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More Mini Beach Car Replicas

Ogles in Japan (6) - 219 UNK

Viking Hornet convertible found

What exactly is Paul's convertible?

A message from Michigan, where Paul Lester owns a Mini convertible by an unknown coachbuilder. Paul wrote: "I was told the car was modified in the early 1960's (it is a 1960 Austin Mini 7) to see if the factory could offer a cabrio, but the project was never agreed upon. I have no evidence to back this up other then two people with similar stories. I did talk to someone who worked on it in the 1980s in the UK (Worthing, quite close to the Cooper garage) and he had some history but sadly he passed away before he could share. All I know is 'oral history' with no firm facts to back it up."

With much of the car's sides kept intact it did remind me of a convertible conversion by Bell's Cars of Kensington but unlike Paul's car these had the conventional rear side screens. So... a factory conversion / prototype after all..? I'd love to find out and I'm sure the same goes for Paul.

A 1960 Austin Mini that's been converted into a convertible. But by whom?

Picture Paul Lester

There have been other convertibles keeping the Mini's sides intact, but not like this

Picture Paul Lester

Mystery Mini derivative (81) - Mini Spiaggina

A Mk1 Mini that was converted into some kind of Beach car and called 'Mini Spiaggina' ('Mini Beach') was seen for sale in Rome recently. It makes me wonder what exactly it could be. Said to be a February 1967 car it may well be an early conversion, but by whom? It's certainly not an Innocenti Mini Mare, but also not one of the other beach car-esque conversions from southern Europe that I know of: the Arco Iris Mini from Spain, the Kosellek Mini from France or the Jacky Mini Plage, also from France. 

The Mini wore an 'LE' plate which came from the province of Lecce or 'The heel of Italy' on the Salento peninsula in the very south-east. That seems a suitable place to drive a Beach Car. It sold swiftly for not very much, too. Somebody who can tell if the base vehicle was an Innocenti? And who knows more about this nice little conversion anyway..?

The mystery Mini Spiaggina as it was seen for sale not long ago in Rome

Picture Subito

Was the conversion based on an Innocenti built Mini? Made in Italy?

Picture Subito

With so many coachbuilders there in the 1960s it would make sense to be a local build

Picture Subito

'LE' registration means it was used in the Lecce province on the Salento peninsula

Picture Subito

Crayford Cameo: any survivors?

Crayford Engineering of Kent were the number one in Mini convertible conversions, building them from as early as 1961 up until as late as 1983. They turned a number of Mini Clubman's in convertibles in the early 1970s also, which they called the Crayford Cameo. From their press statement: 

"The Cameo is the latest convertible variant based on the Mini theme. It is the result of many years of development and production by Crayford and utilises the very latest chassis installation to ensure maximum torsional rigidity. The rear windows remain in place in their original form with opening clasp permitting full ventilation as on the original saloon, and the convertible top folds down in one easy action." The conversion alone came at 195 pounds.

I have some PR pictures of the car but have never seen one in the flesh. Are there any survivors at all?

The Crayford Cameo convertible was based on a 1970s Mini Clubman

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

A black hood was standard but all the cars I have pictures of have white ones, like this FHV 167J

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

The same car again, now with Crayford boss David MacMullan posing in 1971

Picture Crayford Convertible Car Club

And yet another, judging by the colour. But who ever saw a survivor of the Cameo?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Whatever happened to Lady Di's Mini?

The late Diana, Princess of Wales, is very much in vogue once again, or so my wife and daughters tell me. It made me wonder whatever happened to the convertible Mini she was supposedly given by Prince Charles for her 21st birthday in 1982? You'll be able to find anything on her old Austin Metro, which is on museum display now, but the Mini is completely shrouded in mystery.

The convertible actually was a Daly Runabout built by Daly Cars of Edgware, greater London. Press releases were sent out in force in May 1982 to get the reports printed in time (the birthday took place on July 1). With these releases two black & white pictures were sent along, one of them showing the car with 'Broadfields' plate (the dealer?), while the other one showed only just the actual registration number, which may well have been 'TRF 34X'. That's at least what Daly Car's demonstrator and brochure car also wore. That car, however, was white and wore Weller wheels, while the Princess' car came with Mambas and may well have been a slightly darker hue? Silver grey perhaps? 

Remarkably, no other image of Diana and the car are known and I wonder if she actually got it? One white Daly Runabout, which seemed exactly like the one seen in the brochure, was sold in 2016 and said to have been owned previously by cricketeer Duncan Fearnley. But while it also came on Mamba wheels, it wore registration 'MUY 68X'. DVLA doesn't recognize the number 'TRF 34X' anymore. Could it all have been one and the same car after all? Or were they two different cars in the end with the number plates swapped around..? But where is the car then, that was supposedly given to Lady Di..? 

UPDATE 1: One reader with better eyes than me pointed out the difference in side stripes and their width. Closer inspection reveals that the striping on the Lady Di car is equally wide but in other and more contrasting colours, difficult to see on the b&w pictures. On the white car it's light blue and darker blue, on the Diana car it seems almost white (top) and black (bottom). See added detail picture below.

