Maximum Mini: More Unipower GTs for sale

Friday 3 February 2023

More Unipower GTs for sale

Many people have said to me that if I ever know of a Unipower GT for sale, I should let them know. Well, I keep on doing just that. After last year's duo (this one and this one) here's another two!

Both cars that have made it to the market now are Mk2s but they couldn't be more different. First of them is the racer that has just been restored by Howard Darby and Bob Neville, which has been seen here several times before. I was much-surprised to hear of it being for sale and asked Howard about it. His reply: "Yes it’s true: LTM 80G is for sale. Both Bob and I will be really sad to see the car go as it was never our intention to sell it." Howard also told me that sad family circumstances mean that he has his hands tied for 24 hours a day, which does not allow him to commit any time to the car, adding: "It’s been a difficult decision, but at least Bob and I have rescued and restored a Unipower GT."

Let's hope the car now finds a good new home. It's ready to go and offers a great opportunity for someone to take it to racing tracks, road rallies or hill climbs. The price for all this? £84,000. See the ad with spec and more information here.

Unipower GT number 2 is another Mk2. But other then Bob and Howard's racer 'RFS 479H' is a car that has only had two owners since it was sold new in 1969. Nick Gerolemou bought it second-hand in 1975 from former dealer Monty & Ward in Kent, while the first owner had supposedly been a Scottish lady. It's a very late car, according to Nick one of the last if not the last to leave the factory and it has some unusual specifications. I visited him years ago to see the Unipower, which had then already been stored in his barn for at least 35 years. He added then: "Hi Jeroen, I do not know for definite if mine was the last one built but in its favour is the different suspension and the 'H' registration, never seen or heard of another 'H' Unipower. When I find the log book the chassis number will help. Monty and Ward almost certainly sold more than three, they were always advertising in Exchange & Mart for used Unipowers." Nick did find the logbook in the end and he was right in it being one of the very last cars built. You can read much more about the car here.

I have tried to get in touch with Nick now again, but didn't succeed and now understand it's also due to regrettable circumstances that he is selling the Unipower, so I can only hope he is well. I do understand though that he did start a restoration on the car but didn't finish it. The body has apparently been restored and repainted in its original white, suspension and brakes have been rebuilt and the same goes for the 1275 'S' engine. Priced at £49,000, see the ad here. Another great opportunity surely.

UPDATE 21 September 2023: Those prices don't seem to be realistic.

The yellow car was sold and is now offered again for £50,000 (click here), the white one was sold and offered to me by its new owner for £17,000 (click here).