Le Mans Mini Marcos pictures keep on being found
Beach Boys' Mini Surfer's new owner takes it to St. Moritz
One-off JC Hemington Special makes it to the market
Showing posts with label Mini Surfer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mini Surfer. Show all posts
Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Tuesday, 14 January 2025
Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #58
Sir Elton John and his Wood & Pickett Mini Margrave
Where is the Winter brothers Heerey GTM today?
Mini derivatives of Los Angeles - say a little prayer
Tuesday, 23 July 2024
Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #34
Original Beach Boys Mini Surfer survivor up for sale
The many Mini Derivatives in this new book
A Wildgoose Mini camper van in the wild
Thursday, 13 December 2018
What is the best Find of 2018?
With the end of the year nearing, the time for traditions has come. How about the yearly Maximum Mini 'Find of the Year' poll? Once again, several interesting Mini based cars were found in sheds, lock-ups, gardens and garages again and I made a selection out of 5 of them.
You will find the cars that have made it to the contest below. To vote simply drop a comment below stating your favourite find (click here if you read this through an email message). The one with the most votes wins - it's simple as that. Now, over to the candidates:
You will find the cars that have made it to the contest below. To vote simply drop a comment below stating your favourite find (click here if you read this through an email message). The one with the most votes wins - it's simple as that. Now, over to the candidates:
The Radford hatchback Mini that was used as a tender to the wacky Carawagon. Full story here.
The Heerey GTM found in South-Africa by avid reader Leon Daniels. Full story here.
A Beach Boys Mini Surfer, one of probably just five made for the Beach Boys. Full story here.
The Peel Viking which is also known as 'The Dutch demonstrator'. Full story here.
A Special Quasar Unipower used to promote Triplex glasses. Full story here.
Thursday, 21 June 2018
Beach Boys Mini Surfer - only 5 made?
Reader Jeff Lehmann, who found a rare survivor of the Beach Boys Mini Surfer last Spring (click here), has been doing some work on the car, as well as some further researches. He wrote: "Got the Surfer Moke up and running this weekend. I kept it all original, replaced the hydraulics and it drives great. Will work on details like the stereo, speakers and fringed top over the next few months. I have the fur covered seat covers but put the others in just for around town."
"I Also did some research and it looks like there were only five of these made. The Beach Boys sued Capitol Records when these were made and they dropped the promotion outside the five in the pictures. I have not been able to get anything in writing with the number of cars built being twenty or five. But the Beach Boys and Capitol were not getting along throughout 1966 when the Moke promotion was happening and they sued Capitol in early 1967, see the article attached."
Thank you very much for that Jeff. The story continues.
"I Also did some research and it looks like there were only five of these made. The Beach Boys sued Capitol Records when these were made and they dropped the promotion outside the five in the pictures. I have not been able to get anything in writing with the number of cars built being twenty or five. But the Beach Boys and Capitol were not getting along throughout 1966 when the Moke promotion was happening and they sued Capitol in early 1967, see the article attached."
Thank you very much for that Jeff. The story continues.
Rare survivor of the Beach Boys Mini Surfer. Owner Jeff believes just 5 were made
Picture Jeff Lehmann
And here are all 5 of them, as originally presented to the Beach Boys in 1966
Picture Jeroen Booij archive
Here again at Barris Kustoms with more people involved. John Barris is second from left
Picture Jeroen Booij archive
But then The Beach Boys and Capitol records got caught in a major argument and the Mini Surfer deal might have gone lost in the battle, thinks Jeff
Picture Jeff Lehmann
Friday, 9 March 2018
Beach Boys Mini Surfer survivor
Jeff Lehmann came in with some great news about a car he recently bought. It's one of very few surviving 'Mini Surfers', which were Mini Mokes modified by coachbuilder George Barris in corporation with The Beach Boys. I wrote about the cars before (here) and even saw a little glimpse of Jeff's car over a year ago (here).
