There are a few cars that have changed the face of automotive history. Ford’s Model T brought motoring to the masses, and, at one stage, more than 50% of all the cars plying the world’s roads were a Model T. The Volkswagen Beetle demonstrated that a small European car could be well-built, inexpensive, and cheap to run. The Austin Mini broke new ground in packaging efficiency, with its ground-breaking mechanical configuration providing excellent interior space in a car with modest exterior dimensions. The Mini was built in many countries, but this 1967 Countryman hails from New Zealand. It underwent a recent restoration, but the time has come for it to find a new home. The seller listed it here on Craigslist in Houston, Texas. If you hand the seller $26,500, you could drive away in this British/New Zealand classic, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder SpencerD for spotting it.
This Mini makes a positive first impression, but I must address the elephant in the room. The lack of hubcaps is not an issue because correct replacements are easily found. However, the whitewall tires look pretty awful, and I would ditch them immediately if I found the Mini in my garage. Otherwise, there is little to criticize. The seller indicates the car found its way to the US from New Zealand in the 1990s before spending fifteen years squirreled away in a garage. It emerged in 2015 and was treated to a pretty thorough restoration. It involved ensuring the panels were straight and the body rust-free before the Countryman received a fresh coat of Almond Green paint. The distinctive timber was refurbished, and with sparkling chrome and glass, this little classic would attract attention on the road and at a Cars & Coffee.
What set the Mini apart from the opposition was its ground-breaking drivetrain. It wasn’t close to earning the title of the first front-wheel-drive production car, but designer Alec Issigonis’ decision to opt for a transverse engine configuration resulted in a short hood and a surprisingly spacious interior for a vehicle that was only slightly longer than ten feet. The Countryman increased the length by over nine inches, providing a welcome increase in load space. Lifting this Mini’s hood reveals an 848cc four that produces 37hp. Although the Countryman takes 22 seconds to cover the ¼-mile and runs out of breath at 70mph, it should cruise comfortably at 55mph. The seller indicates that the engine and transmission were rebuilt during the restoration, while a disc brake conversion should have the van stopping on a dime. It runs and drives exceptionally well and is a turnkey classic ready for some motoring fun.
The Austin Mini rolled off production lines in several countries, with this one emerging from the Austin Motor Industries factory in Petone, New Zealand. It remained on home soil before finding its way to Texas in the 1990s. The restoration left the interior presenting well, with only some minor stretching on the driver’s seat as a fault worth noting. The remaining upholstered surfaces look excellent, the painted surfaces shine as nicely as the exterior, and the carpet is free from wear and marks. The rear cargo area is one aspect of the Countryman prone to wear and tear. However, the carpet has no wear or damage, and we are confronted with more sparkling paint. Most readers will note the right-hand-drive configuration and will find it off-putting. I would strongly suggest that you shouldn’t be. I’ve driven both LHD and RHD classics, and adapting from one to the other is surprisingly easy. My best advice would be not to let this one characteristic turn you away from this beauty because you will probably regret the decision later.
This 1967 Mini Countryman is a cool classic that presents well. Its shortcomings are few, and addressing them won’t break the bank. Its price is at the top end of the market, but the restoration quality probably justifies the figure. Some might find the right-hand-drive configuration unappealing, but it takes surprisingly little effort to adapt. If that sounds too tempting to resist, maybe pursuing this Countryman further would be worth it.
Nice write-up, Adam. I would suspect that of all the cars in the world, the Mini would offer the least difficulty for drivers going from the left to right seat. And the whitewalls appear to be cheap appliques that will soon fall off on their own, so that takes care of that….
Cute. Fun. The price could be lower, but I can say that about every car I’d like to own!
I’d make a right to left change if I bought it. There is someone who frequents BF who says all his cars are right hand drive. He should jump on this one. Nice car.
They stop well on drums in town/traffic; less so to zero from high speeds!
Minis’re fab, but I wouldn’t want another 850.
As Ettore said, “I build my cars to go, not to stop.”
Those whitewall tyres look like they might be port-a-walls
They are. Haven’t seen any of those for 50 years.
A stunningly beautiful girl, two years older than me, drove an immaculate one of these to the high school that we both attended. In retrospect, I believe that my lust was evenly split between the girl and the car at the time…
. . . yep, get proper hubcaps, chuck the whitewalls – immediately – and perhaps the ill-fitting sunroof — not sure they ever had one orig. The ‘alloy’ framed rear windows also look frightful. It may just be the photos but the rear ride height looks odd! Apart from that . . . !
This car likely came in a kit from BMC Australia. Note the Australian market front vent windows.
Back in the mid 70s I worked in a sports car shop in Avon MA, and many interesting things went through the place. One was one of these, a nicely restored shop project. “Go fill it with gas” I was told, and on the way, someone ran a light and tboned it. I was uninjured, for the record, and all the boys said to me was “couldn’t you have evaded the crash???” Like a power move was an option… Anyway, another Countryman that didn’t survive, but lives on in my memory.
In 1967 I bought the Sedan version in Meredith, NH, LHD. It had a fuel tank leak that needed repair so I paid $50 for it. At the same time, I owned a SAAB 93B. Those days are long gone!