Hi Everyone
I have joined this forum as I plan on becoming a mini owner again after 17 years!
However rather than buying any mini, it would be great if I could track down my first car that I sold all those years ago. I fear that the car is probably long gone but I thought this looked like the right place to at least try and find it.
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The car was a 1987 Austin Mini Advantage E369HBD.
I bought it in 1999 as a bit of a wreck, but fortunately my dad was a welder and over about two years we slowly rebuilt it.
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We did a lot of work to that car and many modifications (some not so tasteful). We made it into a sportspack Cooper replica and fitted all the badges, the bonnet stripes were painted on as we resprayed the whole car. The seats were from a Honda CRX we found in a breakers yard. It had two Mk2 Fiesta rear foglights as I thought that would look cool. I got a black honeycomb dash and a centre console from a mini magazine, clear lights, stainless bumpers, bonnet release free grill etc, etc
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After a trip to an Oxford Mini show featuring Mike Brewer it was clear the engine was drinking oil, so we bought a fire damaged Metro and transplanted the engine, it was only a 998 due to insurance restriction of a 17 year old!
I went everywhere in this Mini until I got a job and decided that a Rover 216 Coupe was the car for me! I parked the Mini in the garage where it sat for a few months and ended up selling it to a lad who was probably about 17. I sold the car in 2002 from Lymington in Hampshire and it was about a month before I regretted selling it.
I have been online and looked up when the vehicle was last on the road and it was 2003. This rather sadly makes me think it was involved in an accident as an MOT tester would have had a hard time failing it after everthing that went into it.
I know its a long shot but I would love to know what happened to the car or if it is in a dusty barn or garage somewhere. I would happily buy it back regardless of condition!
If anyone can tell me anything about the car that would be fantastic to hear from you.
Thanks
Oliver