By popular demand, I have now set up a Patreon page! If you enjoy my videos, then please do consider supporting Twin-Cam with a donation. www.patreon.com/twincam
Ed never disappoints with his detailed, informative and entertaining reviews. Possessing a keen eye for detail, he has obviously thoroughly researched his subject, and he presents reviews in a manner that is casual and relaxed, and not without a wink to the various eccentricities that are so often inherent in older classics. Ed is a rare breed in young enthusiasts, and he gives me hope for the future. It is up to us to continue to encourage and support him.
I have owned two cars that were introduced in 1959. A Morris mini minor and a 998cc Ford Anglia. The Anglia had the first over square engine on a consumer car, that is the bore was a greater size than the stroke length. It was quick off the mark and would easily cruise at 75 mph on a motorway. The mini was so much fun on bendy roads though, just keep your foot down on the corner. On the Anglia you braked, positioned and then accelerated out of the bend due to the rear wheel drive. The other little machine introduced in 1959 was the Honda 50 cub which was revolutionary. Oh yes, and the Wankel rotary engine! A great year.
In 1987 me and my brother shared a 1973 mini in mustard yellow. Fat wheel arches and fat wheels added and sporty rally type Renault 5 seats. Extra lights added to grill for better full beam. Main memories are having to change the small plastic engine mounts every few months, the heater being pathetic, might as well have lit a candle to warm the car up and getting 3 adults in the back plus cricket gear bags. Stereo stollen twice as locks easy to pick! A 6 hour trip to London left you feeling like you'd spent a few hours in a tumble dryer. Great fun but wouldn't dream of having one now as I couldn't afford the chiropractor bills!
Mine was 1963, with the Porshe baulk ring gearbox and before the suspension went hydrospastic. The battery box was an effective puddle scoop and the valves burned through. Sills were the old type and rusted through despite being internally sprayed with aftermarket sealant. Handling was immaculate, you could steer it through a bend on the throttle. Door pockets were just right for my library of OS maps. Sliding windows were ideal for controlling internal fresh air flow without draught. When introduced the price was 500 pounds and it made a loss, baffling Ford who couldn't compete. The woody version gathered moisture and dirt, growing on each side a whole window box of plant life.
I learned to drive in one of these 40-odd years ago and you are one of the few people who perfectly sums up what the joy of driving one of these is all about - good basic simple driving with no electronic intervention. Your channel is a delight and I happily subscribe to it. My dad had a Maxi when I was a newly-qualified driver and I loved driving it and I can understand your desire to own one. I wish I had one to drive again. Keep up the good work.
Wow! What a trip down memory lane for me! I learned on Minis in the early seventies, probably about your age! The family owned about ten of them of various vintages through the sixties, seventies, eighties. The kick plates on the doors, the string door handles, the floor starter, the magic wand gear-lever, the heater box, sliding windows, the space under the back seat, the big parcel shelf, centre speedo and dinky fuel gauge, the 850 A series with the tiny SU carb at the back, radiator at the side and skinned knuckles trying to retrieve the radiator cap ypu inevitably dropped it whilst topping up, and the distributor at the front thot got soaked in the rain and sent the engine sick. It was like yesterday and you did such a fine job, accurate and detailed. Well done! Most of them came with no seatbelts, if I recall correctly they had to be fitted to the front seats post 65 or so(?) But you didn’t have to wear them and few of my era did! Those look like like 70’s retro fits with the centre catch? The originals came with a cloth belt in the centre that got trapped causing endless fumbling underneath when the tilting seat went down. Yes, it was surprising what you could do in a Mini!
That took me back, my Mum had a Mini Minor she used to love zipping around Manchester in it and squeezing it into the tiniest of parking spots. Great video!
My Mum had one too growing up in Dunedin NZ in the 80's. Her's was a red '67 one with the 850 engine. Same door handle pulls and sliding windows. The speedo used to wobble when driving and the indicated speed would be anywhere from 20 to 60 mph. The light for the indicators was a single green one in the speedo window. You could open the bonnet and start it by pressing a rubber button and no key! No heater, no radio, just basic transportation. I remember her conking out on some railway lines on a wet day due to the distributor getting wet and a guard running over explaining she couldn't stop there!
Well presented. Your description of where the starter motor pushbutton is reminded me of a minor incident when I was a kid. My dad had an ‘Austin Seven’ model for a few years (in the mid 1960s), and for a while I was allowed to operate the starter button from the back seat area. However, he once left it in gear (probably with the handbrake on, but can’t remember) when I pressed it. After that, I wasn’t allowed to!
Nostalgia. My first car was a Mini, I acquired in 1967. I knew nothing about cars, especially the rotten subframe and a mixture of radial and crossply tires that caused an accident and were apparently illegal at the time. A good friend of my sister's took issue with the garage that sold it to me and I had a new subframe and tires fitted free of charge. It was written off when someone rear ended it and was taken to a garage, where thieves stripped it of all the parts, just leaving the shell. I did like the car and enjoyed my short time with it. I later graduated onto a Riley Elf, which is another story.
