That 50 grand Mini

[cort16]

I see David Brown automotive who build the half million quid 60's Aston martin pastiche GT based on Jaguar XKR has started to sell rebuilt and re-engineered Mini's for £50,000 (starting price).

 

 

 

 

It's quite an interesting idea given the popularity of the old Mini's. The guy I rent my lockup off has 3 totally fucked ones sitting in the back of his garage. A few years ago I used to think he should just weigh them in them off as they're so fucked and take up  a load of space. However recently he's had a few people trying to buy them off him although he's not interested.

 

Apparently there's 1000 hours in each car.  Probably 950 hours fixing rust then the rest to finish the rest of the car. It looks good other than the LED lights obvz.

 

 

There interior looks nice probably a bit ott but probably right enough for the target market who's likely just going to park in their collection and probably wouldn't feel the love for the single pod you got in the Mini 850.

 

 

It looks like they've tweaked the chassis a bit but it's still got an a-series although it has 50% more power. That makes it 30bhp then then, lol smiley face rolley eyes. . Still 4 speed.

 

Unfortunately the back lights look wank. I'd pay extra not to get these.

 

 

There seems to be quite a few company's doing this kind of thing now especially in the states.

 

There's a company called ICON who've almost productionised the reworking of the old Ford Bronco's with up to date suspension parts and a coyote v8 engine from the mustang.

They do look good and no doubt make them more drivable and I guess they're probably bringing back some cars that wouldn't justify a traditional resto. It must work as these bronco's have an 18 month waiting list.

 

 

[paulscavalier]

Agreed about the rear lights on the mini. Apart from that not bad.

[Cavcraft]

To be fair, that Aston is a thing of absolute beauty and the Mini looks ace.

[Fabergé Greggs]

I think in all of these cases I'd rather have an exceptionally sorted original one.

 

Having said that, upon winning the lottery I'll be shipping my X1/9 over to these guys to have them put a Honda k20 in it (210 flippin bhp)

 

http://www.midwest-bayless.com/p-1029-acura-honda-k20-engine-swap-kit-for-fiat-bertone-x19-stage-1.aspx

[Aston Martin]

I saw one of those 'Astons' coming off the Hull ferry, it did look good.

[cort16]

That ICON company also do a derelict series of 50's and 60's cars, which have the do-not-paint original exterior but have re-done interiors and modern LS running gear.

 

 

 

[cort16]

Here it is on Jay Leno's garage

 

[RayMK]

I like the Mini - the flared arches are well proportioned and they've not messed with the neatness of the design.  However, I doubt that my internal organs could survive for long with apparently reduced suspension travel and modern roads.

[320touring]

There's a fair few companies doing this sort of thing now, and some do it really well. The 'Aston' looks good bar the stupidly sized wire wheels- get some sidewall on ffs!

[AlabamaShrimp]

I'm not sure what to think of them really. They're really expensive and to 'people in the club' they'll always just be fakes and not 'original' enough for them no matter how good or bad they are.

 

If I had the money to make my own car company then I'd have my own designs, but then of course they wouldn't sell half as well as these

[cort16]

I wonder what Aston Martin make of it?

 

[timolloyd]

^^ That rear seat looks bloody dangerous if you ask me

[RayMK]

To be fair, it is rear facing.  I think they've overdone the spoiler though.

[Pillock]

Mini looks great, love the interior. I'd deffo gaffer tape some original rear light clusters over those horrible trailer ones though.

[cort16]

I don't think that seat is for when the car is driving. I think it's meant for sitting on when you're at the races or polishing your shotguns.

[RayMK]

  .  Really?

 

I would expect more padding and wine glass holders for the price.

[Dick Longbridge]

Mini, yes. Agreed on the back lights.

 

As for the Aston though...

 

Give me a Bronco instead.

[robinmasters]

I like the Aston thing, I think they've made it work in spite of the modern thin tyres/massive rear quarters.

[quicksilver]

Aston I like and half a mil is cheaper than a real DB5 these days. Mini I'm not so sure about - it just looks like all the other modified Minis on the show scene these days and there's not a lot at first sight to distinguish this 50 grand hand-crafted special from something an enthusiastic owner knocked up in his garage. I reckon a skilled Mini fan could build something a lot like that for a lot less than 50 grand.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Those Minis are OK, but what they need is more sportspack arches, union jacks and stickers of someone pissing on a BMW roundel etc

[AMC Rebel]

I like that Mini - including the rear lights

 

The Icon Buick was featured in Classic American mag. 

[captain_70s]

Meh, £50k will buy a lot of Austin Allegros and base Sierras...

 

The Mini looks nice enough but I'd prefer a beige mk3 with a brown vinyl interior on steel wheels and dented hubcaps.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

....

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

This is a 50k Mini. From its golden era when it was a serious car and not a joke as per Mr Bollox's post above.

 

 

 

[alcyonecorporation]

The Speedback is the most Cheshire car ever created. 

And not in a good way. Never in a good way. Like one of Mitsuoka's less talented designers wanked themselves into a coma and their family finished off what they were doing via free association. 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Not sure it's that Cheshire tbh - silver haired 67 year old international Germans with polo necks and trophy wives?

 

See also: Weismann Roadster.

 

To anyone thinking this is okay; No. Don't fuck about, but google '1992 Bentley Continental'. The most stunning handbuilt car ever to emanate from Crewe, with a turbocharged 6.75 V8. It's a proper car that successfully treads that finest of lines between wealth, caddishness and flash wanker.

[Tamworthbay]

That looks like a Rover 75 has arse ended a mk1 mondeo whilst running on Halfords special alloys, truly Gopping.

[alcyonecorporation]

Not sure it's that Cheshire tbh - silver haired 67 year old international Germans with polo necks and trophy wives?

 

See also: Weismann Roadster.

 

To anyone thinking this is okay; No. Don't fuck about, but google '1992 Bentley Continental'. The most stunning handbuilt car ever to emanate from Crewe, with a turbocharged 6.75 V8. It's a proper car that successfully treads that finest of lines between wealth, caddishness and flash wanker.

 

I can't stand R-Rs and Bentleys from that era, sorry. 

 

See also: XJ40 and X300. Pointless cash and carry bottom rung golf club membership pub landlord shite AFAIC. Views of Autoshite may differ. 

 

Still can't forgive work's for trying to run me over when it was in park. I'll give that AJ16 some credit mind, I thrashed it senseless afterwards and it still ran the following day. They do excellent burn outs. Gearbox still shifted after I revved it to valve bounce and slammed it into drive from neutral, too. Fuck that Jag. 

[Junkman]

The point I'm not getting is thus.

 

If you dislike a car that much, that you require it modified to the extent those Minises are

until it takes your fancy, then why would you spend any money at all on it, let alone 50 grand?

Why don't you take the money and just buy a car you like as it is, without any mods?

[Felly Magic]

Cars for the more money than functioning braincells type, those rear lights on that Mini, someone should be shot in the cock for them, hideous, Johnathan Ward is also responsible in the US for heaps of shit suddenly being worth a fortune, he's even pissed about with old Rolls Royces, he clearly knows that the richer people often are, the more stupid they are, and they fall for whatever bullshit he tells them in his quest to perform open wallet surgery on them