A collection of 1959 Austin Minis which are on the register.
This Austin Seven Mini is owned Mr Yusuke Naitapan from Japan. 4 Photos Peter Hughes - July 1959 Austin Seven 1 Photos Quentin Wilson has joined us, buying a 59 off another register member. 900 FRL is a late 59 built Austin Seven in Speedwell blue.
Quentin has completed the restoration of FRL and has written about his new project in “Classic Cars” magazine and in his column “confessions of an auto gleaner” in the May 2011 issue page 17, he even gives the 1959 Mini Register a plug.
Quentin has written,
He has written a column for Mini Magazine so enthusiasts could follow the restoration and followed it up with a full article when it was finished. Quentin has 900 FRL out around the country at various stands and is a regular at the NEC classic car show and Gaydon BMC show each year. 25 Photos This car has now been sold at auction April 2012, see the story here
Built on 15th May 1959 and dispatched to Car Mart in Colchester 31st July.
Only two earlier Austin’s are so far known to exist, HUE 627 and KEG 77 are both in Japan so 108 could be the earliest Austin in Europe. 10 Photos UHR 850 an August built 1959 Austin the most famous of the Downton tuned cars, competed at Spa and set the scene for the giant-killing works Coopers of the early to mid-sixties. It now resides in the British Motor Heritage Centre in Gaydon.
See the full story here
10 Photos Tero from Finland - Tartan Red Austin. 9 Photos Peter Kronsell from Sweden - Speedwell Blue Austin. 3 Photos Craig & Ian Matthews from Ireland - Tartan Red Austin. 8 Photos Stuart Keeping - Tartan Red 3rd September built Austin. 7 Photos Trevor Ripley’s November dispatched CKD car, built in South Africa. It has totally original spec. and extremely low mileage. 12 Photos Mr Maruyama (Mini Maruyama co) from Japan - Tartan Red 3rd April built Austin. 7 Photos Jay Scott from Langley Canada - November built Austin 2 Photos
For some time it was thought to be a March 1960 vehicle. However to the owners surprise it turns out to be a genuine July 1959 Farina Grey basic number 602.
To it's credit too it has a tremendous amount of historical paperwork with it too.
“Bought a 1959 Austin Seven Mini the other day. It needs a complete restoration, but it’s one of the early cars that rolled out of Longbridge in the first few months of production. I think it’s a hugely important icon, but my wife thinks it’s a pile of scrap! There are only about 100 ’59s known to have survived, and I’m going to totally restore this one. If you happen to be one of 900 FRL’s former owners, please get in touch. I’d love to unearth my icon’s past.”
Previous to the current owners, this historic example of an Austin Farina Grey De-Luxe, has had two owners from new and been in the second ownership since 1986.
Off the road since 1985 it is in very original unmolested condition but requires a full restoration.
It came with the original registration number and a host of paperwork including the heritage certificate, what a find!
108 is now (2011) in the ownership of a consortium of people headed up by Richard Bremmer.
We will be very interested to see this historic Minis restoration.
Hopefully showing the restoration progress here, please come back from time to timefor a look!
A show stopper at the IMM/Mini50 celerbrations.
At present restoration in progress, shown here at the IMM/Mini 50 2009.
Note the seats are different to the U.K. models. Owned by same lady from new to 1998.
Original paint and never been restored.
This car is the second Austin to be built.