Ik heb genoten van je verslag. Mijn eerste auto 18 jaar) was een Mini Morris, zo basaal als mogelijk was; een witte, waarop ik twee accenten had aangebracht: boven de achterwielen: het Pam-symbool in de vorm van een (rode) druppel. Bij de beelden van het interieur komen al mijn herinneringen boven, zoals koude winters en met vier vrienden naar het waterpolo en later (inmiddels de derde, een Seven) met vrouw en baby (bedje op de achterbank bovenop de bagage) op vakantie door Frankrijk (de eerste autoroute, genieten!). Dank voor je verslag, DOORGAAN ZO!!! Fer Remmers (76).
While they never imported these in-bulk, they did sell fairly well in the U.S. there were a couple in my neighborhood when I was growing up. I once had a 40 horse VW beetle for some time. It was “sufficient “. Another great video. 📻🙂
My favourite car of all time and a very early Cherry Red Morris Mk1 to me the best of all .My mum's best friend had an August ' 59 Cherry Red from new YXB 678.I recall going out in it as a child and amazed at its incredible road-holding and nippy performance.For all their faults, the most aesthetically ' perfect ' car in my opinion , timeless in design and now 60 years old , both the impoverished have owned them and the immensely wealthy !.Great review by the way !
I was born 1964, when the British car industry dominated the world. I remember bmc car's fondly growing up. I'm impressed hearing a young man explain these car's, with so much accuracy and passion. My lads were only interested in football :)
Don’t forget there was also a Mini Moke. Also the switches on the wipers and headlights were after market extenders to make them easier to reach. Really great video, thank you!
I bought a newly-restored 1967 late mk1 Mini Minor 20 years ago. A bargain at 1500 quid...unbelievable now. It was completely identical to the island blue one in the Jay Leno video. It was still mint when I sold it, but is now rotting in a garden just 2 miles away. I sound like a sad stalker, but I make stealthy visits to see if the poor girl is still there.
Brilliant video. Brought back so many memories. I remember driving back from Matlock on the A6 in mine. I had a 205gti on my bumper, but he couldn't keep up on the bends! Btw, mine had 2 point lap belts, a foot operated dim / dip switch ( genius), but no overriders.
@14.26, only prototype saloons had the van/pick up all in one with front panel, production saloons/Countrymans/Travellers had the seperate removable grilles
Ha ha, I seem to be following you from car to car, they are all in my era! I was planning visit to Monza in Italy for Italian Grand Prix. After waiting very long time for new Mini Cooper in 1962, I decided to buy new Austin Mini but had Shorrock supercharger fitted, great performance! We drove to Monza via Alps, part of Alpine Rally route. Huge fun until bottom fan pulley broke near London on homeward journey. Incidentally, both Austin and Morris versions of early estate cars were fitted with external wood frames. Wicker baskets for rear seats were optional extras, not standard. I started my motor industry career in Jan 1960, still remember details of early Minis. Good report Ed.
There was good room in them. The problem was getting in and out, particularly at the back. The engine was surprisingly torquey, so there was less stirring the box than many other small cars at the time. The distributor right behind the radiator could get water issues, but otherwise they were reliable transport. Mine was stolen by some clown who left it at the bottom of the ramp for the River Itchen ferry, at low tide. It was ruined. The left headlight was half-full of sea water - made it look as though it was crying.
I had an identical car in 1965 coloured Pearl grey (Bluish). Bought for £50 and after a few years sold it for £75. Had many adventures with it incl driving to Oxford Uni and on return , heavy snow which was too heavy for wipers so soon covered by snow, so abandoned and returned to fetch it the following week. The battery was in the boot . the holding tray rusted and the battery fell through whilst driving. Then the exhaust snapped off drove home dragging it behind.. Once in heavy rain the wipers stopped worked. It only went to rest , so tied a string and pulled it over whilst driving. Of course those days no MOT. Despite all this my favourite car. After many many cars I still have the original reg no from my Mini.
Ed, great presentation, superb little mini. You're in for a bright future I'm sure...I expect you'll be snapped up for a TV production soon. Well done.
I had a 59 model Austin mini seven. Different grille and the Speedo only went up to 80 if I remember correctly. It was a gold coloured Speedo with a red tipped wide plastic needle. My mate wrapped it around a tree a year after I had rescued it from rotting in a Somerset garden off a customer of mine when I was a milkman.
Fabulous review on the first mini as all your reviews are, lovely to see young people appreciate all classic cars, My first car was a 1962 Morris mini traveller with wood on the sides so you got it right the wood was on the Morris, the interior was the same as the one you reviewed, with the starter button on the floor, my next car was the saloon with hydrolastic suspension (can still smell the green fluid), and we used mini van's for our building business, one thing I really liked about the mini's was you could change the clutch from under the bonnet in about an hour. I did all the repairs and servicing so I know them inside out, I really enjoy watching your reviews, I would love to see you do some reviews on classic Renault's like the Fuego turbo, one of which I own also the R16, R17, and R12, I am currently restoring a 1971 R17ts, keep up the good work and many thanks for your great channel.
