MiniSprint estate becomes a trend

You may remember that the original MiniSprint traveller (or estate) was unearthed in Australia earlier this year (see here). Well, it now looks like it is not on its own for much longer as at least two replicas of the legendary MiniSprint workhorse are being built at the moment. First I got a message from Colin from the UK a while ago who wrote to tell me he was working on such a project: "I'm building a tribute car to the 'lost', now discovered, MiniSprint estate!" and he added a few pictures to that, too. Next was an email from the continent from an enthusiastic follower of this blog who wishes to remain anonymous. But he did sent a few pictures of the project, too. And it seems they are both doing a proper job in converting these cars.

Funnily it seemed that Neville Trickett built more then one official MiniSprint in the 1960s as pictures of two such cars, both black but with different registration numbers, appeared in a magazine article and a brochure at the time. However, it now appears that the cars on these pictures, registrations GMR 4D and AOU 960C, are one and the same car with some small modifications. Trickett confirmed this to Mark Forster of Mk1 Performance Conversions. Never the less, there was a second MiniSprint estate in the late 1960s as Cars and Car Conversions magazine built one such vehicle as a project car with registration number 5564 KX. Now I wonder where that went...

This original MiniSprint estate, registered GMR 4D, is in fact the same... 

...as this one, registration AOU 960C. Despite minor differences

Picture courtesy Cars & Car Conversions magazine

While this one is an unofficial conversion done by C&CC mag

Picture courtesy Cars & Car Conversions magazine

This here is Colin's replica undergoing severe surgery in his workshop

And that's the master surgeon standing next to his 'Sprinted' traveler

While a very similar replica is being built on the Continent, too

Note single piece rear door being used on this particular conversion