
* 3. 44 final drive ratio (same as Cooper S)
* Pot joint differential conversion
* Uprated differential pin and planet gears
* Competition layshaft
* Uprated selector fork
* New bearings, baulk rings and seals throughout
* Genuine Rover engine mounts
* Medium blast aluminium casings
Additional Upgrades
* Full 1¾” Maniflow exhaust system
* Fletcher alloy radiator
* AP front caliper disc brakes
* Bilstein dampers all round
* Genuine 10” Mk3 Cooper S reverse wheels
* Yokohama A048 tyres
* AGM battery
* Recently serviced with fresh oils and filters
* Recently tuned and running exceptionally well
Included With The Car
To preserve the car’s originality and future value, I have kept all of the original components:
* Original 998cc engine
* Original single carburettor setup
* Original 10” steel wheels with hubcaps
* Original steering wheel
These parts are included in the sale, allowing the next owner the option of returning the car to factory specification if they wish.
History
The car comes with a large history file containing invoices, paperwork and supporting documentation, along with a selection of spare parts accumulated during my ownership.
This Mini has been far more than just a car to me. The decision to sell has not been taken lightly, and I suspect it may well be one I regret.
One condition of sale, if the new owner ever decides to sell the car in the future, I would like to ask for first refusal to buy her back :)
