Update 6/28/11 – This car sold at $7,113 with 31 bids. Well bought…

Known for their diminutive size and quirky styling, the Austin Mini is an icon of ’60s and ’70s British cars. The Mini was one of BMC’s most successful cars, with production of some form of Mini running from ’59 all the way up to ’80. The Mini showed the world that a small front wheel drive car can not only be economical, but fun too. This particular Mini is running its original 850 cc which is rated at about 35 hp. While this doesn’t sound like a lot of power, it’s enough power for this feather weight to cruise at 70 mph. This Mini is a true barn find and as such is in need of some TLC. However, the car appears to run and drive pretty well. Find it on eBay or in Saugatuck, MI.

This Mini is a little rough, but given the popularity of these little cars, parts are cheap and plentiful. The biggest concern is rust, especially given this cars location and how close it is to Lake Michigan.

While the engine compartment isn’t the cleanest, given the small size of the 850 cc engine, it wouldn’t be to difficult too clean it and give it a good tune up.

The body and paint are rough, but given the simplicity of these cars it shouldn’t be too difficult to make it look like new. Or leave it as it is and just drive it. This car can easily get 30 mpg, so it would make a great commuter car.

The seller included video footage of the car being driven, which is nice to see. The engine seems to pull well for its age and the car seems to run straight up to 70 mph. If the auction stays around $5K, this car will be a great deal for either a project car or a driver.