1986 Austin Mini

This Mini has been the long-term project of an engineer that earns his living building £100,000 MGBs, which means he knows what he’s doing and he has poured the triumvirate of time, money and love on something he can be proud of.

He now finds himself in search of a new project, so has reluctantly decided that the time has come to sell his pride and joy to free up space and money for a new challenge.

The Mini’s bodyshell was stripped, repaired and painted nine years ago and any problems were properly sorted out. The work included fitting new front half floors, new rear floors, inner and outer front wings, A-panels and a new front panel followed by a high-quality respray in red with a subtle silver fleck.

He then fitted it with black wheel-arch trims, chrome door handle protectors, Minilite replica wheels, white rear lights, and two huge spotlights in the classic Mini tradition. The result was a rust-free shell that formed the backbone of this impressively well-engineered modern classic. Lots of these parts are new.

The paintwork has stood up very well in the intervening years but it is a little bit dull here and there and sports a few minor blemishes and a small storage ding in the nearside rear wing. A decent ‘T-cut’ or paint correction should restore the paintwork’s shine, bringing it up to the same glossy finish as the chromework.

The interior received the same level of care and attention as the exterior and now sports Metro GTA front seats, which are super-supportive and look as if they were fitted at the factory. The rear seat is a Mini original, covered with Metro fabric to match the front seats. The dashboard has been comprehensively remodeled and trimmed in red leather and grey fabric to match the car’s paintwork and interior colours. The owner has also fitted extra gauges along with colour-coded centre console, carpets and mats, door trims, steering wheel, gearknob and gaiter. A Pioneer CD player/radio is fitted.

The only drawback to the interior we can find is that while the MG Metro seats are a huge improvement on the originals, they do limit the rear legroom and are severely limiting on rear access.

The owner has rebuilt the 1275cc A-series engine himself and he tells us that it is running very well and has no known faults. It’s fitted with twin-SU carburettors, a 3-2-1 exhaust manifold and sports exhaust, electronic ignition and an electric fan, all of which are sensible modifications that considerably improve the Mini’s everyday usability.

The engine subframe has received new bushes along with new shock absorbers, and rubber cones. The braking system was completely overhauled too with new calipers, discs and pads, cylinders, drums and shoes, as well as new brake lines and hoses.

The wheels are shod with new tyres, the windows have been tinted and a high-level rear brake light has been fitted.

Problems are limited to a gearbox rattle, which we think might be an idler gear as it occurs on throttle lift-off.

As the owner is a professional engineer, he carried out the work himself. This means that the car doesn’t come with bills for the labour involved in the rebuild. However, there are a number of major parts purchase invoices listed.

This has been one of those projects where time was not a critical factor...we’ve all got them…and so has only recently been finished. Apart from a shakedown and MOT, this car is fresh out of the box.

We always encourage potential bidders to pop along to our Abingdon headquarters to examine the car for themselves so they can see the car they’re bidding on and satisfy themselves as to its condition. In the meantime please look through the Gallery where you will find over 70 photos of the car and the paperwork.

The changes the owner has made to the Mini may not appeal to everyone. However, they’re all easily reversible for those potential bidders who would prefer a more classically simple look; the important thing, in our view, is that the car is solid and mechanically strong. And typically Mini cheeky.

The guide price from the seller is only £3000, which we think represents good value for anyone in the market for a fun classic road, track or rally Mini. As ever, the reserve has been set at a realistic level and is lower than the guide.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at Patina HQ in Abingdon and the owner is very close to ask questions of; to arrange an appointment 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, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.