Highlights
- Near concours spec bare metal respray restoration
- Fantastic cream paintwork with all new red vinyl interior
- Runs well and starts easily
- Original spec with drum brakes, dynamo and points
- First year of the new plate for August registrations
The Appeal
Before he had his big hit with the Mini, legendary designer Alec Issigonis first major project was to design a modern post-war car for Morris, which was code-named Mosquito. He famously modified the prototype by chopping it in half down the middle to widen the whole car by four inches, which improved both the looks and passenger space.
Featuring a unibody construction and independent front suspension, it had the classic Issigonis styling cues that employed a wheel at each corner. Launched in 1948 his cheeky and curvaceous little car was a hit with the public and a quarter of a million Series 1 cars were sold in just five years, when the Series II took over.
This Series III model was a more thorough update by BMC and featured the new A-series engine which saw performance dramatically improve, with the 0-60mph time drop by over 20 seconds to 31.3 seconds.
This example was restored by the previous owner and taken back to bare metal before being repainted in old English white and then treated to a new red interior in classic British style. The restoration went to great lengths to keep things original – it still sports drum brakes, a dynamo and points in the distributor! Even the underside is impeccable and the engine bay is in near concours condition. It wouldn’t take much to either enter it in Concours d’Elegance events or simply enjoy a well-restored classic that wants for nothing. It’s said to drive well and the current owner doesn’t know of any issues with it.
It’s only up for sale as the family have bought a new motorhome and are rarely at home to enjoy the Minor.
It’s only up for sale as the family have bought a new motorhome and are rarely at home to enjoy the Minor.
The History and Paperwork
- V5C present in current owners name
- Engine number matches logbook
- Registered as a historic vehicle so tax and MoT exempt
- Last MoT’d in October 2017 at 54,204 miles
- Has only covered 207 miles since last MoT
- Comprehensive photographic record of entire rebuild
- Bare metal respray with lots of new panels
The Interior
- Interior has been freshly retrimmed with red vinyl
- New doorcards, seat covers and headliner
- New red carpets protected by rubber overmats
- New rubbers clearly fitted during restoration
- Original Morris steering wheel with red logo centre cap
- No holes cut in dash or any aftermarket extras – all wonderfully original
- Parcel shelf looks like new
- Even the glovebox and driver’s storage pod have been retrimmed with new felt-like material
- Dash has been neatly repainted and sports the original speedo and fuel gauge
- Original pressed aluminium dahs trim looks in great condition
- Overall the interior is difficult to fault and looks superb
The Exterior
- Old English white paintwork has been resprayed to a high standard
- Bare metal respray as part of comprehensive restoration
- Underside has been fully restored and carefully painted in stonechip paint in body colour (no nasty black underseal!)
- Even the paintwork under the wheelarches is in excellent condition
- Chrome and brightwork all looks like new
- Original Morris bonnet emblems carefully repainted and polished
- New window rubbers fitted during restoration
- All headlight, indicator and tail-lights lenses look like new
- All five wheels powdercoated white with good chrome hubcaps
- Five matching Bridgestone Ecopia B381 radial tyres in 145/80 R14 size look like new
- Spare tyre still has the factory sticker on it
The Mechanics
- 1098cc A-series engine started easily and looks great
- Engine bay is in pristine condition with all the correct detailing
- Tudor screenwash bottle, gold coil and cotton overbraided wiring
- Copper brake pipes all in neat runs – clear evidence of attention to detail
- Suspension bushes updated to polyurethane for longevity
- Clutch and gears felt great during moving for photoshoot
- Fantastic restoration quality throughout
Summary
Fresh from a recent restoration to a high quality standard this Minor could either be enjoyed as an amazingly good Series III or polished to perfection to enter in concours. It’s that good. It’s an excellent example with the perfect British colour combination of old English white and a cheerful red interior. A fabulous example to cherish.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*
UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft. It is currently not covered by a finance agreement.
UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft. It is currently not covered by a finance agreement.
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