The 1275GT was built to circumvent BL’s payments to use the ‘Cooper’ name, and as a result it’s taken a while for collectors to fully appreciate the car. That’s definitely happening now, with canny enthusiasts drawn by the car’s very 70s sporting style and relative rarity. Few surviving examples are likely to be as good or as well historied as this fantastic Inca Yellow 1275GT. It has been a serious labour of love for the current keeper, who bought it in 2010 from a family friend when he was just 15 years old. He is only the car’s second keeper. He bought it as a project and subsequently had it undergo a complete nut-and-bolt restoration through The Real Mini Company, with more than £12,000 spent on the restoration. Prior to this, Oselli had rebuilt the engine and gearbox to fast-road specification. The engine was bored to 1,293cc and fitted with a lightened flywheel before being set up on Pete Baldwin's rolling road, where it produced 94bhp. The car has covered only around 3,000 miles since the restoration and engine rebuild.

The bodyshell was resprayed in its original BL Inca Yellow, with only the two front wings needing replacement — reflecting the care taken by the first keeper. Both subframes were powder coated in yellow, while the underside was thoroughly Waxoyled for protection. Inside, the interior remains largely original: the seats have never been re-foamed or re-trimmed, and all the windows retain their original registration etching. The vendor states that the car has been dry stored throughout and used only for shows and occasional Sunday drives. An extensive history file accompanies the car, including the original owner's manual, newspaper articles from the year of manufacture and, particularly unusually, the original factory key fob from when the car was collected new from Longbridge. The key fob still shows the collection bay number where the car was waiting for its first owner — a wonderful surviving piece of the car's history and provenance. This is a show-quality, collector-standard car that we expect serious enthusiasts will want.

The vendor says:

“It is a go-kart on wheels and can keep up well with modern-day vehicles. From an early age, a Mini was my dream car, and I was lucky enough to be able to buy this at the age of 15. This car has built some fantastic memories. When the car was restored, my dad and I took part in the London to Brighton run; years later, it was my wedding car, and then we did the London to Brighton run again with me, my dad, and my son. That's three generations. What makes this car unique is that it is in pristine condition and in an eye-catching colour. It draws attention everywhere it goes. The fact that the interior, bar the steering wheel, is all original is amazing and incredibly rare to find in this condition. It really is an eye-stopper.”

Key Information

The vendor says:

“I bought the car when I was 15 years old in 2010, from a family friend who was the only owner from new. He had stripped the car down to restore it but unfortunately couldn't continue with the project. By this point, Oselli had already reconditioned the engine, with a lightened flywheel, bored to 1293cc, and built for fast-road spec. It was all wrapped in bubble wrap and ready to be put back into the car. Pete Baldwin rolled-roaded it to 94bhp. “It has undergone a complete nut-and-bolt restoration and has always been dry stored in a garage. The history is good, with documentation from when the car was new. It even has the original factory key fob from when the car was collected at Longbridge, showing the bay number where it was waiting for its first owner.”

The vendor says:

“Both mechanically and body wise it is amazing; I have just had the car inspected prior to the sale, and it received a clean bill of health. “Resprayed in the original Inca Yellow, the paintwork is amazing. The interior condition is very good, with as much of the original interior preserved as possible. The seats are original to the car; they have never been re-foamed or re-trimmed, and they are still in amazing condition. The switches are mostly original too, to keep the car's history. All the windows are original to the car with the registration number etched into them. There is a slight area of delamination on the front screen, but as it's original, I have never wanted or needed to change it. It makes it part of the car.”

Please note sold cars will be stored after 5 days from the end of the sale at the buyers expense. Where a vehicle remains in storage beyond this 5-day period, storage charges of £20 per day will apply.

You acknowledge and agree that, where applicable, your contact and vehicle details may be passed to the appointed storage provider, who will deal with you directly regarding any applicable storage charges and invoicing.

BEFORE YOU BUY

This sale is subject to the Car & Classic Terms and Conditions. By bidding and/or making an offer, you also agree to the following:

✓ The seller is registered as a private seller which means consumer rights stemming from EU consumer protection law do not come into effect. However, you are still covered by Car & Classic’s own Terms and Conditions..

✓ We request that a non-refundable fee be paid if you are the lucky winning bidder at auction or if your offer is accepted Please refer to our helpful FAQs and T&Cs for specific rates.

✓ This vehicle is “Sold As Seen”, on an “As Is Where Is’ basis and without warranty. Photos and descriptions are solely for guidance purposes and it's customary to carry out a full inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase for your own peace of mind.

✓ VAT is included in the buyer's fee. VAT may or may not be included in the final bid or offer price, as specified in the listing.

✓ We want a smooth transaction just as much as you do and as such we run all UK-registered cars and motorbikes for sale on Car & Classic through an online HPI check to verify that they show no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and have no finance owing, allowing you to bid with confidence.

✓ We also check whether vehicles are recorded as being written off as part of an insurance total loss claim at the time an advert is placed on Car & Classic and we helpfully provide write-off category labels (Cat C/D/S/N) for your assistance. However, the presence or absence of a label does not guarantee the vehicle’s status and it is always worthwhile carrying out your own full vehicle history check before making an offer on a vehicle.

✓ Buyers are responsible for vehicle collection

or delivery. Importing vehicles may result in additional customs duties and import taxes so it's worth checking beforehand. It is the bidders responsibility to confirm import eligibility prior to purchase.

✓ Unless stated otherwise, you must assume that any cherished, personalised, or heritage vehicle registration is not included in the sale of a vehicle.