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1959 Austin Mini - Fully Restored, Highly Correct, First Year, Classic Lhd Mini on 2040-cars

Year:1959 Mileage:36963
Location:

Mattituck, New York, United States

Mattituck, New York, United States
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1959 Austin Mini “The First Year Mini” fully restored, very original, excellent condition

Most of us think of Healeys or Sprite when we hear the name “Austin”, but actually, one of the most important models to come from the Austin factory was the original Mini, the very first iteration of these legendary automobiles. In fact, Alec Issigonis’s tiny Mini sedan can lay claim to being one of the most significant automobile designs of the 20th Century. The simple design broke all the rules, what with its transverse-mounted, four-cylinder engine, front-wheel drive, transmission in the sump, a wheel at each corner, and suspension by simple rubber cones. Today’s incredibly popular modern Mini owes its heritage and success to the early Minis, which these newer cars were unabashedly designed after. The very latest ones, the Countryman and Paceman, stray from this heritage to their own detriment.)

Costing only $1,340, the 1959 Mini also offered surprising interior space at only 10 feet long, and its 33-hp, 848-cc engine could manage 40 mpg when driven carefully. In one step, Issigonis had replaced every three-wheeled microcar, as well as every motorcycle and sidecar, with a real family sedan. It was a stroke of genius and led to his knighthood, as the success of the Mini significantly contributed to the UK’s economy.

Minis were originally badged as Austin Se7en (not a typo) and Morris Mini Minor, but soon they were just known as Minis. These very early cars have a cache of their own, and are sought after by collectors. Their charm was in basic functionality – pull-string or lever door openers, “bucket” door pockets, sliding windows, a shelf instead of a dashboard and a single big speedometer with integrated gas gauge in the center. Their collectability derives from being an important, classic design in its purest, unadulterated form. (I am a collector of various makes, and have found that invariably the first (and often the last) of a particular design ends up being the most desirable.)

This “A” series Austin Mini is registered as a 1959 and the Serial Number supports its age and configuration; it is a Mark 1 that was built for export in left hand drive (not a conversion, which would lessen its value). It is painted in Speedwell Blue, one of the only three colors available in ’59. It has a contrasting white top, which also is period correct, and this particular color combo is the opening page of the “Essential Mini Cooper”, an authoritative book among the hundreds written about this iconic car.

The car has been thoroughly restored with new floors, fresh paint, rebuilt and detailed engine compartment, excellent chrome and a fresh interior. The seat covers are appropriate for the car, but not precisely the original pattern. I have other cars like this where I am reluctant to replace a perfectly fine interior because it is not exactly correct. I did it once, and regret wasting the money. In any case, Mini interiors are inexpensive to redo, so it’s really a non-issue.  

Mechanically, the engine and gearbox, steering and suspension are excellent, surprising for a 40 hp car. The handling is go-kart precise, and the most fun to drive. The car has very little sound insulation from new, so it sounds (and drives) more like a sports car than a passenger car. (I have a modern ‘09 Clubman JCW and it’s so noisy, the Bluetooth doesn’t work.)

Although I know this is a ’59, and see most of the ’59 telltale attributes present on this car, I can’t say it is 100% as original, because I am not sufficiently knowledgeable to know every last nuance. But whatever needs to be done for total originality is minor and simple. For example, this car is shod with Mini-lite Mags, a Mini option as common in the day as Crager S/S or American Mags are on 60’s muscle cars. There is a hotter coil, a non-original filter, etc. On the other hand, the tires are brand new, the car was just tuned, all fluids changed, so she’s ready to go and drives like a sport.

If you’re wondering why I’m selling; I have three Minis, and three’s a crowd. Since this was the last one I purchased, I’m the least attached to it, much as I have grown to love it. So bid confidently, and while I’m still acting rationally (or not) by selling this unique Mini.

Please call Michael at 631 553 5300.

 

 

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NHTSA slaps BMW with $40M fine for slow Mini recall

Thu, Dec 24 2015

BMW is on the hook for a $40-million fine after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration slapped the automaker over not recalling Minis that failed to meet minimum side-impact crash standards. The civil penalty from NHTSA concerns 2014 and 2015 Mini Cooper hatchback models that "failed a crash test designed to determine whether the vehicle met crash-protection minimums," the government agency said in a press release issued this week. An October 2014 test revealed the first problem, and the Mini was subsequently retested in July, only to fail again and finally prompt a recall of more than 30,000 cars. But according to NHTSA's investigation that was opened in October, BMW waited too long to issue a recall after it knew the cars did not meet standards and bring them into compliance with more energy-absorbing materials installed by Mini dealers. This is the second time NHTSA slapped BMW with a major penalty, following a $3-million fine back in 2012 failing to report recalls of its cars and motorcycles. "For the second time in three years, BMW has been penalized for failing to meet that obligation," NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said in the release. "The company must take this opportunity to reform its procedures and its culture to put safety where it belongs: at the top of its priority list." In a separate release issued this week, BMW Group said it, "is committed to further improving its recall processes to better serve its customers," and that the company, "respects the role of NHTSA and looks forward to working with them to develop solutions for the future." National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fines BMW $40 million for failing to meet safety requirements Fine is auto company's second since 2012 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has imposed a $40 million civil penalty and a series of performance requirements to automaker BMW North America for a series of violations of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act and NHTSA regulations. Under terms of a Consent Order issued to BMW, the company acknowledges that it violated requirements to issue a timely recall of vehicles that did not comply with minimum crash protection standards, to notify owners of recalls in a timely fashion, and to provide accurate information about its recalls to NHTSA. NHTSA imposed a $3 million civil penalty to BMW in 2012 for similar violations.

Ford Expedition, F-150 Limited and Cadillac V Series | Autoblog Podcast #583

Fri, Jun 7 2019

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Assistant Editor Zac Palmer. First, they talk about the cars they've been driving, including the Ford Expedition, Ford F-150 Limited and the Mini Cooper JCW Knights Edition. Then they discuss the news, including Ian Callum stepping down from Jaguar, Cadillac's V cars and the latest in the saga between FCA and Renault. Autoblog Podcast #583 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving: Ford Expedition Ford F-150 Limited Mini Cooper JCW Knights Edition Ian Callum resigns from Jaguar Cadillac V FCA backs down from Renault merger talks Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Automotive April Fools' joke roundup [w/videos]

Mon, 01 Apr 2013

Happy April, everyone. And we all know what this first day of the month means: April Fools' Day. Today is a national holiday for pranksters with the Internet acting as a serious enabler, and it's always fun to see what kind of vivid imaginations exist out there in the automotive world. The abundance of fake news gets a little old as the day rolls on, but we did manage to get in a few chuckles thanks to a handful of major automakers and automotive news outlets that got into the pranking spirit this year
Some of our favorites this year includes Subaru showing what happens when you combine a bunch of rumors, a Corvette some may have already thought was a joke or Honda providing some in-car innovation circa the late 1980s. Honestly, we're still waiting for official confirmation from Mitsubishi that the recently introduced 2014 Mirage is an elaborate April Fools' joke using a failed design intended for the 1995 Geo Metro. We dug up as much "official" OEM foolishness we could find, as well as some of our other favorites, and posted them all below.