Mini 1100 Special - Unique History, Immaculate, Classic Mini Cooper NO RESERVE

This is a Mini 1100 Special. built to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Mini. The car is finished in Rose Metallic (BLVC303) The car was built in December 1979 and delivered to Cowies of Middlesborough in January 1980. The car remained in the showroom of Cowies as a display piece until 1997. The car was never registered or driven on the road. retaining only the original delivery miles. Subsequently the car was auctioned at H&H Classic Auctions on 16/4/97 (Lot 24) where it was sold for £4764. 38 (inc. premium) – a copy of the original Auction Catalogue entry page and picture is still with the car. The car was then bought and registered to a lady who passed it on to her daughter.

The MOT History shows the car got active (presumably use as a main car) from 1997 to 2003 and then minimal use thereafter.  

Mot History is as follows:

4/6/97               113 miles

3/6/98               6043 miles

1/6/99               9683 miles

3/6/00               15. 26 miles

6/7/01               26. 06 miles

25/6/02             35. 13 miles

16/6/03             43. 27 miles

16/9/04             44. 19 miles

16/9/05             48. 54 miles

18/9/07             49. 57 miles

I was chasing this car for quite some time! In late 2009 this car appeared for sale in the UK purchased the car in mid 2009 and I tried to buy the car but however was outbid. I was in an Irish Classic Car Dealer's premises in January 2010 and saw the same car and tried to buy it but it had already been sold and was awaiting re-registration.   The car was re-registered on 18/1/2010 as ZV 9444 having being bought by a man as a surprise present for his wife who had always missed her original Mini Special after having to get a larger car for the family many years previously. I asked the dealer who I knew well to tell the purchaser to let me know if the car ever came for sale again.

Although the car was in very good cosmetic and mechanical condition. the man who purchased the car started an in-depth mechanical rebuild and upgrade. with the intention of improving the car for regular use by his wife. I don't have the space to go on about everything that was done but receipts for parts alone show a spend of £1346. 66 (almost entirely from Mini Spares in Potters bar) – bear in mind this does not include any labour! Work included removing of the engine and gearbox. and replacement of every gasket on both. water pump. all new hoses. rebuild of brakes to include front brake disc conversion. Both front footwells and sills were replaced as there were a couple of previous repairs small patch repairs done and as panels were so cheap this guy wanted the car original looking.

After all the work. the man's wife was delighted at the prospect of driving the car but she never took to driving the car… her one and only trip in the car making her soon realise she had become accustomed to modern brakes. power steering. air conditioning etc. Thus the current mileage is 50. 07 miles shows you can see that basically the car has done virtually no mileage since the work was done 4 years ago at 49. 00 miles.

Roll on 2013 and after 3 years of non-use and another road tax renewal on the mat. the car was offered for sale to me last year and I made sure I got it and was third time lucky. particularly because I liked the registration number it got and I had to get this car out of my system! Following my purchase last year I removed the cream vinyl roof which was looking grubby in its grains. and I got the roof sprayed in a cream colour match of the original vinyl. The alloy wheels were refurbished (including the matching spare alloy) and four new Falken tyres were fitted at this time too. so these are still new. I replaced the clutch master and slave cylinders too.

Overall the car is immaculate. with none of the usual rust issues etc. If you are exceptionally critical the only things you could possibly fault at all is a bubble at the bottom corner of the driver's door. a very small mark on the front passenger wing (touched in) and some yellow marks on the headcloth vinyl where the original sound deadeving/vibration pad is bleaching through. but these are lost in the overall superb condition of the car. and all easily rectified is someone wanted to.

To be clear this car is in truly mint condition and is ready to show as is. You would have been delighted to find a Mini this good at 1 year old much less 34 years old!

There is a complete history file with the car with receipts for work done down through the years……this includes the original key no. tag. a handwritten log from 22. 62 miles on 14/1/2001 to 42. 00 on 1/3/03 where the daughter of the original owner documented every detail of any issues and rectification works on the car.  The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Certificate is present to confirm this as well as various correspondence to and from the DVLA re the registration of the car and the first registered owner's angst as to why the car was given an age related V registration rather than the current “P-plate” when the car was registered in 1997! (The original UK number plates are included).

Since this car was re-registered in Ireland it does not show the previous number of UK owners on the logbook. so it only shows one previous owner.

Being registered on or before 1st January 1980 this car is exempt from NCT/MOT Test in Ireland. The car is taxed until 1st August. so it is currently legal to drive anywhere on Irish Plates.

If you want a Special Mini with all the work done. then this is the car for you!

The car is listed with no reserve at a low start price hoping it will find it's own level. The value of work which has gone into this car in recent years alone greatly exceeds the asking price. I had planned to keep the car as an investment for the future but I need space in the shed for other projects and seeing as I do not use this car it seems sensible to try selling this first.

As I need the space so I am not interested in any swaps or p/x's.

Usual terms and conditions apply and winner to pay £200 non-refundable deposit into my paypal account at end of auction. I require full payment within 5 days. Please. please no time wasters or dreamers. If you can't complete the transaction please do not bid…very simple. I never mess people about please don't waste my time either.

PLEASE NOTE THIS CAR IS IN DUBLIN. IRELAND AND WILL NEED TO BE COLLECTED FROM DUBLIN.

For UK purchasers I am happy to pick up the successful bidder from the Airport Coach or local Train Station as necessary or meet up with any transport company etc. Also. NVD (www. nvd. ie) will transport the car to most part of the UK for €307 (€250 PLUS vat @ 23%)…so about for £260 it can be delivered to your door (extra charges apply for extreme corners of the country – Devon. Cornwall. Scotland etc)

Although we all have to start somewhere any bidders with less than 10 positive feedback will have their bid removed. unless you contact me prior to bidding with full contact details.

Thanks.

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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