1975' MINI Austin Mini

For sale is my Mini which has been a father son project over the last 10 years. I'm pleased to be able to say no expense was spared, many hours spent and the highest quality parts used throughout.

The project started with the intentions of this being my first car, being a very car orientated family and having a Mini within the family already there could be no other choice but a Mini. However it soon spiralled and became an exercise in achieving what my father and I felt was the perfect Mini that looked fresh and would be a pleasure to drive. I styled the vehicle around a "Gentleman racer" look that combined high performance with meticulous luxury. We purchased a brand new Heritage shell and a suitable donor vehicle. The shell was painted in a very tasteful "Cool Blue" with contrasting black roof, which would set out the colour theme throughout the car. The shell was placed on a body spit to allow the underside to have each seam sealed and protected with a durable body shoots/stone chip coating. Whilst on the spit we added all new brake and fuel lines front to rear.

Very few components of the donor car could be used in the end up, however the front and rear subframes and radius arms were stripped, blasted and powder coated then built up with all new bushings, bearings, knuckle joints, suspension cones and any other wear and tear item. The suspension is incredibly high specification with GAZ adjustable dampers, height adjustable Hi-Lo's, adjustable camber front arms and adjustable camber plates on the rear radius arms. Great time has been spent by Alan Roddy my local Mini specialist to achieve a mix of rewarding suspension geometry for road driving pleasure but also a high level of comfort and compliance to ensure this car remains useable on the road using tried and tested geometry and settings. The same performance is expected of the braking with new alloy 4 pot callipers and 7.5" brake discs, on the rear alloy Minifin brake drums along with all new backing plates, shoes, springs and brake cylinders. Similarly all new brake and clutch master cylinders were fitted and a brake servo retained, keeping the braking performance up to date. Genuine twin fuel tanks have been fitted both for their look and the ability to enjoy this car on long trips.

A completely new wiring loom was fitted throughout with MK2 rear lamps, new headlamps and a completely custom dashboard loom created to power a selection of beautiful magnolia Smith gauges, including Speedo, rev counter, fuel, clock, oil pressure, oil temperature and water temperature. These have been mounted on a custom dashboard with flocked upper and lower dash rails and steering column. The interior I feel is one of the most impressive aspects of this car, we used high quality nappa leather and alcantara throughout with quilted effect diamond stitching. The roof lining is black nappa leather with diamond stitching and was one of the most difficult but rewarding jobs on the car, it never fails to "WOW" anyone who looks at it. The dashboard, door cards, front and rear seats all trimmed in a similar fashion. New cushion was used on the rear seat and fantastic retro racer style seats trimmed the same up front. The front seats for me complete the Gentleman racer look, which is added to by the LUKE harnesses, classic round gear knob and MOMO Prototipo steering wheel. A full refurbished heater with an new matrix performs better than factory. New carpets and sound deadening complete the interior with additional sound deadening added to many of the panels to modernise the driving experience slightly.

Outside the car continues to impress, the paintwork is to an incredibly high standard having been completed in a professional body shop by the owner himself who wanted to see a great job done on the car. It has also just been professionally detailed to show the true quality if the paint. All new chrome and black trims were used throughout along with new seals front to rear, ensuring no leaks or steamy windows. No aspect has been missed, new wipers and wiper motor, window regulators refurbished and regreased along with new handles and locks throughout. A new MK1 grille and MK1/2 rear number plate holder finish the classic look. New stainless steel bumpers were colour matched with the roof and Group 2 wheel arches added. Freshly built MB Racing split rim's cement this Mini's racer looks, 10x5.5" and wrapped in Yokohama A032R, the wheels have been anodised silver to make them much more durable and easier to maintain.

A 1275cc MG Metro engine and gearbox were sourced, stripped and completely rebuilt by Mervyn Johnston, an Irish Mini rally legend behind the wheel and in the workshop. Again the intentions were to build to a specification that was enjoyable and useable on the road. New twin SU carbs feed a ported and polished, 11 stud head with larger valves. Internally it has been bored +0.60 " with Omega pistons and lightened and balanced connecting rods, crankshaft and flywheel. The camshaft is the popular Swiftune SW5, practical enough should town driving present itself but given the opportunity it will allow the engine to sing in the higher rev's on the open road. A completely refurbished gearbox houses a 4 pin differential and refurbished linkages ensuring a smooth gear change each time. A new 3 branch exhaust exits through a tasteful rolled tip, emitting a fantastic sound and smell that can't be recreated in today's modern cars. More time spent by Alan Roddy my local specialist has ensured this car starts easily on the first turn of the key every time.

The information above is only a small insight into this excellent car, it really is a brand new Mini today that has been built from scratch with no corners cut. The time and cost to build something similar to this is incredible, however it can now be appreciated by the next owner. I would love to keep the car forever but it wouldn't suit to do so currently. The car has just been finished and never driven but will be sold with a fresh 12 months MOT. It truly can only be fully appreciated with a viewing and test drive, whoever is lucky enough to place themselves in the driver's seat, wearing the harness, looking over that dashboard and steering wheel, on the right road, on the right day, the experience will be truly fantastic.

All mainland UK enquiries welcomed, I can easily accommodate interested buyers as all three of Northern Irelands airports are easily accessible to me, along with Belfast or Dublin ferry terminals.

All foreign enquiries also welcomed, I can also easily accommodate anyone wishing to export the car within Europe or further afield as there appear to be plenty of options available to easily transport the car to America, Canada etc