1975 Morris Mini 850 Pickup

Our Pick-up is a 1975 car, and that's a very good thing. Why? Because 1976 was a 'modernising' year in which British Leyland diluted the simple purity of the Mini's original interior design by fitting twin column-mounted control stalks, a new rocker-switch type panel with hazard lights, a Princess ignition/steering lock assembly, and possibly the worst calumny of all, bigger pedals from the Allegro (which one year later was the source of a new padded steering wheel, urgh).

Another bonus feature of this being a pre-1976, post-1973 car is that the charming but vague 'magic wand' gearchange was supplanted by the more precise rod-operated shift mechanism in 1973. Along with the twin quarter bumpers that replaced the full-width rear bumper in 1969, the improved synchro that was brought in in 1972 and the addition of inertia-reel belts in 1974, you could say that 1975 was quite the sweet spot in Mini Pick-up history.

This example came into owner Ken's possession as a 'basket case' a little under two years ago after his cousin found it in a tucked-away corner of Frome in Somerset. After coming to an arrangement with the owner Ken has been putting it through a full restoration process ever since. You can see from the pictures what sort of state it was in when he got it, and the amount of painstaking effort that has gone into making it every bit as special as the Minor Traveller that Ken restored and sold here on The Market previously.

Now it's ready to go, and after trying it out and photographing it here at Abingdon we have to say that it's an absolute peach. 

As you'd expect with a fresh restoration, there's really very little to say about the condition of the car inside and out, other than that it's pretty amazing. In the interests of full disclosure (and in having something to write about) we've dragged out our most powerful magnifying glass in search of flaws and blemishes.

Disappointingly (if you're a glass half-empty type), all we've managed to find was very slight evidence of maybe a smidgeon of dust in the paint on a tiny area of the roof, and an almost imperceptible bit of rippling on the bonnet. These really do represent one definition of nit-picking, however. Judge for yourself by going through the Gallery below, or by making an appointment to view the car here.

The windscreen is new, a laminated one for safety reasons, but the slightly scratched one it replaced – which we are told is the original glass – will come with the car.

The more ancient and dilapidated readers among us (like the writer) will remember that you could order a factory 'tilt' canvas top for your Pick-up. That option wasn't commonly taken up, and Ken's car doesn't have one, but of course it does have all the requisite brackets and tabs in place to accept one. Finding an original tilt top will either be difficult or a fun challenge for the next owner, depending on how you view these things. Of course there is no shortage of specialists around to help with the fabrication of a new item from scratch. 

All the simplicity of the first Minis is on show here, but without any of the tattiness that is often passed off as desirable patina in lesser cars. The enormous door bins, painted metal dash panels, slender steering wheel and shamelessly visible heater hoses are beautifully set off by new Cumulus Grey (as per the supplied mini-sized sample) vinyl seat upholstery, matching door check straps and a good quality carpet set using a saloon kit plus extra pieces specially made up for Ken by his trim specialist, who also custom-cut and fitted the new headlining from the correct material. 

Again, one look at the before and after pics in our Gallery will tell you the story. Everything that was needed to be done has been done, from the wheel arches, body panels and tailgate to the brakes (drums all round – be careful!), driveshafts and the suspension arms and cones. The underside is immaculate and could genuinely be used to eat your dinner off if it wasn't for the inconvenient reality of gravity.

The engine and gearbox that you see in the pics were in this Pick-up when it came off the production line in 1975. Ken believes that the 76,000-odd miles odometer reading is genuine, a supposition backed up by the drivetrain's internal condition when it was stripped down. Only light refreshment and reconditioning was required.

The engine bay and components are superbly presented. A complete new wiring loom was made up for the car.

In terms of rust protection, Ken tells us that the Pick-up is exactly as it would have been when it was new, ie pretty rudimentary. Ken tells an amusing story about how early Mini repairers would cut open the sills only to find foam inside. They assumed that the foam had been put there by unscrupulous repairers who had gone before, but Ken reckons that in fact the foam was put into the sills by BMC on those early cars. Needless to say he hasn't followed that example with his own restoration. 

We are delighted at the volume of invoices that come with the car, there are literally dozens - they detail the purchase of every single body panel, door skin, hinge, sub-frame, union, sill, blanking plate, bracket, cross member, bush, hose and fastener used in the restoration. Please visit the gallery to see them.

Purely academic, but the car’s online MOT history reveals absolutely nothing – there hasn’t been a single MOT since 2006, presumably confirming the fact this Morris Mini Pick-up has been off the road for a considerable time.

The original chassis plate is also supplied in the box file of paperwork as well as a can of touch-up spray.

A total of 58,179 Mini Pick-ups were built. According to one respected information source, just over a hundred remain registered in the UK in 2018, so we're talking rare here.

We can't vouch for the condition of the other hundred or so Pick-ups, but there simply can't be many better examples than this one. It's a little smasher that is surely bound to appreciate in monetary value, which is great news when you take into account its additional practical value as a promotional vehicle or characterful light-goods hauler. The fresh British Racing Green paint gives you a blank canvas to apply whatever corporate signage you deem appropriate. The payload capacity of around five hundredweight or so, or a quarter of a tonne in new money, makes it perfect for transporting promo materials to Goodwood, Bicester or the like, or for serving period coffees off the tailgate while fending off earnest offers to take this delicious Pick-up off your hands.

Owner/restorer Ken is retired now, but he used to work in the British Leyland garage in Cheltenham so he knows what he's about. Rest assured that this restoration has been done accurately and to his own very high standards, easily justifying our estimate of £13,000 - £17,000, with a reserve set lower than that.

We always encourage viewings. This Mini is located here at The Market HQ in Abingdon. Just click the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to arrange an appointment. Ahead of that, or at any time during the process, you’re more than welcome to ask any questions or jot down observations in the comments section below. You won’t be shocked to hear that our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section will answer general questions that are frequently asked about how The Market works.

Also please note that we have a network of trusted suppliers with whom we work regularly and successfully: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.