1960 Austin Seven ( Mini)

This 1960 Austin Seven Mini was in use for 20 years before being put into storage in 1980, where it remained until the seller bought it at the end of 2022. He says: “The car is very original, and I believe it was untouched previous to my ownership.” This is a very early production MK1 and as such very rare, with only a handful known to still exist.

We don’t know why it was taken off the road but the reasons were probably benign because it emerged in a surprisingly good condition. Sure, it needed a little bodywork but much less than you’d imagine. Some mechanical work too, but the heavy lifting has now been done, which leaves its new owner with the job of finishing it.

Choosing colour and trim and the final mechanical specification, which is the best bit, of course. You could keep it as it left the factory, in which case the certificate issued by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust would prove invaluable in confirming the trim and colour as well as corroborating that this is a ‘matching numbers’ example.

Or you could build it as a Cooper replica and have some fun historic rallying. 

Or go modern/retro, subtly updating it to better meet the needs of the modern driver.

The world, as Del Boy would say, is your lobster.

The seller has fitted a few new panels but only a few because that’s all that was needed. New wings, of course, plus A panels, a rear valence and a narrow strip on the boot floor.

That’s not a bad result for a car of this age, is it?

It’s now finished in 2k primer, while the engine bay and inside the boot lid have been painted in 2k paint in its original colour of Tartan Red.

As for the bits that were removed, it comes with the following new parts: 

• two chrome bumpers complete with overriders
• a complete set of rubber seals for the windows and doors
• the chrome and rubber seals for the sliding windows
• badges
• all the original glass
• headlamps and their associated chrome trim, plus the rear lamp lenses
• a front grille
• four new Falken FK-07E tyres

This means your winter project will comprise getting it painted before painstakingly fitting it all back together and how lovely would that be?

If, as we suspect, you’re going to derive an enormous amount of pleasure from finishing the exterior then we can’t help but think you’re going to enjoy refitting the interior every bit as much; few jobs give instant gratification like installing the cabin trim because every item you put back in gives instant results.

Take the seats, for example. As you can see, they’re free of rips and tears and other damage and while they are a bit grubby, they’re good enough to reuse if originality is important to you. (They have been dry-fitted to make transport easier.)

We are told the headlining is also good.

The original trim panels and carpets are available although they are probably too far gone to be re-used.

As for the electrical system, the wiring loom has been re-covered and refurbished, the dashboard switches and the ignition switch have been replaced, and the floor starter and floor light switch have been tested and found to be good

As you can see from the production records, the Mini's first owner paid the extra to have a heater and this has been refurbished.

The underside has been fully undersealed following the replacement of the rear sub-frame, part of the boot floor and the rear valence. New fuel and brake lines have been fitted and the seller assures us “it looks very good!”

As for the 848cc engine, it has been stripped down and reassembled with a reground crankshaft (+20 thou) and new bearing shells. Other new parts include the timing gear, oil pump, and clutch plate.

The engine has been dry-fitted in the engine bay for ease of transport but it is not running.

The original electrical system has have been retained with its dynamo, external regulator and positive earth but it would be easy to convert it to a modern negative earth if required.

The following is a list of all the new parts that have either been fitted or are included with car. The seller warns: “it’s not comprehensive but gives an idea what stage the restoration is at.”

• new drive shaft rubber couplings and CV joints
• new powder coated subframe 
• new suspension cones, knuckles, and dampers
• new brake cylinders, shoes, and handbrake cable
• a complete new ignition system
• new clutch slave cylinder plus refurbished brake and clutch master cylinders
• the wiper motor, dynamo, starter, and fuel pump have been refurbished
• a new exhaust (the original is fitted and is still good)

The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate proves the car’s original specification as well as demonstrating that it’s a ‘matching numbers’ car still.

There is more paperwork with the Mini including original sales invoices, expired MoT certificates and old tax discs, some historical insurance certificates, and the original buff log book showing three previous owners, all of whom were in the West Midlands area.

A modern V5 registration document has been obtained and its original registration number of ‘693 COA’, which is a Birmingham number, has been retained.

The photo album also includes some photos of the car as it was found; as you can see, it was remarkably solid and original. 

There are also some shots of the restoration being undertaken, all the better for you to appreciate the workmanship that went into it.. 

Oh, and a copy of The Sun newspaper from 1980 is included in the sale!

The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate proves the car’s original specification as well as demonstrating that it’s a ‘matching numbers’ car still.

There is more paperwork with the Mini including original sales invoices, expired MoT certificates and old tax discs, some historical insurance certificates, and the original buff log book showing three previous owners, all of whom were in the West Midlands area.

A modern V5 registration document has been obtained and its original registration number of ‘693 COA’, which is a Birmingham number, has been retained.

The photo album also includes some photos of the car as it was found; as you can see, it was remarkably solid and original. 

There are also some shots of the restoration being undertaken, all the better for you to appreciate the workmanship that went into it.. 

We estimate this car to fetch between £7,000 - £10,000 in auction.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Neath, South Wales. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Oh, and a copy of The Sun newspaper from 1980 is included in the sale!