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

Filing the Wildgoose

Wildgoose Mini campervans appear here only occasionally. Every now and then one comes by when it is offered for sale, but the last time more of them were seen here was quite a while ago. Perhaps the time has come to see how many survivors there are today? I have pictures of a few, but why don't you tell me which ones you know about? Let's kick off with '108 FPO', which was the car used in the brochure and some of the PR photographs. Happy holidays if you are still enjoying them!

The Wildgoose was available in two variants: the Popular 2 and the Brent Super VEB

This is the 'VEB' with the abbreviation for 'Vertically Extending Body'

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

It was registered '108 FPO' and was used in a number of PR photographs, brochures and motoring magazine articles. It's unknown to the DVLA but could it survive?

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

Market round up (Autumn 2019)

Is it autumn yet? I'm not sure but fact is that there are plenty of cars offered for sale at the moment. So it's about time for a little look at what Mini derivatives are in the market right now.

An ABC Tricar with a modified body in Yorkshire

Seen for sale Here

A Mini Mouse, again with a modified body and in the US

Seen for sale Here

A Robert Mandry-built RTV that's ready to run

Seen for sale Here

A Ranger Pick Up that needs lots of work

Seen for sale Here

And a very good looking Jiffy
Seen for sale Here

An ABS Freestyle in The Netherlands
Seen for sale Here

And a Midas in Belgium

Seen for sale Here

Nice AEM Scout, unfortunately horribly photographed

Seen for sale Here


Hustler Six to be auctioned by Bonhams
Seen for sale Here


GTM Rossa Mk2 with low-mileage 1275 engine
Seen for sale Here

That Status 365 again. Who dares?

Seen for sale Here

And who is going to finish this Mini Wildgoose project?

Seen for sale Here

Or how about an Outspan Orange Mini? Said to be the prototype

Seen for sale Here

Funny looking Scamp Mk1 in checker plate wear

Seen for sale Here

The Silcoates Ascender has been seen here before

Seen for sale Here

Beatifully restored Crayford Mini Sprint

Seen for sale Here

Lovely Whitby Morrison Batman ice cream van

Seen for sale Here

A very colourful Hrubon Schmitt in France

Seen for sale Here

Banham Sprint with fast engine

Seen for sale Here

Rare Japan-built Moke Sports Tottini in the UK

Seen for sale Here

A British registered Jimini found in France

Seen for sale Here

Correctly registered Scamp Mk2

Seen for sale Here

Mini Marcos Mk3, looks like a lovely project
Seen for sale Here

Another Jimini, this on on the Cote d'Azur
Seen for sale Here

We're all going on a summer holiday

By the time you read this I'll be enjoying a summer holiday.
Happy holidays to you too!

A Mini Wildgoose entering a steep hill. Perhaps better than with a Caraboot..?

Summer 2016 - a look back

Tomorrow marks the end of the summer. Fortunately, we still have the pictures. The ones below were sent over to me via email or Facebook in the last month or so and show a variety of Mini based cars on events and shows. I can't remember where all of them came from, so if you feel you need to be credited, just let me know.

A very nice looking Stewart & Ardern MiniSprint, built in 2004. It's for sale, too, and I have a close up of the flyer under its wiper. Drop me a line when interested

Picture courtesy Phil Wells

Same event (Tewkesbury Classic Car show), different car - Bob Hart's lovely Mini Beach Car

Picture courtesy Phil Wells

Estate version of the Foers Nomad. These cars have a reputation to last forever

Picture source unknown

And another… Judging by its grille, this one appears to be in a kind of identity crisis!

Picture source unknown

Dutch registered Midas Gold was seen at the Zinkhutter Hof in Germany. I do not know it

Picture courtesy Hubertus Hansmann

We all know this one, don't we? The ex-George Harrison Radford Mini DeVille at Windsor Castle

Picture source unknown

Certainly different, but I'm not sure if I would dare to drive this Scamp Mk2 on the motor way!

Picture source unknown

The Wildgoose Super VEB, which starred in Maximum Mini 2, seen here at the Goodwood Revival

Picture source unknown

Elsewhere at Goodwood, the restored Broadspeed GTS was reunited with John Fitzpatrick

Picture courtesy John Fitzpatrick

Market round up (Summer 2016)

Let's have a little look at cars that made it to the market recently, as there were some interesting offerings. Some of them can still be found online, so be quick if you are interested...

This Wildgoose VEB comes with build number ME 50, so is perhaps the last one made?

It's for sale in The Netherlands (£16500...) but is still on its original 1967/68 UK plates 

This cool Siva Mule is in Somerset and it may well be the best you will ever find

The seller writes that 8 were made, but there were 12. Still not too many though!

An lhd Unipower GT was seen for sale in Kentucky briefly before the ad disappeared

Unusual overriders may have been there for American legislation reasons? Asking price was $25,000

1972 Wood & Pickett Mini Margrave looks splendid and comes with full vehicle history 

It has a lovely oxblood leather interior, but unfortunately misses the signature W&P dash

This very nice Andersen Cub from Coventry (ad here) is registered as a 1966 Morris Moke

I have lways had a soft spot for the Whitby Mini-Warrior. This one sold for just over 300 GBP...

BMW museum shows derivatives in 'The MINI Story'

You'll have to admit that BMW, as Mini's current custodian, is doing rather well in keeping the flame alive. As a matter of fact they open an exhibition tomorrow in Munich's BMW Museum called 'The MINI Story', emphasizing on 55 years of great little car design with 30 cars on display, and they were nice enough to send a press release with plenty of photographs over to here.

Yes, the emphasis lies on current models and prototypes for these, but interestingly for us lot there's a little more than the well-known classics they haul to every prestigious event. In fact they have made the effort to show some Mini derivatives! A tip of the iceberg, okay, but definitely worth a mention here never the less. There's an Outspan Orange Mini, a Wildgoose and Whitby Morrison Ice Cream Van, plus a rare four-door Mini built by our friends of Mini Mengers, who came up with the Mengers 3WP earlier this year. The expo will open tomorrow at 20:00, followed by a party into the early hours, and will last until 31 January 2016, so you've got over a year to pay the place a visit!

1969 Riley Elf and 1967 Morris Countryman, yes, but the Outspan Orange is the cool one here!

Picture courtesy BMW

 Pristine Wildgoose Super VEB and now-rare Whitby Morrison Mini Ice Cream Van

Picture courtesy BMW

This Rover Mini was converted by Mengers of Germany, who also build the 3WP

Picture courtesy BMW