Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #124

2026 Season in Swing

The intrepid IMM trio: McCoy GT

The intrepid IMM trio: Heerey GTM

The intrepid IMM trio: Ranger Cub 4

The Otematata Engineering Elin

Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #61

Barry's Big Sale - all these cars are now for sale

New picture emerges - but where is this Mk2 Biota now?

The Aga Khan's Wood & Pickett Mini Margrave

Autobarn Fabrications' Gecko

I came across this picture of a Gecko in front of the Autobarn premises where it was built. The sign behind reads 'AUTOBARN - Tamworth 68214. Agricultural & Motor Engineers. Specialist Vehicle & Chassis Builders. Volkswagen Conversions Specialists. Security & Safety Equipment Fabricators.'

I also wonder about the vehicles on the left. The one at the back looks to be the shell of a Ford powered Hensen M30 to me, but how about the other? It's registered 432 HWD and certainly seems to be Mini based, too. A prototype for the Gecko? Or something else?

Autobarn Fabrications of Tamworth built the Gecko between 1976 and 1990

Picture Jeroen Booij archive 

They were known as a Volkwagen specialist, but the Gecko surely was Mini based

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Mini 25 at Donington Park - the variants

I was tipped off about this cool video by Pete Flanagan. It shows the 25th anniversary party of the Mini held at Donington Park in August 1984 as it was filmed by members of the Mini Club Oldenburg in Germany. From their arrival at the shores of Blighty (per hovercraft!) to the parade laps at the track. What's most interesting to me is that the filmers had a keen eye for the Mini based cars. 

Skip to 3.20 minutes to see a duo of TiCis, one of them being the works demonstrator, followed by a duo of Stimson Safari Sixes, one of them still being owned by Maximum Mini fan Colin Baines (this one). Then over to a Mini Marcos, an interesting hatchback Mini Cooper 'S', a Status Minipower (owned by Arthur Bills at the time, more here), an LDD Monaco and early Midas. Go ahead to 8.15 to see a Hustler Six, Hustler in Wood and - I think - Hustler Sport. Then at 8.50 there's that funny green mystery roadster seen here before (click here and here) and a Gecko, again the works demonstrator I think. The parade laps shows even more stuff such as the Michelotti Mini (ADO 70) and a Scamp six-wheeler. Pete wrote "You're gonna love this..." Well... I do! 

Mystery Mini derivative (54)

Well well kiddies, what have we got here? I do not know anything about this one myself, so please come in with your comments!

UPDATE 14:30: Barry Tilbury thinks it is or was a Gecko, since his Gecko uses a very similar rear suspension setup with the trailing arms but without the subframe. The front waistline fits in, too.

Mini based mystery motor has hints of several other designs...

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Interior needs some finishing. Chassis looks straightforward

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Mini trailing arms and suspension but remarkably no rear subframe...

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

I don't think this is a Whitby, Scamp or Scout; Nomad, Gecko or Cub. So what is it then? (Update: Possibly a Gecko after all)

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Gecko's never die

Found in rural Oxfordshire and photographed by Tim Green: an Autobarn Gecko that's slowly becoming one with the nature surrounding it. Will it be too far gone or was the Gecko really the toughest of all Mini derivatives? (that's how they marketed it!).

Found in a field and slowly detoriating. Or not? The Autobarn Gecko was tough

Picture Tim Green

You bet it was! They car was advertised throughout the specialized press as being so

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

'Our strength is others weakness'. 88 Geckos were built between 1976 and 1992

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

The company behind it was, remarkably, a Volkswagen Beetle specialist

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

This one looks more cared for. The Gecko was available in a number of variants 

Picture Jeroen Booij

Mini utilities are everywhere

Take a deep breath and jump in the mysterious world of Mini based ultilities. I came across so many in the last few days. Reader Craig Jarrett asked me if I knew more about a car that a friend of him wants to get rid of. He wrote: "It's modified for a TV program, the pedals are the wrong way round and the steering goes in opposite directions, but I'm sure it could easily be put right." His friend is talking about scrapping it "as it's sittng in his garden in a bad way". There are no documents with it, but Craig is sure there must be somebody interested in it. His friend believed it to be a Scamp, but I can assure him it's a Gecko, built by Nick Ingram of Autobarn Fabrications in the 1980s (88 are said to have been made). The television-modifications seem interesting and perhaps anyone out here knows what program exactly it was used for?