Jeff wrote: "I am sure you saw the car before as it was advertised about a year ago by the owner's son. His dad passed away and he had to sell his small collection of cars. The Moke was his favorite and was the last to go. I went and looked at the car and it was in very good shape overall. No rust through anywhere. Last registered in 1985. Most of the original red stripes turned black in the Florida sun but are still red in a few spots. I have the original surfboard and fur covered seats."
"This car was given away in August 1966 in Cleveland Ohio for the WHK radio promotion and I have the original ship ticket from Capitol Records to WHK. It was shipped to them air fright on United Airlines from Hollywood California. I also have a black plate Mk1 Cooper S that is an all original survivor and plan to keep this one original as well. There is only another one known to exist but this one is the only one with original paint."
It's a fantastic addition to the Cooper 'S' Jeff! Please keep me posted on the car.
Jeff wrote: "I am sure you saw the car before as it was advertised about a year ago by the owner's son. His dad passed away and he had to sell his small collection of cars. The Moke was his favorite and was the last to go. I went and looked at the car and it was in very good shape overall. No rust through anywhere. Last registered in 1985. Most of the original red stripes turned black in the Florida sun but are still red in a few spots. I have the original surfboard and fur covered seats."
"This car was given away in August 1966 in Cleveland Ohio for the WHK radio promotion and I have the original ship ticket from Capitol Records to WHK. It was shipped to them air fright on United Airlines from Hollywood California. I also have a black plate Mk1 Cooper S that is an all original survivor and plan to keep this one original as well. There is only another one known to exist but this one is the only one with original paint."
It's a fantastic addition to the Cooper 'S' Jeff! Please keep me posted on the car.
A real Mini Surfer! Apart from the personal cars for The Beach Boys, 20 more were supposedly made to be given away by radio stations throughout the US in special Beach Boys competitions
Picture Jeff Lehmann
The stripes on Jeff's car have turned dark rather than red but they are believed to be original
Picture Jeff Lehmann
Fake air intake was another add-on for these cars. Canopy and interior was striped, too
Picture Jeff Lehmann
That's the ship ticket from Capitol Records to WHK Radio that came with the car
Picture Jeff Lehmann
Thursday, 29 June 2017
Mini Surfer Moke found?
It seems that a rare George Barris built 'Mini Surfer' Moke survives in the US (click here to find out what they are about). Last week, the owner of what appears to be one of them contacted the Moke forum, witing: "Hello, I am new to this forum and I was hoping to get some more information on a vehicle. I have what appears to be a Mini Mike with candy stripe paint and surf board. I was told that it was made for the Beach Boys or their record company by Barris Kustom. There is a Barris sticker on the windshield. Can anyone give me more information on the Mini Surfer Mokes? Are there any other Mini's out there like mine? I will try to provide pictures once I clean it up."
He did post one very dark and sketchy picture, which does at least show the Barris Kustom window sticker and a tiny little bit of the car. Could it be one of supposed five built for the Beach Boys themselves, or one of 20 cars to be given away in a raffle? The stripes on it seem darker then expected, but who knows..? More to follow soon, hopefully! By the way... I happen to be going to a Brian Wilson gig on Monday, so if I do get to bump into the great man by any chance, I might just ask him more about them..!
He did post one very dark and sketchy picture, which does at least show the Barris Kustom window sticker and a tiny little bit of the car. Could it be one of supposed five built for the Beach Boys themselves, or one of 20 cars to be given away in a raffle? The stripes on it seem darker then expected, but who knows..? More to follow soon, hopefully! By the way... I happen to be going to a Brian Wilson gig on Monday, so if I do get to bump into the great man by any chance, I might just ask him more about them..!
A terrible photograph, but it does seem to show us what is a rare survivor of the Mini Surfers!
Picture courtesy Mokeclub.org
That's the sticker in question. It seems that George Barris had glass made to measure
Picture courtesy Ebay.com
And another recently resurfaced picture of the Mini Surfer Moke. I guess this was one of the 20 giveaway cars that were raffled in a special Beach Boys radio competition
Picture Jeroen Booij archive
Trading card showing the Mini Surfer, with some more information about them
Picture Jeroen Booij archive
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