Do you begin each morning poring over the Internet for a safety green classic mini? Behold your lucky day! This 1970 Austin Mini Cooper in Greenacres, Florida demands attention despite its diminutive dimensions. Bright shiny paint and sporty updates guarantee head-turns whether carving through traffic or parked. Check out more pictures and details here on Craigslist where $9000 makes it yours. Thanks to reader Rocco B. for spotting this Highlighter Green Mini playfully named “Mr. Pickles.”
The central instrument pod readily accommodates left and right-hand-drive production, a shortcut utilized by some newer cars as well. Cleverly designed by Alec Issigonis, the 1959 Mini pioneered a now-common drivetrain package: transverse inline four-cylinder engine with front wheel drive. Packing the drive train up front yields greater real estate for passengers and cargo, letting the Mini and countless small cars following this pattern offer great value and utility with economy and a low price tag.
There’s no picture of Mr. Pickles’ installed engine, but here’s the extra motor that comes with the sale. If you think today’s BMW-crafted Mini Cooper is small, check out this comparison of new vs. old by AutoExpress.
Unlike the modern Mini, most originals were not “Cooper” models, the latter performance-tuned by John Cooper’s company the way AMG tuned Mercedes-Benz vehicles before becoming part of MB. Non-Cooper-tuned units were simply called Mini. First offered by BMC, the British Motor Corporation, variations were sold as Morris Mini Minor, Austin Mini, and other names according to Wikipedia.
Here we see the “Austin Cooper” badge, though more validation would be required to confirm a Cooper Mini. Bright chrome compliments the impossible-to-ignore paint job. Running and driving notes escaped the listing but based on the multiple locations in the sale pictures, we might assume it moves under its own power. Do you have a soft spot for the original Cooper-tuned Mini?
Not worth 9K with no engine. Could be a nice car to put back on the road but the engine situation looks like its going to be expensive. Rebuilding these engines is not cheap these days.
If I’m reading CL properly, it has an engine and comes with an “extra” one. Not far from me and my wife is an Anglophile. We probably qualify as “dreamers” though.
I’ll amend my no engine comment but with no engine pictures and no hint that the car runs it’s kinda hard to know what’s what with this one. If everything works the 9K is a good price.
Not a “Cooper S” since the seller states that it has the 998 engine. As I recall, the Cooper S models came with either a 970, 1071, or 1275 cc engine… most with the 1275. The earlier Cooper S models were also equipped with dual L-R gas tanks, but I am not sure whether that carried over to the 1970 model year.
Yes… a Mini 1000. But even some of those are drawing good money. See,
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-mini-mini-mk-iii/
If it was this side of the pond, at that price, I’d be all over it. Trying to find a good Mini is becoming harder and harder. Actually, trying to find any non-BMW Mini is becoming harder and harder.
Many have been thrashed around race tracks or had hard lives.
There are many companies in the UK that can provide just about every part – including brand new shells – at (very) reasonable prices – even more so if you join one of the numerous clubs.
Daymo, yeah shells are available. Don’t know what you consider reasonable.
https://www.minimania.com/part/HMP441050/Classic-Mini-Body-Shell-Complete-Mki
https://www.minimania.com/part/HMP441050/Classic-Mini-Body-Shell-Complete-Mki
For those of you interested in the cost of a complete shell.
You can’t appreciate these cars until you walk up to the little thing then get inside and find you’re in a much bigger space then is possible, as if you’ve entered into another dimension!
Funnest little car to drive fast, a qualified addiction!
I agree with you on the interior space John. Most every vehicle that I get into to drive I automatically put the seat back as far as it will go. In the Mini, I had to pull it up a bit to fully depress the clutch!
First Mini I bought was in 1977. I was sold immediately. I’ve had (at least) one ever since. They really are magic.
LHD? I’m out, they’re so much fun in RHD configuration!
I love these mini’s, but this one appears to have a lot of body filler around the trunk opening and who know where else. Overspray on the spare tire also seems to indicate a less than professional paint job. It’s priced cheap for this day and age but you get what you pay for.
Looks like Mr. Bean’s car, not Mr. Pickles.
This car/ad has “caveat emptor” written all over. There are no visible “Cooper” parts or accessories visible. It looks like a 70s Cdn. Deluxe Mini 1000. The only think I not of difference is a gas tank that seems larger than the 5.5 gal. original, though perhaps it is from another country, that had different impact laws, therefore different gas tanks than in Canada.
My first car, bought when I was 15 was a 1965 Austin Mini Cooper. Paid $25.00 for it out of a junkyard. The motor had thrown a rod through the block. But basically rust free and in decent shape. I bought a new crankcase for $75 and began the rebuild. But working out in a parking lot with little in the way of skills or money, I eventually traded it for a racing go kart, before I got it running.
When I was in college, ca 1967, I bought a Mini Minor with the 850cc engine and a leaking gas tank for $50. It was a “HOOT” to drive!! I also owned a “60 SAAB model 93, sp the handling was similar, but a lot sportier with the MINI. I wish I had both cars today.
No cooper’s in 70 besides the cooper S which this is not.
As suggested above, likely an ex Canadian 998 give the metric speedo – we weren’t metric yet but parts swapping is / was common as stuff broke.
Still has the early style pedals and signal switch so not likely a vin swap, but it’s also 55y old so watch out for bondo / oversills etc. – nothing says quality respray like overspray on the spare tire lol