Morris Mini 1960

1 Previous Owner, This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The Iconic Sale at the NEC Classic Motor Show 2025 on Saturday the 8th of November, NEC, Birmingham, B40 1NT. , Launched in 1959, the Morris Mini Minor was the car that redefined small car engineering. Sir Alec Issigonis’ pioneering design brought front-wheel drive, a transversely mounted engine and space for four adults into an affordable package that would become a symbol of post-war Britain. Today, surviving examples from that first year of production are regarded as hugely significant, and few have been restored – or presented – to the standard of the car offered here.This particular 1959 Mini Minor De-Luxe is a matching numbers example that has been restored to the very highest concours standard. The work was carried out with an unwavering commitment to originality, using a blend of genuine new components and exceptionally scarce new/old stock parts. Every element was considered, and the result is a car that not only presents 'as new', but also faithfully captures the character of the earliest Minis. The car is finished in Morris Cherry Red (RD4) with Old English White wheels, front grille and binnacle and the interior is in Cherry Red and Grey Fleck Vynide with Cherry Red carpets.Many of the features that set the 1959 cars apart have been meticulously reinstated. These include the cream end-button on the indicator stalk, the ridged and holed trim on the door caps, the front slam panel with its distinctive dimples, and the specific Morris-only door trim, complete with the almost impossible to find door release cables with their correct sliding covers. These details are often overlooked in lesser restorations but here they have been sourced and fitted with absolute precision, underscoring the car’s authenticity.The quality of the restoration has been recognised at the very highest level. Already a multiple award winner at shows, this Mini was invited in 2017 to take part in the Meguiar’s Club Showcase at the NEC Classic Motor Show, the annual celebration of the best concours cars in the country. Against a field of outstanding entries, it was judged the overall winner, a remarkable testament to the skill and dedication invested in its rebuild. To be declared the finest car in such a prestigious competition is no small achievement and speaks volumes for both the standard of workmanship and the historical significance of the model.Supporting its provenance, the Mini is supplied with its original buff logbook, a Morris Mini Minor Driver’s Handbook and a British Heritage Trust Certified Factory Record. At the time of its showcase success, the car’s mileage stood at just over 43,000, believed correct and consistent with its known history.Our vendor is no stranger to creating award winning Minis and a previous restoration of his, itself a celebrated show car, was successfully offered by Iconic Auctioneers in both 2012 and 2023. With this 1959 Mini Minor however, his work reached a new peak, resulting in a car that has been judged to be the very best in the land.Offered here is more than simply a restored Mini, it is a landmark in the history of Britain’s most influential small car – a Meguiar’s Concours champion, prepared to an exceptional level and accompanied by rare documentation. For the serious collector, opportunities to acquire a car of this calibre and status are few and far between.