I was given a 1961 Austin Seven mini as a 21st Birthday present by my grandmother. It was Old English White with a red leather interior. This was an added cost extra and I think it cost £12. I loved that car and if I could I would have slept in it and spent my whole waking day in it. Unfortunately the car leaked badly; not only through the floor which we all knew about but also through the windscreen wiper mountings in the upper body panel. The other extra cost item was the Smiths heater which didn't work, I fitted a Radio-mobile transistor radio I purchased from Curry's on weekly HP terms (Down-payment of £1:15 shillings and seven shillings and six pence paid every Friday in cash at the shop with a receipt printed in a little linen hard backed account pass book) under the dash but the aerial which cost extra had to be fitted on the rear quarter panel and the cable fed through the boot. By the time the car was four years old it was completely rotten with tin worm and needed both front and rear sub frames replaced. I had them fixed by a one man garage under the railway arches in Chelmsford as the local BMC main dealer didn't want to know, paying for the cost with a bank loan of £120 but 12 months later when they needed welding again to pass the MOT but there was no metal left to weld to as the mounting panels had been reduced to iron oxide held in place by a thick coating of underseal.
Really enjoyed this video. Cracking little example there and I love the deep dished steel wheels. You present these videos so well and it's great to see your enthusiasm for the cars. My first car was a 998cc mini in flamenco red: MTW 726P which was handed down from my brother. This car is still alive and kicking in the Basingstoke area but with a 1298 engine and green paint job. Your video brought back some good memories, thanks fella!
Nice Mini review ! I own an Austin 850 (left hand drive USA export) built June 2 1960. It is slow but very fun to race around town in, corners are a riot as the car stays flat. This Morris has the early peg leg seat frames which were replace because they wore through the carpet to fast. I noticed that the right side rear window latch is a replacement from a later year. I need to find or make a rubber boot liner for mine. Enjoyed the video, Cheers!
I remember my father selling his Wolsely 6/90 and buying a mini in the 1960s. He said he bought it after going round a tight corner in a county lane on two wheels. I think the other issue was the cost of petrol going up.
My second car was a 850 cc green one.reg 43DAY.4adults and 2kids to Skegness and back from Tamworth Staffs.50mpg and went like stink.probley slow really.but was so fun to throw around the lanes around Poles worth Warms.after 12months the wiring loom burnt out and had to scrap it.cost £65.memories I will never forget.
When the Mini first came to Denmark, it was sold both as the Morris Mascot and as the Austin Partner. As far as I know, none of the other marques (Wolseley, Riley, MG, Vanden Plas) which existed in the UK ever made it here in Mini versions, at least not officially.
Brilliant car back in the sixties we toured around East Anglia for a week in a mini. There was Aunty and Uncle, Mum and Dad and me aged ten and my sister aged eight. Went on to own three of them and toured all over the UK and found mine to be really reliable too. One of the best cars I have ever owned, now drive a Jaguar XF Sportbrake and a Reliant Scimitar GTE.
I've just bought a project 1960 mark 1 Morris mini minor similar to this one except mine is Old English White, but the interior is the same fleck grey and red with red carpet. I still have to finish off my wife's 1975 mini clubman estate then I'll get onto my mk 1. The more I discover about the earlier Mk 1s the more interesting I find them.
Nice video mate just brought sky Rose Mini. Think they Made 500 pink and 500 blue. Used to have a mini special 1100 changed the engine for a 1275 got it we bored to 1380. Love minies
I rebuilt a June 1960 Mini Minor in the late 90's, quite a few differences to the later MK1's like the sills, non recessed front & rear screen, different inner 'A' panels
You're very grounded and awesome presenter. I had a 1970 Mini - its was rusty and rattly but, to this day I still have fond memories of how it drove. The steering was so direct and precise, so much road-feel and charm! I'm sure you'll enjoy a series of Mini's :)
So far I've owned seven of these cars, everything from the saloon through the estates and even a van. I've still never owned a Clubman, though. Not because I don't want to but because they're so expensive. I'd have another in a heartbeat.
My first car was a mini when I passed my test in 1982.It was a 1978 mini, in the colour sandglow. I loved my mini, until I wrapped it round a Bedford Luton van in 1988.Lovely video, thanks.
My first car a 1967 mini minor, not the fastest car you'll ever drive but probably the most fun car. that little green light on the indicator stalk was remarkably bright at night.
I've seen the original production Mini at the British Motor Heritage Museum in Gaynor. In the 1990s my mother had a black Mini called Peas that was always good fun to zip around town in. Perhaps because of its diminutive size & myself being a child it always seemed fast, I have no recollection of the specific model but I doubt it was anything sporting. Today my mother owns a 2009 Mini & whilst it's retro lines are appealing its poor fuel economy of 31mpg on a 1.6ltr is incredible for modern car.