This Gecko is said to be a former TV star. Note the garden furniture inside!

Picture via Craig Jarrett

But Craig's Mini based utility was not the only one that reached me in the last week. Gary Scott came up with another, which is unknown to me. It clearly appears to have been designed with the Mini Moke in mind, but it's surely something else. Home built? Tell me when you know it.

It's not a Moke nor a Jimini, Andersen Cub, Hrubon or Frenette. So what is it?

Picture via Gary Scott 

And then Barry Tilbury came up with an ad he'd spotted on eBay. It shows a Jeep-like but Mini based creature which I'm not sure about either. It could be a Lambert Jeep, built by Ted Lambert of Lewisham in the late 70's, or a Dinky Jeep or Capricorn, both of the mid-70's which I know even less about. Or is it even more obscure? Again: you tell me what this is.

Lambert, Dinky or Capricorn? Or a Mini based, Jeep inspired DIY creature?

Picture courtesy ebay.co.uk

And now that we're talking Moke lookalikes, let's have a look at some other cars that were offered for sale in the last few days. A nice looking Grantura Yak, with rare hardtop, was meant to be auctioned by Baron's but didn't make it's 2,250 GBP reserve. Perhaps because it had been on eBay only months earlier for considerably less money. There was also this nice Scamp Mk3, and another Mk2 said to be Robert Mandry's factory demonstrator; this rather nice AEM Scout (advertised as Moke or Scamp!) and another Scamp - a much modified Mk1 that we have seen here not too long ago. For now: enjoy the weekend!

Nice Grantura Yak - with factory hardtop - didn't make reserve price at auction

Picture courtesy ebay.co.uk

That's Moke nor Scamp! It's an AEM Scout. Some 150 were made from '83-on

Picture courtesy ebay.co.uk

I quite like the looks of this Scamp. A Mk3 on 1979 plates that's in London

Picture courtesy carandclassic.co.uk

Camping gear optional. This Mk2 Scamp is said to be the factory demonstrator

Picture courtesy ebay.co.uk

Utility derivatives galore

I don't know about you guys, but since I covered most of the Mini based sports cars in my first book I have developed a strange taste for utilities that used Mini mechanicals, and started tracking them down, too. Not easy! As I can tell by now there are plenty of these around. The Mini Moke spawned quite a few in the first place, but that's not all. Over the years there have been many others that were more individual, quirkier if you like. Most are simple, strong and sturdy and come in the shape of a motorised frame. And slowly but surely I am beginning to like them more and more. In fact you can still find lots of them around in any condition, from project to pristine. So why not make a selection of such cars that are currently offered for sale on the well known auction/advertisement sites? See below a Top 10 in alphabetical order. You just click on the links to see the advertisements. My pleasure. Oh, but don't forget to drop me a line when you buy one of them!

1. An AEM Scout (click here)

2. An Andersen Cub (click here)

3. An ASD Hobo (rare!) (click here)
4. An Autobarn Gecko (click here)
5. A Foers Nomad (click here)
6. A Hustler Six (click here)
7. A Kaig (okay, it's Metro powered) (click here)
8. A Scamp Mk2 (click here)
9. A Scamp Mk3 (click here)
10. A Whitby Warrior (unbuilt) (click here)

When was the last time you stumbled upon an Autobarn Gecko?

Picture courtesy ebay.co.uk

Kaig: motorised rollcage. It surely must have good power to weight ratio

Picture courtesy ebay.co.uk