1. Classic Austin Mini Mark 1 saloon 922 JWL
This Mini photograph came in a batch of photos that were taken in the late 1960s, so the Mini would probably be 8 or 9 years old by the time this photo was taken, and it was already looking a bit rusty around the edges. The wavy grille suggests that this is an Austin Mini, as opposed to a Morris Mini-Minor, and probably has (or started out with) the basic 850cc A Series engine. This one looks like it has been breathed on a little, so the engine has probably seen some work too. Two numberplates are deemed necessary for some reason, the white plate was perhaps located here to deflect water from the damp-prone distributor that sits just behind the grille. Two tiny auxiliary lamps are fitted to the grille, with what look like spring-back Desmo mirrors fitted to each front wing. Original 10 inch wheels are fitted, with crossply tyres, and the full-width wheel trims and hubcaps are still in place. It could have been used as a rally car, or just a tweaked road car.
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Fans of Minis might also be interested to see this regalia that features a classic Mini, and this screensaver, that includes pics of road-going and competition-spec Minis, badged as Austin and Morris.
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2. A standard Austin "Seven" Mini.
Most Minis though were not souped-up to their back teeth, and remained faithful to Issigonis' idea of cheap, basic, wheel-in-each-corner accomodation for four people. The very early Minis were badged as Austin Sevens, just as the early Austin A30s and of course their pre-war Grandparents were, going right back to the 1920s. Early brochures for the Austin-badged cars referred to them as the Se7en rather than Mini, while Morris versions were known as the Mini-Minor. Therefore, although the registration of the Mini shown in the next photo isn't in shot, the "Austin Seven" badging confirms that this Mk1 Mini must have been built between 1959 and 1961.
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The location is in the village of La Haye, on the N30, a road that can be found in the Northern region of France. So at the time of this photo, the Mini and its passengers perhaps hadn't ventured too far into the heart of La Belle France. The requisite GB plate, courtesy of the AA, has been hastily taped into the rear window, alongside a stick-on demister panel, a popular fitment in the days before heated rear windows were commonplace. Front wing mirrors have also been fitted. The original pull-chord door openers remain. The photo dates to 1964.
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3. Two more Mk1s.
Keith owned a variety of once-popular British cars in the 1960s and 1970s, and fortunately he recorded them on film for posterity. Two Mk1 Minis feature amongst his photos. First up is a red 1964 Mk1, registration NRE 965B. Keith's shown working on the front end of the bright red Mini. Deviations from standard, at the time of the photograph being taken, include the lack of a front bumper, no Austin badge on the bonnet (perhaps the panel is a replacement?), a lack of the "moustache" bright trim that's usually to be seen above the crinkly grille, and no plastic trims fitted to the wheelarch lips. In fact looking at the gaps between the rear of the wings and the scuttle, makes me wonder if a replacement one-piece front end* has been fitted? Keith's MGB GT is behind the Mini.
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*Keith adds:"NRE indeed had one of those horrible fibreglass flip front ends, fixed only with 2 hinges at the front and 2 rubber pull-over clips at the sides. It always worried me the lack of metal at the front to absorb an impact. Bought for 35 pounds with a slipping clutch, after adjustment I ran it for 4 or 5 years cheaply and sold the Mini at a profit."
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Photo #2 is of his then-girlfriend's 1962 Mk1 Mini, 121 ELC, personalised with a "racing" stripe on its later bonnet. The lack of wheel trims and hubcaps also gives it a sporty appearance, aided by the black-painted roof reminiscent of the Cooper and Cooper S. Despite looking presentable in this shot, the old Mini wasn't long for this world, being scrapped just a few weeks later. Thanks for the pictures Keith.
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Regarding this Mini, Keith remembers: "121 ELC was bought for my girlfriend by her father who was not car savvy. It was bought from a local farmer. I used a new fangled pressure washer to clean off the congealed farmyard cow pats and muck off it. That was all there was holding it together. The rear subframe came away with parts of the body within a couple of weeks. Scrapyard fodder."
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Return to Old Photographs of Cars - Page 4.
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