Hi mate, binging your videos now, so informative and entertaining. Mini a true icon. We've just purchased a MINI Cabriolet (the one without rear legroom :-), wich is the actual two millionth new Mini coming from the Cowley production line. But I would like to get a hold on to an early classic Mini sometime in the future (need to convince my wife the absolute need for a third car 😁) These early ones are absolutely gorgeous. Best motoring regards from the Netherlands. Thumbs up!
Both the Morris Mini Traveller and Austin Mini Countryman (the "estates") were available as woodies, although the wood was decorative only, not structural.
My stepmother had a powder blue mini station wagon from the late 60s. We had just moved to South Africa and that was her first car there. It had barn doors in the rear and that was our family car. There was five of us in that car! My dad had just gotten out of the Air Force and brought out a 1968 Pontiac LeManswith the steering wheel on the wrong side for South Africa..
My best m8 bought one if these in 1977, it had an MOT of 6 months it cost him £200 at that time. In the first week one of the headlights fell out as the wing was rotten and had been filled and painted just for the MOT. Then when the MOT was up they found so much rust in every panel and the subframe that it wasn't worth repairing so it was scrapped. It put me off ever buying one. It was a good car but the rust issues on the early ones was so bad and that's why only a handful have survived.
An excellent Video. The car you have shown is the de-Luxe model and not the basic car. My car, which I owned from new, was in Old English White paint with red leather upholstery: I think it was a better combination and I believe it cost just over £500 delivered which was considerably less than the equivalent Ford 105E Anglia. One thing you haven't mentioned is that the rear side panniers (storage) light up with a switch just under the ashtray. However, you don't mention the reliability. For example you couldn't drive it in the rain as the engine would cut out as the distributor got wet. Also water came into the boot and shorted out the SU electric petrol fuel pump. However, in spite of all its faults it was an ideal car for an 19 year old in 1960.
I had a '66 Mini Minor, alas it was not original. It had a 1340cc Weslake conversion, quick shift gearbox, and 12" rims wearing Dunlop Denovo tyres. It was quite nippy!
![ตีสิบเดย์ [FULL] | นางเอกหมอลำเงินล้าน "อุ๋งอิ๋ง เพชรบ้านแพง" & ไฮโซสาวสุดฮอต "ลิลลี่ เหงียน"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/jPxQS_EgrJ4/mqdefault.jpg)
By popular demand, I have now set up a Patreon page!
If you enjoy my videos, then please do consider supporting Twin-Cam with a donation.
www.patreon.com/twincam
Ed never disappoints with his detailed, informative and entertaining reviews. Possessing a keen eye for detail, he has obviously thoroughly researched his subject, and he presents reviews in a manner that is casual and relaxed, and not without a wink to the various eccentricities that are so often inherent in older classics. Ed is a rare breed in young enthusiasts, and he gives me hope for the future. It is up to us to continue to encourage and support him.
Cheers mate :)
I have owned two cars that were introduced in 1959.
A Morris mini minor and a 998cc Ford Anglia. The Anglia had the first over square engine on a consumer car, that is the bore was a greater size than the stroke length.
It was quick off the mark and would easily cruise at 75 mph on a motorway.
The mini was so much fun on bendy roads though, just keep your foot down on the corner.
On the Anglia you braked, positioned and then accelerated out of the bend due to the rear wheel drive.
The other little machine introduced in 1959 was the Honda 50 cub which was revolutionary.
Oh yes, and the Wankel rotary engine! A great year.
I love how minimal this car is and it still manages to look awesome :)
Such an awesome little car, hope you get to do more Mini videos!
In 1987 me and my brother shared a 1973 mini in mustard yellow. Fat wheel arches and fat wheels added and sporty rally type Renault 5 seats. Extra lights added to grill for better full beam.
Main memories are having to change the small plastic engine mounts every few months, the heater being pathetic, might as well have lit a candle to warm the car up and getting 3 adults in the back plus cricket gear bags. Stereo stollen twice as locks easy to pick! A 6 hour trip to London left you feeling like you'd spent a few hours in a tumble dryer. Great fun but wouldn't dream of having one now as I couldn't afford the chiropractor bills!
Mine was 1963, with the Porshe baulk ring gearbox and before the suspension went hydrospastic. The battery box was an effective puddle scoop and the valves burned through. Sills were the old type and rusted through despite being internally sprayed with aftermarket sealant. Handling was immaculate, you could steer it through a bend on the throttle. Door pockets were just right for my library of OS maps. Sliding windows were ideal for controlling internal fresh air flow without draught.
When introduced the price was 500 pounds and it made a loss, baffling Ford who couldn't compete.
The woody version gathered moisture and dirt, growing on each side a whole window box of plant life.
