Rare McIvoy found

Some time ago, back in 2012, I wrote about the elusive McIvoy - the rare estate version of the McCoy (click here). A member of the McCoy Owners Club had told me he'd seen one and I asked "Could that be the only survivor?". Only a couple of months later one was spotted in by Mike Allen in Cheshire (click here), who then wrote: "How many left? One, two? Can’t be many."

Well, there is at least one more and that has now been unearthed by Dan Mears, who already owns the factory demonstrator McCoy. Dan wrote: "Here's my latest. The McIvoy as seen parked next to my other outside the factory back in the day. Another one needing restoration and minus the engine but nice bit of history with it too. Im really pleased I got the opportunity to find this one."

Well done Dan! I think it may well be the car that was used for advertisements and brochures, too. It would be awesome to find that spot seen below to recreate that PR picture with the same vehicles one day!

UPDATE 10:00: Dan adds: "I can confirm she is Q516 HNG. I have the V5, original V5 bill of sale loads of previous MOTs and the factory catalogue."

McIvoy is the estate version of the Mini based McCoy, as built by Arthur Birchall

Picture Dan Mears

Neville Wynes took over production in 1988 and continued to offer both models

Picture Dan Mears

Note 'McCoy' name on nose, while being a McIvoy. The factory demonstrator had this, too

Picture Dan Mears

This is a publicity shot of that demonstrator, registration is Q516 HNG but without the added spoilers. Must be the same car though?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

And here with spoilers and sister model McCoy (Q515 HNG). Dan owns that car, too!

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

McIvoy (a.k.a. McCoy Estate) lives

When I posted about the McIvoy - a 'shooting brake' version of the McCoy - a while ago, I had a whole lot of responses (click), including one from a former Birchall Automotive employee who built these cars. Last in the line came from Mike Allen, who spotted a McIvoy last week in Bollington, Cheshire. And Mike was smart enough to take some pictures, too. He wrote: "She’s in a sorry looking state but actually one that wouldn’t take a lot to put right. The shell looks sound and little crazing that I could see, just ingrained dirt. From the McCoy owners club, it looks like this originally had white doors and bonnet (not easy to make out the reg but it looks the same) and then used to tow either a caravan or camping trailer with a roof box! Couldn’t believe it when I saw it, had to go back home and get my camera! How many left? One, two? Can’t be many. I’ve only ever seen one before and that was at either a kit car show or meet, I can’t remember now. Any idea whether the body moulds still exist? Cheers, Mike." I have no idea, but as the subject proves popular somebody else may know...

McIvoy is very rare. It looks pretty sad, but isn't that bad says reader Allen

Picture courtesy Mike Allen

Birchall Automotive used one as a works van. That car was registered Q516 HNG

Picture courtesy Mike Allen

Oh yes. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But this car could be unique

Picture courtesy Mike Allen

Ahoy McIvoy

When an estate version of a sports car may be called a shooting brake, there are a few Mini derivative shooting brakes in existance. I am not kidding you. In fact, I just found a brochure for one such car: the McIvoy. That is, of course, an estate version of the McCoy! It was built by Birchall Automotive and later by NG Wynes Glassfibre from 1986-on. And, yes, it may have been more of a work horse then a glamour wagon but I do quite like it. Hey, at least it's different!

They sold for £2,495 (or at least offered for sale at that price), which was a lot more money then the McCoy coupe which was initially available as a kit from £1.175, later £1.795 and later again £1.950. But, boy, did they have to make a brand new set of moulds for it. Or at least for its rear. And its doors, as these are different, too.
I have no idea how many were ever built but there cannot be too many of these around as I have never ever seen one. The A-Z of Kit Cars thinks there may have been 5, but I doubt it. Dave White of the McCoy Owners Club (really! click here) told me years ago he knew of one (see it here). Could that be the sole survivor?

The McIvoy's prototype body, here on display with Birchall Automotive in 1986

Picture courtesy Kit Car magazine

And that's the finished thing, as shown in Birchall Automotive's brochure

A shooting brake? At least the typical Norfolk backdrop suggests so for McIvoy

Same car again, I can't remember the source. Note that logo says it's a McCoy

This comes from a later ad by NG Wynes. Skirts suggest this is another car?