Indisputably one of the most important designs of last century, the good old Mini is still just about the most fun you can have on four wheels.

There have been some pretty durable designs in the history of car production, and throughout that history it has been the basic ones that have proved the most long-lived. Think Model T Ford, Volkswagen Beetle, Citroen 2CV - all were created to provide cheap transport to mobilise the masses and excitement was not on the original spec sheet.

To that list, you could also add the Mini, designed at the instigation of BMC’s Leonard Lord to drive the rash of bubble cars off Britain’s road in the wake of the 1956 Suez crisis and lasting in production right through to the 21st century.

The product of Alec Issigonis’ fertile mind, fun was never a part of the Mini’s design brief either. All Issigonis wanted to provide was proper four-seat comfort in the smallest possible road space. To do this, he famously turned BMC’s A-Series engine sideways and put its gearbox underneath in the sump to save room. He also shrank the wheels to an unheard of 10in diameter, and used a rubber suspension system designed by his buddy Dr Alex Moulton to save both weight and space.

The rest, as they say, is history. After a shaky start in the marketplace thanks to the British public’s dogged conservatism, the Mini was adopted by the great and the good of London’s high society and became the ultimate fashion accessory. It also turned out to be a natural born racer, sticking to both road and track with astonishing tenacity and delighting the world with its giant-killing exploits.

ABOUT THIS CAR

• This is a body off restoration in Mint Condition - a stunning Cooper, that is so hard to come by nowadays. we reckon it would be hard to find a better one.
• Beautiful body and paint
• Beautiful interior.
• Very clean Engine bay, Boot and undercarriage.
• This 1965 Mini Cooper has been totally rebuilt from the ground up - a labour of love.
• It is also the hydro-elastic model and very few Mini Coopers were every made in this form.
• The shell has been file finished that means that the whole body has been filed and panel-beated by an ancient file finish panel beater, that uses heat and panel beating to remove all the unnecessary body filler. Two other Minis, that were not restorable, were purchased to obtain the original parts from. Everything else has been rebuilt, refurbished or reconditioned.
• The shell has been taken back to bare steel, there have been new panel skins fitted, and other panels, such as the boot lid, have been taken apart and original skins then re fitted. To remove any signs of rust a replacement boot was fitted.
• The car has been completely rebuilt, brakes, wheel bearings, wiring loom interior etc. To much to list, but we do have the receipts.
• The engine was rebuilt at Cliff Bond Engine re conditioners, every attempt was used to keep the engine as original as possible, using the original block, camshaft etc. The engine has been totally rebuilt as has the gearbox, the original crankshaft was cracked so that was replaced, also the engine was bored.  After a $4000 rebuild it would have been far cheaper to purchase a later model 1000cc engine, but that was not what this car was about.
• The carburettors vapour was blasted and have been set up up for the car with specific needles, and damper springs to get the tuning 100% correct
• Glass in the car is all original.
• A British Heritage Certificate is available.
• The car goes exceptionally well, starts well and is a lot of fun to drive.

The Mini is a genuinely compact car, which means that it is easy to store, easy to park and doesn’t take up too much room if restoration is your game. Spares remain very cheap, particularly if you shop around to get the best mix of quality and price.

After an incredible production run of 41 years, the Mini remains that rarity in classic circles: a car that makes total financial sense to buy and yet still delivers more smiles per mile than a pair of rocket propelled roller skates.

Yes, you really can have your cake and eat it in a Mini - especially in a rare Cooper, like this one ;)

Car will be sold WOF'd and Registered IF sold in New Zealand.

TRANSPORT / WORLDWIDE SHIPPING CAN BE ORGANISED ON THIS VEHICLE ON BUYER'S BEHALF AT BUYERS COST.

Viewing is STRICTLY BY PRIOR APPOINTMENT only.