Really good video and a gorgeous example of an early mini
Keep it up
I learned to drive in one of these 40-odd years ago and you are one of the few people who perfectly sums up what the joy of driving one of these is all about - good basic simple driving with no electronic intervention. Your channel is a delight and I happily subscribe to it. My dad had a Maxi when I was a newly-qualified driver and I loved driving it and I can understand your desire to own one. I wish I had one to drive again. Keep up the good work.
This is the first of your videos that I have watched; smashed that subscribe button straight away!
Wow, that is absolutely beautiful! What a privilege it must have been to be able to film this video with it, thank you for this, Ed.
Wow! What a trip down memory lane for me! I learned on Minis in the early seventies, probably about your age! The family owned about ten of them of various vintages through the sixties, seventies, eighties. The kick plates on the doors, the string door handles, the floor starter, the magic wand gear-lever, the heater box, sliding windows, the space under the back seat, the big parcel shelf, centre speedo and dinky fuel gauge, the 850 A series with the tiny SU carb at the back, radiator at the side and skinned knuckles trying to retrieve the radiator cap ypu inevitably dropped it whilst topping up, and the distributor at the front thot got soaked in the rain and sent the engine sick. It was like yesterday and you did such a fine job, accurate and detailed. Well done! Most of them came with no seatbelts, if I recall correctly they had to be fitted to the front seats post 65 or so(?) But you didn’t have to wear them and few of my era did! Those look like like 70’s retro fits with the centre catch? The originals came with a cloth belt in the centre that got trapped causing endless fumbling underneath when the tilting seat went down. Yes, it was surprising what you could do in a Mini!
My Aunt and Uncle had one in the late 70s. Great car, wish I had it now.
That took me back, my Mum had a Mini Minor she used to love zipping around Manchester in it and squeezing it into the tiniest of parking spots. Great video!
My Mum had one too growing up in Dunedin NZ in the 80's. Her's was a red '67 one with the 850 engine. Same door handle pulls and sliding windows. The speedo used to wobble when driving and the indicated speed would be anywhere from 20 to 60 mph. The light for the indicators was a single green one in the speedo window. You could open the bonnet and start it by pressing a rubber button and no key! No heater, no radio, just basic transportation.
I remember her conking out on some railway lines on a wet day due to the distributor getting wet and a guard running over explaining she couldn't stop there!
Well presented. Your description of where the starter motor pushbutton is reminded me of a minor incident when I was a kid. My dad had an ‘Austin Seven’ model for a few years (in the mid 1960s), and for a while I was allowed to operate the starter button from the back seat area. However, he once left it in gear (probably with the handbrake on, but can’t remember) when I pressed it. After that, I wasn’t allowed to!
Nostalgia. My first car was a Mini, I acquired in 1967. I knew nothing about cars, especially the rotten subframe and a mixture of radial and crossply tires that caused an accident and were apparently illegal at the time. A good friend of my sister's took issue with the garage that sold it to me and I had a new subframe and tires fitted free of charge. It was written off when someone rear ended it and was taken to a garage, where thieves stripped it of all the parts, just leaving the shell. I did like the car and enjoyed my short time with it. I later graduated onto a Riley Elf, which is another story.
It's like watching a really young HubNut!
Ik heb genoten van je verslag. Mijn eerste auto 18 jaar) was een Mini Morris, zo basaal als mogelijk was; een witte, waarop ik twee accenten had aangebracht: boven de achterwielen: het Pam-symbool in de vorm van een (rode) druppel. Bij de beelden van het interieur komen al mijn herinneringen boven, zoals koude winters en met vier vrienden naar het waterpolo en later (inmiddels de derde, een Seven) met vrouw en baby (bedje op de achterbank bovenop de bagage) op vakantie door Frankrijk (de eerste autoroute, genieten!). Dank voor je verslag, DOORGAAN ZO!!! Fer Remmers (76).
While they never imported these in-bulk, they did sell fairly well in the U.S. there were a couple in my neighborhood when I was growing up.
I once had a 40 horse VW beetle for some time. It was “sufficient “.
Another great video.
📻🙂
My favourite car of all time and a very early Cherry Red Morris Mk1 to me the best of all .My mum's best friend had an August ' 59 Cherry Red from new YXB 678.I recall going out in it as a child and amazed at its incredible road-holding and nippy performance.For all their faults, the most aesthetically ' perfect ' car in my opinion , timeless in design and now 60 years old , both the impoverished have owned them and the immensely wealthy !.Great review by the way !
My first car was a mini . Modern compared to this one being 1975 . Loved it . Wish I still had it
Just subscribed you do a great job on these videos hope to see more cars from the sixties
Delightful video, so well done! Beautiful car, too. I had no idea that there had been an estate and a pickup. Now, if you could only find 731 HOP...
A great video mate, well spoken, and a lovely Morris Mini Minor.
Thanks for putting this video together twin cam. You’ve done a very good job showing off a very good car thank you
Thanks!
