Well, here’s another cool car I’ve never seen up close and personal. That’s because not many were ever exported to the States and the seller guesstimates there may be less than 10 of these Morris Mini Estate Wagons currently in the USA today. And how many of those are in this original of condition? This rare, 63,000-mile, RHD, wood-trimmed Mini Estate Wagon is located in Canton, Georgia and is for sale here on Craigslist. The seller is offering it for a “quick sale” price of $19,000. A tip of the old derby goes to our friend, Gunter Kramer, for bringing this rare Mini to our attention.
This cute (I’m sorry, but I had to use that word. Like an umpire, I call ‘em like see ‘em.) little wagon has so much going for it. It appears to have been well maintained, there’s no rust, it’s all there, it only has 63,000 miles on the clock, its exterior wood looks good, it has full factory wheel covers on those 10″ wheels, plus it’s red on red. Based on the photos, it’s in remarkable condition for a 55-year-old vehicle.
The photos were taken in the sun and shade so it’s a bit hard to determine the condition of the red paint (which can look kind of orangeish in the sun). Overall, it looks presentable, and the chrome, trim, stationary and sliding window glass, and exterior wood (it’s decorative, not structural, and a lower-priced model was available without the wood inserts) all look to be well preserved.
These Traveler Wagons were nearly a foot longer than the regular Mini, and with their distinctive double “barn door” style rear doors, were designed for carrying stuff. Not much, mind you, but with the rear seat folded down (as in this photo), and a good grasp of the game Tetris, you could probably fit more in the back than you thought. Like the rest of this Mini, the cargo area looks very good and hasn’t led a rough and tumble hauling existence.
You gotta love the snug, utilitarian simplicity of the Mini’s red interior. Its front bucket seats and rear bench seat look original. There’s some fading and one photo shows a tear in the bottom cushion of the passenger seat, but overall the seats, door panels, dash, steering wheel, carpet, and paint look good.
Under that little red front bonnet is a clean and tidy engine bay housing the Mini’s four cylinder, 998cc engine. The seller doesn’t mention if any work has ever been performed on it or how the engine runs and the four-speed manual transmission shifts, but we would assume the Mini runs and stops as it should. So what do you think? Even if you have limited garage space, this rare – and charming – little red wagon would snuggle right in and look terrific.
Real nice Mini Woodie.Should not last long at that price.
Hmmm, tasty! Not your typical bodged up Mr Potato Head POS. From the photos it appears to be an honest, not messed with original car! Someone should buy this… after a thorough inspection of the floor pan… not that any red flags are showing.
This model’s called the Countryman, incidentally.
Small point. Morrises were called Travelers, Austins were Countryman. Except for the badging, the same vehicle.
I’ve never heard a Mini referred to as a Traveller. I went to look at ye olde Haynes manual (1959-on); in “models covered” – and sure enough, there’s a Traveller. I’d only ever heard that used with regard to the Morris 1000.
Regarding engines, it was available as both 848cc and 998cc. Coopers could be had with 970/997/998/1071/1275cc engines.
If the Austin Countryman that we have here is the same build as the Morris Minor Traveller then the wooden parts of the car are very definitely part and parcel of the structure, in fact the wood is the structure and the metal is fixed to the wood. Ed China form Wheeler Dealers, or Tim Shaw/Fuzz Townsend from Car S.O.S. restored a Minor Traveller and built the wooden section before applying the metal
Not the same; the wood on the Traveller Minor/1000 is structural, but on the Minis it isn’t. Purely decorative!
I believe , if its the original motor, it should be an 850 (848)cc. The Cooper got the next size up and then the Cooper S..1275. IMHO I would like it with the more powerful motor although these still scoot with the 850..that’s what I had in my 65 Moke. Looks like a very good deal at this price but you need to check for underside rust.
I ad a 1275 in my Moke with 12″ wheels and it went like stink.
Think you´ll find there´s more than 10 of these in the USA, they pop up on BaT quite often, usually sell for this kind of price. So if the car is as good as it looks, being RHD and with its owner looking for a quick sale, you´d want a fairly big discount.
As Derek says, both 850 and 998 cc engines were available, and this being a MK2 Mini, few buyers would have been chosen 850cc
Countryman and Traveller were the Austin/Morris names for these..BMW uses Countryman for the new Mini estate. I like this little woody a lot and,once inside, they are amazingly spacious. I once drove one in a fierce snowstorm from London to Yorkshire loaded to the gills with Christmas presents..front wheel drive I felt like I was in the Monte Carlo Rally..never missed a beat and the heater kept it cozy! I didnt know the larger engine was an option..be nice to put twin SU’s on it and bring it up to full Cooper spec..and some nice 5 and a half J S steelies!
My second Mini was a Countryman, only two or three years old when I bought it for I think $275! But its front suspension had been pounded to death by the frankly ignorant owners; it cost me about $1500 to get it rebuilt, in Anchorage AK ca. 1965. In the next 20 years it was shipped to Seattle, driven to Palo Alto, then back up to Oregon and back, and eventually out to Nashville. I sold it in 1980, still running but needy, to people in Kentucky wanting a family resto project.
I’d love another, and for a while there was a young guy here in Pasadena who was importing them from Spain and Portugal, until either the Feds or California put a stop to that. Of course, that was just before I was ready to buy in …
Re: Mini wood was merely decorative – Yes. Not to mention heavy and dreadful to the car’s aerodynamics. My greatest regret is that I could not afford to get that crap stripped off and the holes filled, as my mechanic in Menlo Park did to his. That was also why I really wanted the red Portuguese import with the same body and glass but NO wood.
I think if mine had been as well-preserved and gorgeous as the white one I used to see around Carmel on visits there, I’d have been okay with the wood … but mine had lost its finish long ago, and looked more like a fishing shack on wheels than a properly half-timbered Britmobile.
The pictures seem to show that the large full sized steering wheel is not centered directly in from of the center of the driver’s seat. Is that true or an optical illusion from the pictures? Would seem weird to drive if the steering wheel is several inches toward the center from the driver’s position. If so I wonder why?
Yes, the wheel isn’t central; the main reason why my mum hated driving Minis.
I was never bothered; mine had a smaller wheel fitted, generally, so the offset is less obvious.
Set me in good stead for racing 2CVs; you’re allowed to move the seat around a bit but not the steering column and I was never that bothered about where one was in relation to the other.
Seller says less than 10 in USA?? Well I’ve personally seen at least 15 or 20 of those 10!
I’ve owned both LHD & RHD, both road & racing versions, and have never noticed the off-centre steering wheel. The off-centredness never interfered with my attempts at derring-do, on either road or track. I’m actually quite surprised to never have noticed, but can only think that the wheel fell readily to hand, as they say.
The Brits were good at offsetting the steering wheels. Found that out with my ’62 Midget and then years later when we started racing the AH Sprites. The smaller steering wheels we use on the race cars negate the offset to where it’s not even noticeable visually. Nice car here.