UPDATE 2: More to indicate that TRF 34X is another car as Lady Diana's car very possibly wore another registration number after all. DVLA records show that the following numbers may well have been issued to sister cars, all registered as Austin Morrises and with 998 cc engines:

TRF 35X - Registered October 1981, black, on sorn since 2012

TRF 36X - Registered May 1982, green, untaxed since 1991

TRF 37X - Registered May 1982, white, untaxed since 1990

TRF 38X - Registered May 1982, beige, untaxed since 1988

TRF 39X - Registered March 1982, red, on sorn since 2013

TRF 40X - Registered October 1981, red, untaxed since 1991

One of the two pictures sent out globally with the press release almost showed the registration number

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

'Broadfields' plate at the front. Was that the dealer? And what colour is this car?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Demonstrator and brochure car 'TRF 34X' looks alike. But is it the same?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Seen here again - certainly not with Lady Di behind the wheel. Note Weller wheels 

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

This car was sold in 2016 by Brightwells. Apart from the wheels and the registration number, 

it seems totally similar to 'TRF 34X'

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

A detail of the side stripe on Princess Diana's car with some added contrast

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Crayford in Knokke

This smart Crayford Mini Sprint in Tweed Grey was spotted this summer in Knokke-Heist, Belgium. I believe it could well be the car that was sold at Coys' Fontwell sale in 2017 (click here). It was registered 1070 PP in the UK at the time and right hand driven, while this one is lhd. The same car..?

Smart Crayford Mini Sprint, as seen in Belgium this summer

Picture via Jacques de Wever

Mystery Mini Derivative (62): Dutch Beach Car

Spotted by none other than my own mother (thank you mum!), this Mini seems to be a private attempt to turn a Mini into some kind of a Beach Car with a T-bar but no roof. Perhaps something in the spirit of the Mini Mare by Italian coachbuilder O.R.O or the Spanish Arco Iris Mini? Or even this Swiss creation?

According to the registration plate it is based on a 1972 Mini 850 and registered as a Cabriolet weighing 634 kgs, slightly more than the standard Mk3 850's weight. The amount of wood used to trim the cut edges and the interior makes you think the person who carried out the conversion was a carpenter. 

Who knows more?

Convertible comes with roll bar and T-bar but could be the work of a carpenter?

Picture by my lovely mother

Based on a Mini 850 of 1972-vintage it certainly seems to be unique

Picture by my lovely mother

Looking at the push-buttons, a hood does appear to be available, too. 

Note welded-in sheet metal above trim line

Picture by my lovely mother

A awful lot of lot of wood was used to create this open Mini. Note rear seat, too

Picture by my lovely mother

It makes me think of the O.R.O. Mini Mare, built for Ferdinando Innocenti

Picture by my lovely mother

Crayfords-Radfords come in pairs

Coachbuilt Minis come in many flavours, but two of my favourites are the Radford Mini De Ville and the Crayford Mini Convertible, or Mini Sprint. Now, how about the two as a duo? These pictures show at least two of these pairs have been completed, one in Spain and one in Japan. Ever saw another set? 

Radford Mini De Ville and Crayford Mini Convertible, seen together in Spain

Picture Luismi Molina

Both rare and very cool and look outstanding. Which of the two would you prefer? 

Picture Luismi Molina

And another similar pair, this one as seen in Japan. The Radfdord was previously brown also 

Picture MN HK

UK 'C' and 'D' registration (1965 and 1966) are still with the cars, or so it seems

Picture MN HK

Blyton Park 2018: the people

A report in pictures of what was - by far - the sunniest Mk1 Performance / Maximum Mini Action Day at Blyton Park so far. For now I'm focussing on the people who took their Mini based cars to Lincolnshire, up next is a report with more about their vehicles.

After two years of negociating, the always enthusiastic Tim Harber had finally secured this Biota! The deal was struck three days before the event. More about the car in the next article

Picture Jeroen Booij 

Goff Allen and his MiniJem with my co-driver Rolf Roozeboom, who kindly invited me to join him to Blyton Park this year. I would not have been there without Rolf!

Picture Jeroen Booij 

I was really pleased to meet Frank Hubbard, who'd beautifully restored the Oyler Contessa coachbuilt Mini in less then 18 months. It's a real stunner - more to follow

Picture Jeroen Booij 

If you ever wondered where all the moulds for Mini based cars went: this is the man. Tony Bucknall of ABS Motorsports and partner Duls. Tony's latest acquisition: the Stimson Mini Bug moulds

Picture Jeroen Booij 

Tim Carpenter took his gorgeous Unipower GT to the track and certainly did not show it any mercy. It led to a cracked suspension strut, which was welded on-site. More to follow

Picture Jeroen Booij 

Bill Bell proudly standing next to one of six 1959 Mini Moke prototypes, which was used all day as a course car! On the bonnet the prize for Best Mini derivative, although I wouldn't class it as such!

Picture Jeroen Booij 

The Moke on the track with the day's co-organizer Pete Flanagan behind the wheel

Picture Jeroen Booij

John and Elaine Fischer had taken several of their cars to Blyton. They drove the Crayford Mini Sprint themselves. The car was restored in record time from total wreck to show stopper

Picture Jeroen Booij 

David Dunnebier and Peter Camping with Peter's trusty Midas Gold convertible. These guys make it from Holland to Blyton Park every year and are the ultimate Maximum Mini supporters!

Picture Jeroen Booij 

Alan Page with his Mk2 GTM Rossa. The car had just been finished from a restoration and now benefitted from 1380 power. It was used all day on the track, too

Picture Jeroen Booij 

Another Rossa, but this is a rare Mk1 with the original smooth front (and rear) bumper as designed by Richard Oakes. Owner Kevin Knipps standing proudly next to it here

Picture Jeroen Booij 

Peppermint freshness - lovely Heerey GTM owned by David Edwards had been to Blyton Park before but it was great to see it here again

Picture Jeroen Booij 

Tim Harber was not the only one taking a Biota to the event - Robert Scott was there also with his Biota Mk2, seen here during the parade lap...

Picture Jeroen Booij 

...And back to the paddock. Robert's co-driver had to get out to give him a little hand!

Picture Jeroen Booij 

Prizegiving! Left to right 'Jumping' Jeff Williams, John Fitzpatrick, Anita Taylor and Frank Hubbard, who won the Car of the Day title with his Contessa

Picture Jeroen Booij