Now in Maximum Mini Newsletter #32

Grand update on the Le Mans Mini Marcos project 

And a test drive in this Mk1 Mini Marcos...

Record set straight on Sabre Sprint production

Sabre owner looking for Sabre owners

Since it isn't clear how many Sabre Sprints and Sabre Varios were made exactly in the mid-1980s owner Ron Palgrave now plans to register as many as he can. He wrote to me: "Hi Jeroen. I am the owner of the yellow Sabre Sprint in your first Maximum Mini edition. I wonder if you have any other Sabre owners on the circulation list. I am building a register of other owners and would like them to get in touch with me. I do not think there will be many. The builder, (Steve Crabtree) works close to where I live, and I speak with him from time to time. Just now I am trying to persuade him to mould an original dashboard for me. The item that came with the car is fake wood and has been described as looking a bit like a coffin lid! I first contacted Steve some years ago and at that point he told me he had built more than 100 Sabres. Talking later with his colleague Dave Crowshaw he estimated a lower number. When I discussed this with Steve, he said “Well it felt like 100 cars !” In fact, no factory records exist."

"To date I have identified 13 other cars, though all might not still exist. It includes four cars still owned by Steve Crabtree. So I might guess that up to 30 cars might have been sold. This is closer to the number Dave Crowshaw gave me. However, I would like to continue the search, and so any clues you can provide would be appreciated."

Meanhile, I've had a look in the files and found the following registrations. Do you know of others? Ron would love to hear from you, as I do.

EVK 330K - Red Sabre Sprint
YNF 23S - Red Sabre Sprint
Q424 WNL - White Sabre Sprint
Q435 WET - White Sabre Sprint
Q518 WNL - White Sabre Vario
Q614 RNH - White Sabre Sprint
Q584 WFT - Blue Sabre Sprint
Q716 WFT - White Sabre Sprint
Q822 GRW - Yellow Sabre Spint
Q845 WFT - Yellow Sabre Sprint
Q879 WJR - White Sabre Sprint modified into six-wheeler pick-up


UPDATE 7 October 2019:
The following cars have now been added to the list, thanks to Ron, who also ads: "Hope your blog unearths some more, but I am starting to think that even my estimate of 30 produced cars might be too high"

Q585 WFT - White Sabre Sprint
Q645 WFT - no further data known
Q647 WFT - Red Sabre Sprint
Q760 DAJ - White Sabre Sprint
Q935 GRW - Cream Sabre Sprint

Rallying a Sabre Sprint in the 1980s - but how many were made / survive?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Advertisement for the Sabre Sprint of 1985. Do you own one?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Maximum Minis meet up

A lovely little meeting of Mini derivatives took place during the Cambridge Mini Chill last weekend. With GTM Rossas Mk1 and Mk2, a Peel Viking, Ranger Cub, Domino Pimlico, Heinz 57 Hornet, Sabre Vario and Whitby Morrison 'Batman' ice cream van, several of them having been seen here before, this was an excellent turn-out of 'Maximum Minis'. Let's hope we can show more of them at other shows, too. The photographs are all by Steve Hudson.

Mini derivative owners and their cars came together at the Cambridge Mini Chill last weekend

Picture Steve Hudson

GTM Rossa from Germany, Sabre Vario, Peel Viking, Ranger Cub and Batman ice cream van

Picture Steve Hudson

And there's more. Pimlico, Rossa Mk1, Heinz Hornet. What to choose? He doesn't know!

Picture Steve Hudson

Interest in Mini based cars clearly is rising. We should display more of them at shows!

Picture Steve Hudson

What is going to be the Find of the Year 2016?

I nearly forgot a grand Maximum Mini tradition: the official 'Find of the Year' poll! 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 go to the poll on the right side of this blog (click here if you read this through an email message) where you tick the box of your favourite find. The one with the most votes wins - it's simple as that. Now, over to the candidates.

1. The Stimson Safari Six

Found in Rochdale by super-Stimson-fan Paul Wylde after a long search. 

Paul is working avidly on the restoration now, so work in progress

Full story here

2. Magic Alex' coachbuilt Mini

A coachbuilt Mini formerly owned by Beatle-technician Magic Alex that is shrouded in mystery. 

Was it a Wood & Pickett job, or not? Fact is it survives.

Full story here

3. The Sabre Vario demonstrator

A Sabre Sprint is rare, but a Sabre Vario is even much rarer! The factory demonstrator turned 

up for sale in Newcastle - still with the company which built it!

Full story here

4. The Le Mans Mini Marcos

What can I say? My own reward after a painstakingly long and chancy search. 

The legendary Le Mans Mini Marcos is back from the brink

Story here, here and here (and more to follow!)

5. The Sandringham Six Mini

A reader wondered about the whereabouts of the Sandringham Six Mini, and its story was 

unraveled here. Only to see the car being advertised for sale a month later!

Full story here, here and here

Seen for sale: a (the?) Sabre Vario

Up in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a tiny little piece of local motoring history has made it to the market. Up for sale is the Sabre Vario demonstrator. This 1985 take on the Sabre Sprint was more versatile, with removable rear roof section, turning it almost into a convertible with that bit taken off. When not, it had the ease of a full hatchback door. Pretty clever, but I don't think it was very successful. Sabre's Sprint sold in some numbers, but their Vario is almost unique. Could the demonstrator even be the sole Vario that ever materialized? That would certainly not surprise me, as 'Q518 WNL' is the only car I have ever seen photographs of.

From what the seller writes: "Here for sale is the original DC Kit Cars Sabre Vario demonstrator requiring some tlc. Based on the classic Mini this car was used as reliable daily transport before being taken off the road two years ago for some modifications to the rear suspension. It mechanically needs a few jobs to complete, ie finishing hanging the exhaust, hand brake adjustment, MOT etc. The whole interior requires renovation and the dashboard wiring needs attention but is usable at the moment. Mechanical spec: 1275cc A+ engine with unleaded head, verto clutch, 2.9 final drive, front Moulton Smootha Ride suspension, Superlight alloy wheels.  Spares available to winning bidder include 1300 power unit & front subframe, alloy and steel wheels and tyres." Interested? You'll find the ad here.

This is not a Sabre Sprint - this is a Sabre Vario. And it is possibly unique in that

Picture courtesy ebay.co.uk

With the Sprint as a starting point, the car's rear was restyled with removable rear/roof section

Picture courtesy ebay.co.uk

Big hatchback door gives easier access to the rear, with tank neatly hidden. Interior needs work

Picture courtesy ebay.co.uk

The same car, now seen without the rear/roof section when it was new, back in 1985

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Sabre instigator Steven Crabtree is seen here demonstrating the hatch of the Sabre Sprint

Picture Jeroen Booij archive