Eclipse needs saving

Bound to be an unsolved mystery for the rest of its life, the surprise was great when in December 2019 this Mystery Mini Derivative turned out to survive. I mean, it was seen in Wellington, New Zealand in the early 1980s and then believed to have been scrapped shortly after this picture was taken by Graeme Farr. It was also identified by a previous owner back in 2019 as the Eclipse.

Now, fast forward another three years and the one-off Eclipse still hasn't moved from the breaker's yard in Horopito. Steve Harris spotted it there only yesterday. Come on guys, what are you waiting for? All those boring cars that are being restored are the same - this one is unique. Don't tell me in another 10 or 20 years that I didn't warn you. This car needs saving.

The one-off Austin 1300 based Eclipse is still waiting to be saved in Horopito, NZ

Picture Steve Harris

It was long thought to be gone forever, but it's still there. What a shame

Picture Steve Harris

Is world's saddest Fletcher GT now really death?

As a babysitter for all things Mini based I receive pictures of cars lost and found every week - keep them coming! One car that has intrigued me from the first time I saw it is a particularly sad looking Fletcher GT. With just four made the Fletcher GT is a real rarity - three of the four have been described here before. 

But this one - number four - was even more of that, having been converted to electric power and three wheels! The first pictures flashed over to here came from Paul Ogle, who'd spotted it in a scrapyard in the Midlands in November 2006. Paul and I tried to set up a rescue but it was to no avail. 

Then I didn't hear from the car until new photographs of it emerged in April 2016. It had moved but was certainly still not being cared for. And from then on more pictures followed every few months or years. And every time it looked worse. The last one I received came in in August 2019, when the car looked to have been replaced once more - to a pile of scrap. I wonder if that spelled the definitive end of this car..?

November 2006. A Fletcher GT is found in a scrapyard in the Midlands

Picture courtesy Mark Butler

November 2006. But unlike the other Fletchers it is converted to 3 wheels and electric power

Picture courtesy Mark Butler

Odd conversion can be seen through where the rear window originally was. Why and by who?

Picture courtesy Mark Butler

April 2016. First appearance after 10 years. That beam didn't do body any good

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

May 2016. Moved over to another place in Wednesbury. Nose section broken off

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

May 2016. Restall seats still there but car is looking sadder then ever before

Picture courtesy Mark Butler

November 2017. Everything can be repaired but this is going to be a mighty challenge

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

November 2017. Broken body gives insight in three-wheel conversion at the back

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

August 2019. Last sight of it, dumped. Is this car now really gone forever..?

Picture Craig Perry

James Garner's Radford Mini was scrapped

Like James Garner himself (who passed away only months ago), his Radford Mini DeVille is no longer with us either, or so an anonymous reader from the USA knows. After I wrote about the car a while ago, he answered my question about if it could survive: "Sorry to inform you, but Garner's Mini was wrecked in the early 1980s on Mulholland Drive by a prospective buyer - he lost control and ran it into a concrete corner-edge head on, pushing the drive-train into the passenger compartment somewhat, and breaking both front wheels. Minus the engine and the surviving Mamba wheels, it was sold to a guy in the San Diego area who was poorly advised to part it out. It was restoreable, and it's a pity people were out for a quick buck. The roof was hacked off immediately and sold for the Webasto sunroof, the boot was also sawed off to make a trailer for someone, (who never did, as far as I know) the interior went one way, and gradually it was reduced to scrap. If I would've found out early enough I would've tried to stop such idiocy - it was a significant Mini, and should've been restored. I did end up buying the Morris Cooper grille after I found out they'd whacked the car up, that was pretty rare over here back then. It's still around on one of my Minis, for sentimental reasons."

Both no longer with us, but the Mini was the first to pass away

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

SHADO Jeep found in a scrap yard

Well, well… We have a good contender for Find of the Year 2014! Thanks to several readers who made me aware of some pictures that appeared yesterday. These pictures were taken on a scrap yard on the Canary Islands where, in between abandoned old boats and cars, one remarkable vehicle surfaced. Photographer ElStellino wrote: "What the … was this? An amphibious 6-wheeler?"