This was a long time ago now, it’s scary thinking that I’ve been doing this video lark for over 6 months now!
well done, great review! it brought back memories of my old 1978 1275GT
Happy motoring days.
Great Channel mate!
Just subscribed. 👍🏻
Thanks mate :)
I was born 1964, when the British car industry dominated the world. I remember bmc car's fondly growing up. I'm impressed hearing a young man explain these car's, with so much accuracy and passion. My lads were only interested in football :)
Don’t forget there was also a Mini Moke. Also the switches on the wipers and headlights were after market extenders to make them easier to reach. Really great video, thank you!
I bought a newly-restored 1967 late mk1 Mini Minor 20 years ago. A bargain at 1500 quid...unbelievable now. It was completely identical to the island blue one in the Jay Leno video. It was still mint when I sold it, but is now rotting in a garden just 2 miles away. I sound like a sad stalker, but I make stealthy visits to see if the poor girl is still there.
Brilliant video. Brought back so many memories. I remember driving back from Matlock on the A6 in mine. I had a 205gti on my bumper, but he couldn't keep up on the bends! Btw, mine had 2 point lap belts, a foot operated dim / dip switch ( genius), but no overriders.
@14.26, only prototype saloons had the van/pick up all in one with front panel, production saloons/Countrymans/Travellers had the seperate removable grilles
Ha ha, I seem to be following you from car to car, they are all in my era! I was planning visit to Monza in Italy for Italian Grand Prix. After waiting very long time for new Mini Cooper in 1962, I decided to buy new Austin Mini but had Shorrock supercharger fitted, great performance! We drove to Monza via Alps, part of Alpine Rally route. Huge fun until bottom fan pulley broke near London on homeward journey. Incidentally, both Austin and Morris versions of early estate cars were fitted with external wood frames. Wicker baskets for rear seats were optional extras, not standard. I started my motor industry career in Jan 1960, still remember details of early Minis. Good report Ed.
Thanks Ron :)
There was good room in them. The problem was getting in and out, particularly at the back. The engine was surprisingly torquey, so there was less stirring the box than many other small cars at the time. The distributor right behind the radiator could get water issues, but otherwise they were reliable transport. Mine was stolen by some clown who left it at the bottom of the ramp for the River Itchen ferry, at low tide. It was ruined. The left headlight was half-full of sea water - made it look as though it was crying.
The most surprising thing about Mk1 and Mk2 Minis is the amount of interior space. It even superceeds modern city car standards!
I had an identical car in 1965 coloured Pearl grey (Bluish). Bought for £50 and after a few years sold it for £75. Had many adventures with it incl driving to Oxford Uni and on return , heavy snow which was too heavy for wipers so soon covered by snow, so abandoned and returned to fetch it the following week. The battery was in the boot . the holding tray rusted and the battery fell through whilst driving. Then the exhaust snapped off drove home dragging it behind.. Once in heavy rain the wipers stopped worked. It only went to rest , so tied a string and pulled it over whilst driving. Of course those days no MOT. Despite all this my favourite car. After many many cars I still have the original reg no from my Mini.
These cars are an absolute joy….
Ed, great presentation, superb little mini. You're in for a bright future I'm sure...I expect you'll be snapped up for a TV production soon. Well done.
I had a 59 model Austin mini seven. Different grille and the Speedo only went up to 80 if I remember correctly. It was a gold coloured Speedo with a red tipped wide plastic needle. My mate wrapped it around a tree a year after I had rescued it from rotting in a Somerset garden off a customer of mine when I was a milkman.
Big fan of the Mini, wish I had one of my own.
Nice video, keep up the good work mate!
Fabulous review on the first mini as all your reviews are, lovely to see young people appreciate all classic cars, My first car was a 1962 Morris mini traveller with wood on the sides so you got it right the wood was on the Morris, the interior was the same as the one you reviewed, with the starter button on the floor, my next car was the saloon with hydrolastic suspension (can still smell the green fluid), and we used mini van's for our building business, one thing I really liked about the mini's was you could change the clutch from under the bonnet in about an hour. I did all the repairs and servicing so I know them inside out, I really enjoy watching your reviews, I would love to see you do some reviews on classic Renault's like the Fuego turbo, one of which I own also the R16, R17, and R12, I am currently restoring a 1971 R17ts, keep up the good work and many thanks for your great channel.
Thanks Ken ☺️
I’d love to do some old Renaults, as I have lots of affection for them. I just need to be offered one first!
