Mini Cooper Panel van:

[LowRiver2]

Here's some pics of my 67' Austin Mini Cooper Panel van I inherited a couple years back. My cousin, Eric Lindquist, was a Riverside City Fireman who died in an SCCA event down in Irvine in 93'. He was an avid Mini Cooper collector, had 6 of them when he passed. His mother wanted me to take his van, his first Mini that he drove daily and started his interest in the cars. He had an award in his name given out at Mini events for several years based on his participation in the mini world.

I've been told there are less than 50 of the vans in the U.S., and that original panel vans are rare due to many having the panels replaced by windows world wide to get around commercial tax laws. Ca. DMW won't give me a historical plate because of this toothumbsdown. I also was told you can still buy a sedan body but not a van/pickup body as the tooling is gone for good. I drive it about 40 miles a year because I just don't have time to use it these days. It gets a lot of looks, lot of people remember the cars but have rarely seen a van model. My cousin retrofitted an "S" engine in it and disc brakes. It corners like nothing else for sure. Give me hell for the upside down shots, these were taken a few months back when I was moving, hence the stuff around it.

 

[79schiada]

Very cool and rare! I wouldn't mind having one of these and a pick up as well. I have a 66 Cooper S that's been in the restoration phase for quite awhile, if you consider 20 years very long

 

[wsuwrhr]

Minis are cool and the wheels are funny, a friend had one in high school and I could never get over the tiny engine. A 3 cyl. I always liked that car.

 

[LowRiver2]

Here's a couple from labor day

 

[ka0tyk]

the wife wants me to get an old mini cooper and do a resto/mod on it. we saw one at irwindale that had a honda 1.6 motor conversion. looked like a cool project. she loved her 2010 mini cooper but ill be damned if we ever own another one of those.

 

[LowRiver2]

the honda swap is popular and reliable. Heritage motors in Costa Mesa.is a great source for parts, knowledge of ones for sale, should you change your mind

 

[ka0tyk]

the honda swap is popular and reliable. Heritage motors in Costa Mesa.is a great source for parts, knowledge of ones for sale, should you change your mind

i was talking about a late model mini. the old skool ones are cool. :thumbup:

 

[Cole Trickle]

Cool car....I have always liked the original minis.


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[pronstar]

Cool car....I have always liked the original minis.

x2
The amount of interior space is amazing considering the size of the car.
And they're tiny - a new Mini looks absolutely huge compared to an original.

 

[Riverbound]

the wife wants me to get an old mini cooper and do a resto/mod on it. we saw one at irwindale that had a honda 1.6 motor conversion. looked like a cool project. she loved her 2010 mini cooper but ill be damned if we ever own another one of those.

My parents had a newer S. And I know what you are saying. It was the biggest Maintenance nightmare. Car was always in the shop.

 

[LowRiver2]

Thanks guys,

I always saw myself with an el camino, etc. but this is actually is pretty cool, besides the history, it's easy to store in the garage.