Wednesday 7 April 2021

John Lennon's Mini - green and a hatchback

The disappearance of John Lennon's Mini remains a great enigma. I wrote about it years ago, and judging by the number of clicks it keeps on receiving the article remains a Maximum Mini favourite (see it here).

All we knew for sure was that Lennon's Mini was a Radford De Ville, based on a 1965 Austin Mini Cooper 'S', registered LGF 696D and painted black. But now it seems that even that must be reconsidered. Keith Hawkins dropped me a line with two images attached, taken from film footage shot by John and Yoko themselves at John’s home ‘Kenwood’ in Weybridge, Surrey in 1968. This was done for a film project named 'Look at Me', which was recently remastered and published. Keith wrote: "Hi Jeroen, here they are, taken around 1968 I would think. Lovely colours, Lennon had great taste, regards Keith."

That surely must be John Lennon's Mini. But it's painted green and cream here, with golden Cosmic wheels like George Harrison's. What's more: it's clear now that the car came with the Aston Martin DB5 rear light units as Paul McCartney's Mini had them too, and with a hatchback door as Ringo Starr's! The best of all combined into one vehicle..?

UPDATE 27 January 2023: a replica of the John Lennon Mini is now in the making. Click here



John Lennon's Mini, shot by Lennon himself. Green, with Aston rear lights and a hatchback door
Picture 'Look at Me' via Keith Hawkins

These are film stills from Lennon's and Yoko Ono's 1968 project 'Look at Me' 
Picture 'Look at Me' via Keith Hawkins

1 comment:

  1. Jeroen. Ik heb de volgende theorie over de Mini van John Lennon. De zwarte Mini LGF 696D is bij een ongeval total loss gegaan. Vervolgens heeft John een Mini uit de voorraad uit de dealer van Brian Epstein gekocht of gekregen.Daardoor ook de kenteken registratie LCF 696B vlak bij de andere registratie. Dus deze Mini is een ander dan de zwarte. Groetjes HENK

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