I was given a 1961 Austin Seven mini as a 21st Birthday present by my grandmother. It was Old English White with a red leather interior. This was an added cost extra and I think it cost £12. I loved that car and if I could I would have slept in it and spent my whole waking day in it. Unfortunately the car leaked badly; not only through the floor which we all knew about but also through the windscreen wiper mountings in the upper body panel. The other extra cost item was the Smiths heater which didn't work, I fitted a Radio-mobile transistor radio I purchased from Curry's on weekly HP terms (Down-payment of £1:15 shillings and seven shillings and six pence paid every Friday in cash at the shop with a receipt printed in a little linen hard backed account pass book) under the dash but the aerial which cost extra had to be fitted on the rear quarter panel and the cable fed through the boot. By the time the car was four years old it was completely rotten with tin worm and needed both front and rear sub frames replaced. I had them fixed by a one man garage under the railway arches in Chelmsford as the local BMC main dealer didn't want to know, paying for the cost with a bank loan of £120 but 12 months later when they needed welding again to pass the MOT but there was no metal left to weld to as the mounting panels had been reduced to iron oxide held in place by a thick coating of underseal.
You certainly know all the details & history of the mini! This is a delight to watch :-) it looks as if you handle the car very gently too :-)
Thanks Simon, that's very kind :)
Really enjoyed this video. Cracking little example there and I love the deep dished steel wheels.
You present these videos so well and it's great to see your enthusiasm for the cars.
My first car was a 998cc mini in flamenco red: MTW 726P which was handed down from my brother.
This car is still alive and kicking in the Basingstoke area but with a 1298 engine and green paint job.
Your video brought back some good memories, thanks fella!
Fantastic video, looking forward to seeing your future videos on the minis through the decades. If you want a modern mini, happy to help.
😎👌Subscribed! Best channel I've come across in ages, love all the little nuggets of geeky info you drop in. Keep up the excellent work!
Aww thank you mate, that's very kind :)
Lovely job again, Ed. More 60s and 70s, please.
Thanks Simon ☺️
Ed your a star! great knowledge clear passion great car thanks
Nice Mini review ! I own an Austin 850 (left hand drive USA export) built June 2 1960. It is slow but very fun to race around town in, corners are a riot as the car stays flat. This Morris has the early peg leg seat frames which were replace because they wore through the carpet to fast. I noticed that the right side rear window latch is a replacement from a later year. I need to find or make a rubber boot liner for mine. Enjoyed the video, Cheers!
My mates dad got one of the first minis in 59. It was an Austin Se7en of course as the Morris came later. Great fun car in its day.
I remember my father selling his Wolsely 6/90 and buying a mini in the 1960s.
He said he bought it after going round a tight corner in a county lane on two wheels. I think the other issue was the cost of petrol going up.
my dream classic car i love these cars so much
Excellent presentation and content. Added myself to the list of subscribers and will happily recommend this channel to others.
Thanks mate, that's very kind :)
I hope you enjoy my channel!
This video was a long time ago now, and my newer stuff is a lot better.
My second car was a 850 cc green one.reg 43DAY.4adults and 2kids to Skegness and back from Tamworth Staffs.50mpg and went like stink.probley slow really.but was so fun to throw around the lanes around Poles worth Warms.after 12months the wiring loom burnt out and had to scrap it.cost £65.memories I will never forget.
When the Mini first came to Denmark, it was sold both as the Morris Mascot and as the Austin Partner. As far as I know, none of the other marques (Wolseley, Riley, MG, Vanden Plas) which existed in the UK ever made it here in Mini versions, at least not officially.
Charming car and a charming review. Well done.
owned a '63, bright yellow, only a tach & two seats, lots of fun, checked gas with a wooden 36" ruler
Brilliant video mate .
I had a mini with rusty holes in the floor, when driving in the snow it would come through like toothpaste
I owned 2 Mini Clubman saloons.
One was my first car a 1970 model in 1975 and a 1974 model in 1976 . Both red and 998cc engine.
Brilliant car back in the sixties we toured around East Anglia for a week in a mini. There was Aunty and Uncle, Mum and Dad and me aged ten and my sister aged eight. Went on to own three of them and toured all over the UK and found mine to be really reliable too. One of the best cars I have ever owned, now drive a Jaguar XF Sportbrake and a Reliant Scimitar GTE.
stunner!
I've just bought a project 1960 mark 1 Morris mini minor similar to this one except mine is Old English White, but the interior is the same fleck grey and red with red carpet. I still have to finish off my wife's 1975 mini clubman estate then I'll get onto my mk 1. The more I discover about the earlier Mk 1s the more interesting I find them.
My Mk1 has 4 ashtrays. One in the front and 3 in the back, despite only 2 rear passengers are allowed!
Before I filmed this video, I thought this one would. I guess the aftermarket seat belts might've taken the centre one away!
Nice video mate just brought sky Rose Mini. Think they Made 500 pink and 500 blue. Used to have a mini special 1100 changed the engine for a 1275 got it we bored to 1380. Love minies
This is a very early 59/60 Mini as its rear window is proud,,, Later after 60 they where recessed
I rebuilt a June 1960 Mini Minor in the late 90's, quite a few differences to the later MK1's like the sills, non recessed front & rear screen, different inner 'A' panels
You're very grounded and awesome presenter. I had a 1970 Mini - its was rusty and rattly but, to this day I still have fond memories of how it drove. The steering was so direct and precise, so much road-feel and charm! I'm sure you'll enjoy a series of Mini's :)
So far I've owned seven of these cars, everything from the saloon through the estates and even a van. I've still never owned a Clubman, though. Not because I don't want to but because they're so expensive. I'd have another in a heartbeat.
