Due to our planned emmigration to Holland (hence the For Sale board for the house visible in some of the pictures), BicKLe our Mini has to go. I bought the car in January as a restoration project for my eleven-year-old step-son and I to spend time together working on so that he would have it just the way he wanted it for when he was old enough to drive. Unfortunately, after buying the car my fiance and I made the decision to return to Holland, and the work involved is too much for me to get done before we go and I’m not inclined to spend a fortune on the ferry trailering it across so that my boy can keep a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side! It was bought without tax or MOT so we have not driven it on the road, so I can’t brag about how reliable it is and how it never breaks down as I really don’t know! Having said that, it has been started up every weekend and moved back and forth the length of the driveway (nearly four Mini-lengths!) and it has always started first time for us and never broken down even when venturing as far as the pavement! I have put a new battery on it, but have lost the receipt so there is no guarantee on it any more. I have also put a new fuel pipe on it from fuel pump to carburettor as the old one split the week after we bought it. Apart from that we have done very little to it.

The bad points: It needs some welding! Pictures 8, 9, 10 and 11 give some idea of the work required. Pictures 8 & 9 is of the drivers side sill just in front of the rear wheel, I haven’t photographed the passenger side but it is almost exactly the same. Picture 10 is the same rear wheel arch viewed from inside the car, and Picture 11 is the passenger side front footwell. Also, picture 7 shows that the bonnet looks like some kind idiot threw paint stripper over it, although it was like that when we bought it. Picture 12 shows rust round the nearside headlamp, this is the worst of the cosmetic surface rust, although more is present along the bottom of the doors, on the other front wing, and probably a few other places too.

For the rest, the interior is in amazing condition, and apart from a few grubby marks which should shampoo out easily enough, it’s almost like new. I have no history with the car, but judging by the condition of the seats, the 51,000 miles on the clock seems to be genuine. The interior is all there, we removed it to do the welding before we realised the full extent of the work required, and we’ve simply stacked it inside rather than put it back in properly, as it will only need removing again to do the work. Having said that, I have bolted the drivers seat in properly so that the vehicle can be moved safely. The engine sounds healthy and the gearbox feels fine and doesn’t make any nasty noises. All five tyres have got plenty of life left on them, and all the lights and electrics work. The original radio pictured has been removed as a souvineer for my step-son of his “first car”, but apart from that the pictures are an honest reflection of the condition of the car.

In summary, the interior and mechanical aspects of the car are amazingly good for it’s age but the bodywork needs quite a lot of work. I have tried to be as honest as possible, as the car is sold as seen with no warranty given or implied. I have listed all the faults I am aware of but this may not be a totally comprehensive list. The buyer should bear in mind that it is sold as a vehicle in need of restoration before it will see the road again, and it does not have any MOT or road tax remaining so must be trailered or recovery trucked away. I’m not sure but I believe I would be breaking the law if I gave the keys to someone knowing they intended driving it on a public highway in it’s current condition, so if you are planning on driving it home, don’t even bother bidding. If anyone would like to come and look over it and hear it running before bidding (and test drive it the length of the driveway if desired!) this can be arranged, simply contact me and we will get it organised. The winning bidder must collect the car within 7 days although if the trailer / truck is going to take longer to organise please contact me to discuss this before bidding and we’ll come to some arrangement.

CASH ON COLLECTION ONLY