Wednesday 12 February 2020

Who knows more about 'coachbuilt' Shorty?

I have come across pictures of this golden shortened Mini several times now and remember having read somewhere it was a professionally coachbuilt car. However, I cannot find back anything on it now. It does seem to have been marketed well in its day, though, with a number of staged publicity photographs available, made in 1971 or 1972 or so my limited information tells me. A clue to its origins may be the Swiss made 10" Edgar Schwyn wheels? 

The only unstaged picture that I have of it seems to be of a slightly later date, now with Cosmic wheels, added bull bars and a number plate that does indeed seem to be from Switzerland. 
I'm sure somebody here will be able to tell me more. 

UPDATE 22 April 2020: More info about a possible multi-millionaire first owner - click here.
UPDATE 9 January 2023: The car survives. Click here.


Shortened Mini seems to have been built professionally but information is hard to find
Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Was it ever marketed as a coachbuilt Mini? Wheels, too, point towards Switzerland?
Picture Shutterstock

I think the number plate reads 'Super Mini '71' here. Who was behind this conversion?
Picture Shutterstock

From the files - squeezed in a tiny spot and with added bumpers and different wheels. Swiss plate.
Picture Jeroen Booij archive

6 comments:

  1. I think that it´s the Mini modified by Schwarzenbach, that appeared in the book "Les Véhicules Hors Série" from Jacques Borgé and Nicolas Viasnoff

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    1. Thank you very much! I noticed a copy for sale on Ebay. Worth the buy?

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  2. Yes, a little book, but very interesting

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  3. Looking at the book, IMHO it's really the car made by Ernst Schwarzenbach

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    1. The book just arrived and what an interesting read! The car certainly must be the same. Shame there is so little information.

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