Description
It never ceases to amaze me after nearly 40 years of peering into garages, that I'm still rendered speechless at the sight of something rather special, especially when it's over a humble Mini.
This wonderful Mini Cooper MK2 being the perfect case in point.... having happily managed to sell a number of other Coopers more recently, I received a phone call from a 'finder' chum who was waxing lyrical over the 'best ever' MK 2 that he'd seen the day before.... being a cynical 'so & so', I naturally didn't quite believe his rather over-excited ramblings - how mistaken was I?
I consider first impressions everything and my first cursory glance confirmed that this was something very special indeed.
A little back story first:
The Heritage Certificate confirms that it was a home market car dispatched from the factory on 26 April 1968 to City Motor Company Ltd Cardiff, finished in Snowberry White with a black roof., who they went on to deliver themselves, less than a month later to its first owner who remarkably kept the car for the next 37 years.
Enter the frame one rather motivated Mini enthusiast who'd been looking for a unmolested and original car to restore. He had a good dose of Mini DNA with both his grandfather and father being tool makers to associated BMC companies.
The restoration was a complete strip down/ nut and bolt affair, nothing was left untouched. The rebuild took 4 years and encompassed every facet of the car, reconditioning parts wherever possible, sourcing NOS (New Old Stock) rather than relying on poor quality Chinese copies. As you would expect engine, gearbox, Hydrolastic suspension, brakes and wiring where all overhauled and/ or rebuilt.
Impressively being a single owner car the interior was untouched and just needed a thorough cleaning and re-foaming. Incredibly the Veltone carpets were generally in pretty good shape, once cleaned it became apparent that a certain amount of reflocking was necessary and pleasingly he managed to find a company willing and able.
Although the photographs here certainly give one the impression of a restored car, they really don't do it justice - in the flesh it's an outstanding and superbly accurately restored car and certainly one of the best I've seen of any marque.
The sheer workmanship in the panel fit alone beggars belief, never easy to master, here it's just exceptional. I can ramble on but come and see it, you won't be disappointed.
Nor were the judges of various National Concours events where it was acclaimed overall winner on 5 separate occasions, not forgetting winning a host of local events too.
A nice selection of period documentation accompanies an impressive history file plus a seriously good photographic record of the restoration too. Lastly, there's an edition of Mini World included, where it was featured over 8 pages, it makes good reading!
In short a fabulous multi-concours winning Mini Cooper MK2.... I doubt there is a better example available today.
It would be a pleasure to answer any questions you might have. However, to really appreciate this exceedingly impressive Mini Cooper, it needs to be seen “in the flesh”, so do please call me directly on the details below to arrange a viewing.
