Mini’s Answer To The El Camino
Listed here on eBay and parked in Fulton, Kentucky is one of the 58,179 Mini coupe utilities (some would call this a pickup truck). Think of this as Mini’s answer to the El Camino! Nine years ago, according to the owner, the plan was to fully restore this little cutie, but his life has changed (“mostly money and time”), so he is now selling his baby.
This 1971 Austin Mini had been in storage for about 6 years. The owner installed new: battery, fuel pump, and flushed the fuel lines and the Mini started right up.
The Mini still needs the clutch master cylinder rebuilt and he will do this before the car ships. There maybe a need for a new radiator in the near future due to the fact the one in the car has been patched up.
The brakes were serviced before the Mini was put into storage.
This is not a “lefty” and the odometer has not always worked so the mileage is unknown.
There are many spares included with this purchase including the stock rims and hubcaps, original (Lucas) spare tail light lenses and trim. There is also a set of Australian Mini doors with roll-up windows that were produced for only 3 or 4 years (according to the owner) that will fit this truck. Overall, this utility coupe appears to be straight and clean. The owner says there maybe some issues he is not aware of. He doesn’t want you to think you can fly in and drive this one home. We wish we could, do you?
Motor-on,
Robert
Auctions Ending Soon
2006 Ford Mustang Saleen S281 SCBid Now6 hours$16,000
2002 Subaru Impreza WRXBid Now3 days$333
1975 Chevrolet Corvette ConvertibleBid Now3 days$3,000
1964 Ford F-100 Camper CustomBid Now3 days$2,000
2006 Jeep Wrangler SportBid Now5 days$10,500
Comments
I like it. these are very cute (and rare) versions of the Mini. too cool.
I think your title is a bit of a stretch. “Mini’s answer to the El Camino”? I doubt if the presence of the El Camino had any influence at all on BMC’s decision to produce the Mini pick-up even if you say that the El Camino (appearing in 1959) pre-dates the launch of the Mini van (1961) very slightly. BMC already had a precedent for producing small numbers of pick ups as a variation on the van/commercial versions of their cars, they did the same with the Austin A30, A35 and Morris Minor starting back in the 1950s.
Mini doors, with roll up windows, were produced for decades. They are more common than the doors with sliding windows.
Hard to tell for sure, but I think the seller was trying to convey that these have doors which are unique to pickups and (if I am right) the roll-up windows made special for Australia are rarer still. I am not a Mini expert by any means so I wouldn’t take that as gospel.
z1rider,
Here’s what the owner has to say about the doors: “I also have a set of extremely rare Australian Mini doors that will fit this pickup. These doors were made factory with roll up windows, due to the heat in Australia. They were only made for 3 or 4 years that would fit the pickups.”
It appears you are correct.
Robert
What’s unusual about the spare doors is that they are the early external-hinge design, with rollup windows. If memory serves, the introduction of roll-up windows for all Minis coincided with the redesign of the doors to use more conventional internal hinges. I wasn’t aware that any of the early external-hinge cars came from the factory with rollup windows. Some of the special coachbuilt Minis, like the Radfords, had rollup windows but these were custom-made conversions.
@ Nick G
With internal hinges,yes but wind up windows on doors with external hinges were only produced in Australia.
Concealed door hinges and winding windows without quarterlights were fitted to all saloons from mk III on. In general, all vans and pickups retained exposed door hinges and sliding windows right to the end.
Some non-UK markets (e.g. Australia and Italy) had winding windows with quarterlights during mk I and mk II. Not sure if any non-UK commercials had these.
When I was a kid my dad had a friend who used one of these as a shop truck. I remember my dad hauling transmissions in there. It was just the right size for a turbo 350.
That would fetch HUGE money in the UK. Love it.
El Camini?
i’m not a mini expert but have owned a few when they where just used cars here in the uk, the registration number is for the year 1969 & it has the the mid/late 70’s switch panel & steering column with 2 stalks.
all an easyish swap but would make mini enthusiasts over here of it being a ringer.
the Australian doors have opening vent windows & wind up windows a style not offered on European mini’s, as said above these fitted from 71 onwards had one piece wind up windows with internal hinges.
@ Dylan
Any idea just how much HUGH money might be? It might be worth shipping to my family there
Peter, on Ebay UK is this 1980 Pickup looking rather stunning for GBP 14,995 :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1980-Classic-Austin-Rover-Mini-Pickup-in-Sandglow-/181690427174?hash=item2a4d97e726:g:sHcAAOSwcnpTnEWc
Very 80’s colour !
My first car was an old1972 Mini Pick-up,in British Racing green. It had had the 998cc original engine swapped-out for a 1098cc which made it a little quicker than most. I had highback Mazda seats fitted in it too,a lot plusher than the BL ones. I would date this white beauty to be a 1969 model from it’s registration plates. Over here in the UK we can now trace our old cars through the DVLA website,as it can now tell you if any car on their database is stiil on the road or has been scrapped. I would love this little pick-up myself……
The UK’s DVLA website says it was first registered on June 12th 1969 and was blue. So its had a very thorough white re-spray at some time in its life…