Zagato Mini Gatto for sale

What can I say? One of my dream Mini derivatives has come to the market. I searched the Zagato Mini Gatto for years only to find it in 2007 in the Milanese shed where it had been parked decades earlier. The owner said he'd never sell it, but was to get in touch with me if he'd ever change his mind. Fast forwards five years and the car is on eBay (click). I asked the current dealer who offers it for sale why it is dismantled (with just 4107 kilometres on the - Alfa-Romeo - clock it certainly wasn't when I found it). He replied: "The car passed through 3-4 ownerships in the last years. The guy who sold me the car told me that one of the previous owners started a restoration, but the works were stopped soon because health disease of this guy." Unfortunately it seems that this chap used sand blasting methods of stripping the paint off, which appears to have badly warped the panel work. Apart from that I understand he is looking for a price I will never be able to afford, so all there's left is hope that it finds a good home. Do get in touch if you buy it, as I have lots and lots of information and old pictures of the Gatto.

UPDATE 3 May 2012: Car remains unsold. Current owner now plans to restore it himself.

The Zagato Mini Gatto was complete when I found it in Milan in 2007

Picture courtesy Pieter E. Kamp