It isn't. But it's something strange indeed: it's a 'SHADO Jeep' used for the British 1970s television series U.F.O. As a matter of fact it was originally built by Space Models of Feltham for the 1969 Sci-Fi flick 'Doppelgänger' (more information here) but became more famous through its later tv appearances. These cars were based on Mini Mokes with an extra rear subframe and although it's unknown to me how many of them were built, there must have been at least two. One survives in Italy with a U.F.O. fan, while another was used as an advertisement sign for a garage in the UK for many years. Or could that be one and the same car? (more info here). Fact is that this is another. How it ever reached the Canaries is unknown, as it remains a mystery who owns the yard and its content. I am sure however, it won't be long before somebody will find out!

A holy grail for cult Science Fiction fans? A SHADO Jeep in a Canary scrap yard

Picture courtesy ElStellino

Apart from wheels, the SHADO Jeep looks to be complete, even the side panels are there

Picture courtesy ElStellino

The original design sketch by Derek Meddings, who was responsible for 'FAB1', too

Picture courtesy Derek Meddings

And a photograph taken on the set while filming an on-board scene in one of the cars

Jeroen Booij archive

Mini Jaba found in a scrapyard

Barcelona based Mini enthusiast Xavier Enrich dropped me a line yesterday about an odd Mini that was found in Spain recently. Some pictures were posted on a website, too, mentioning this may be a possible 'Mini Broadspeed Foral' - whatever that may be. Xavier added: "It seems to be a modified Authi Mini Mk2" and I'm sure he's right there. What's more: I know a bit more about the car in question.

This actually is the Mini Jaba, made by a company called 'Transformaciones Jaba' in the early 1970s in Navarre. The Jaba was meant as a neo-classic mimicking a 1930s car but based on the Mini. It was shown on the Barcelona Motor Show of 1971 and made it to a Barcelona concours, too, see picture below. The car on that photograph comes with the same fibreglass flip front, front fenders and headlights. It also has the same Dunlop wheels and comes with a chrome horn or grab handle on its side - the green car appears to have holes on the same place. The roof conversion, however, looks different. Was there an overhanging drop top fitted? Looking at the rear of the scrap yard car you can see this could well be possible. There was clearly some sort of Landau roof one day. The modified boot lid seems to have carried a spare wheel, too. That fits the 1930s theme well.

But is it the same car? Below the green paint there are clearly traces of white. However, with what looks like green carpets and seats inside it could well be that this car has been green for longer - making the concours car possibly another one. Unfortunately I don't have any more information and so it would be nice to learn if anyone out here does. Fact is that this is definitely a contender for 'Find of the Year'!

Found in a Spanish scrap yard: this is a Mini Jaba - inspired by the Magenta?

Picture courtesy foromini.minibcn.net

The car is based on an Authi Mini Mk2. Roof and boot lid are heavily converted

Picture courtesy foromini.minibcn.net

Interior, too, is much altered. Note quilted door paddings and green carpets

Picture courtesy foromini.minibcn.net

The Mini Jaba was mimicking a 1930s car. Here seen in Barcelona in 1971

Picture source unknown

Beach Car commotion

A message from Greece yesterday evening with both good as bad news.
A very happy new owner tells me he managed to buy the Beach Car I wrote about yesterday. That's the great bit.
However, there is a sting in the tail, as he tells me: "Unfortunately I have bought the car as 'spare parts' and will not be able to register it for road use. Furthermore, this really hurts, in order to take it away from the scrap yard I have to cut the car in half (roof and floor). I am both happy to find it as furious at the system and the Greek laws for having to cut up a rare car."
Now isn't that totally incredible? In fact, it is a great shame as this is such a historically valuable Mini, or derivative. When the car gets cut up in two it might never be the same again.


Do let me know if you have a good idea to save this time machine from the flame cutter.

UPDATE 16 December:
Hoorah! The car is saved from the flame cutter and restoration has just been started. The now even happier owner: "The body metal is in excellent condition. It must have been stored for ages somewhere warm and dry. The most difficult part will be to find a match for the carpets and to reupholster the wicker seats."