My first car was a mini when I passed my test in 1982.It was a 1978 mini, in the colour sandglow. I loved my mini, until I wrapped it round a Bedford Luton van in 1988.Lovely video, thanks.
Ain't you the dude who did a vid about MG Metros??. Gotta love the old cars , they all look diff and have a personality
My first car a 1967 mini minor, not the fastest car you'll ever drive but probably the most fun car. that little green light on the indicator stalk was remarkably bright at night.
I've seen the original production Mini at the British Motor Heritage Museum in Gaynor. In the 1990s my mother had a black Mini called Peas that was always good fun to zip around town in. Perhaps because of its diminutive size & myself being a child it always seemed fast, I have no recollection of the specific model but I doubt it was anything sporting. Today my mother owns a 2009 Mini & whilst it's retro lines are appealing its poor fuel economy of 31mpg on a 1.6ltr is incredible for modern car.
The metal slated grill as on the vans made the points a bastard to get at!
Excellent a d informative video. Thank you
Hi mate, binging your videos now, so informative and entertaining. Mini a true icon. We've just purchased a MINI Cabriolet (the one without rear legroom :-), wich is the actual two millionth new Mini coming from the Cowley production line. But I would like to get a hold on to an early classic Mini sometime in the future (need to convince my wife the absolute need for a third car 😁)
These early ones are absolutely gorgeous. Best motoring regards from the Netherlands. Thumbs up!
Thanks mate :)
Both the Morris Mini Traveller and Austin Mini Countryman (the "estates") were available as woodies, although the wood was decorative only, not structural.
I got a 1993 Rover Mini Cooper Spi. Just great fun.
Liking your reviews. Would love to hear the cars being driven.
Great cars and like your style. Good TH-cam content - subscribed. Excellent background research.
Thanks Alec :)
This one was a long time ago now!
Spare a thought for my 1954 Series 2 Morris Minor. It's a couple of hundred kilos heavier than the Mini but with only an 803cc / 30hp engine! :)
Beautiful car. !!
My stepmother had a powder blue mini station wagon from the late 60s. We had just moved to South Africa and that was her first car there. It had barn doors in the rear and that was our family car. There was five of us in that car! My dad had just gotten out of the Air Force and brought out a 1968 Pontiac LeManswith the steering wheel on the wrong side for South Africa..
That Mini really suits you. :-) Nice video.
Hahaha thanks mate :)
I once read that Alec Issigonis sketched the original design for the Mini on a table napkin.
Another very good review...Keep up the good work
Thanks :)
Excellent review!
MY first car was a mini, 1986 , time flies. 🙈😂
My best m8 bought one if these in 1977, it had an MOT of 6 months it cost him £200 at that time. In the first week one of the headlights fell out as the wing was rotten and had been filled and painted just for the MOT. Then when the MOT was up they found so much rust in every panel and the subframe that it wasn't worth repairing so it was scrapped. It put me off ever buying one. It was a good car but the rust issues on the early ones was so bad and that's why only a handful have survived.
My second car after a Farina A40 was an F reg Mini 1000. Good videos, subscribed.
An excellent Video. The car you have shown is the de-Luxe model and not the basic car. My car, which I owned from new, was in Old English White paint with red leather upholstery: I think it was a better combination and I believe it cost just over £500 delivered which was considerably less than the equivalent Ford 105E Anglia. One thing you haven't mentioned is that the rear side panniers (storage) light up with a switch just under the ashtray. However, you don't mention the reliability. For example you couldn't drive it in the rain as the engine would cut out as the distributor got wet. Also water came into the boot and shorted out the SU electric petrol fuel pump. However, in spite of all its faults it was an ideal car for an 19 year old in 1960.
I had a '66 Mini Minor, alas it was not original. It had a 1340cc Weslake conversion, quick shift gearbox, and 12" rims wearing Dunlop Denovo tyres. It was quite nippy!
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone agrees with me on wing mirrors
Great video. I would take issue with 3 Corsas though. The heaviest one, excluding the Corsa-e only weighs about 1100kg.
I mean the previous generation Corsa (the one just discontinued in the last month or so), which weighed up to 1650 kg on the highest spec models.
great video!
Thanks Owen ☺️
My neighbors had a Morris Minor in USA in the mid-Sixties.
Britain's most iconic car? It has to be.
How about the similar sized Hillman Imp? Aluminium rear engine, large front boot, folding rear seats and a hatchback!
Nice one!
Thanks mate, though this video was a long time ago now! 😂
Great video, lots of info, keep the good work up.
Lovely little car.....