Lot Ended
Description
Just 28,000 miles and three owners from new, the first for 30 years;
highly original; in very sound order even down to the original sills; mountains
of history
Just how you like to find them, this little gem of a 1300
MkII has been hiding away for a few years. Supplied new by Henlys in
Surrey to Miss Roberts of West Ewell, the car retains its (large)
Henlys rear window sticker, Henlys number plates and tax disc holder. She
ordered inertia reel seat belts and a heated rear screen as extras and was to
keep the car for the next 30 years.
The Passport to Service book shows it
was PDI'd on 21st April 1972 and visited Henlys a further three times for
service by which time it had covered 5,509 miles in
1973.
Invoices on file show that they continued to look after it, up to
and including 1983 by which time it was showing 10,200 miles. By 1999 it had
covered 26,665 miles - still in her hands - MOT certificates dating back to 1976
further corroborating the mileage which currently reads a smidge under 28,000.
Its most recent test expired in 2013 and it has covered only a handful of miles
since then.
It was sold to well-known Bugatti restorer Ivan Dutton in
2002, passing to its third owner a year later with 27,018 miles on the
clock having just had its engine removed and refitted for cleaning and
preparation. A few jobs were done at this time, the V5C listing him as its
current keeper making three owners from new.
The condition of the car
speaks for itself, and if originality is your bag - this is the car for you. The
Black Tulip paintwork is almost entirely original and shows some blemishes
having been stored under an inappropriate cover. It could either be kept as is
or improved with paint to the roof, bonnet and door tops.
The
red interior is unworn, in fact it looks like nobody has even sat in the rear,
and lifting the carpets reveals an incredibly solid floorpan, the car retaining
its original numbered sills showing the car hasn't had the usual Austin 1300
welding. The area around the spare wheel also looks factory fresh.
It
comes with its original handbook and has been running around on site as one
would hope of such a low-mileage example. Its ride quality is a revelation
thanks to the Hydrolastic suspension - a lesson which could be well
observed by manufacturers of new cars today. The exhaust has a blow,
but other than that, we love it and with the ADO17 range now being referred to
as 'the new Mini' in terms of popular classic status, this one looks great
value.
Contact matthew.parkin@brightwells.com