Lot 263 - 1996 Rover Mini Mayfair

The 1956 Suez Crisis saw fuel rationing reintroduced in the United Kingdom. This resulted in the slowdown in sales of large fuel thirsty vehicles. Leonard Lord, the head of the British Motor Corporation, laid down some basic design requirements for a smaller more efficient vehicle. The rest as they say is history. The automotive designer Alec Issigonis created the Mini, possibly the most recognisable British car of all time. Since its launch in August of 1959, the Mini has seen a variety of developments, including a new manufacturer but has remained in production to this day.

This barn find Mini Mayfair was purchased by our vendor in 2018 from a doctor's estate in the south of England. It had been laid up in his garage and was in 'barn find' condition when purchased by our vendor with the full intention to perform a light restoration for her personal use. Having since been garaged and the restoration not started, our vendor has decided to pass on this 1275cc Mayfair. It is described as a starting and running example in need of recommissioning and thus is not offered with a an MoT test certificate. Presented in red coachwork with grey velour trim, this automatic example is mated to the larger 1275cc engine with a wood veneer dashboard. A perfect first time classic project for father and son or for someone cutting their teeth within restoration.