8 replies to this topic

[arran1977]

Hi All,

 

First post and on the want already.....sorry but its a bit of a needle in a haystack this one as the mini in question belonged to my wife and her sister from when they passed their driving test and having spent many years in their ownership they moved on and sold it over 10 year ago to a man from Somerset somewhere.

 

Unfortunately this year my sister in law died and my wife has been talking about the Mini that she once owned with her and apart from knowing that it is Sorn there is nothing else I can find out with doing barn raids etc....so that's where I hoping the forum might be able to help

 

Have you seen the Mini, or maybe know who might own it now which I know if a very long shot but without starting somewhere it will always be an unknown

 

Thanks very much for your time and any info would be great even if its to say it is no longer.

 

Arran

 

 Scan_20191122 (43).jpg   72.43K   10 downloads

[Itsaminithing]

A 1980 Canadian Mini with a Birmingham registration number plate  

At least it will be easier to spot & more memorable than most Minis previous owners are looking for.

[arran1977]

A 1980 Canadian Mini with a Birmingham registration number plate

At least it will be easier to spot & more memorable than most Minis previous owners are looking for.

 

 

Yes very much so, it was an export model that never went to Canada apparently so was a conversation starter every time it went near a garage as some parts were in the wrong place for UK market

Edited by arran1977, 22 November 2019 - 09:33 PM.

[Itsaminithing]

That is almost certainly true.

Canada stopped importing Minis sometime in 1980 & this Mini would have been built late in that year (Sept?) so it's probably one of the last Canadian Minis ever built.

UK Mini production couldn't meet fulfill demand at that time (1000 Belgian built Minis were imported into the UK every month in 1979  & i'm pretty sure things hadn't got better in 1980!) so it's not surprising that they fitted UK spec front Indicators & sold it here in the UK.

The demand for Minis did drop later after the introduction of the Mini Metro. On the 8th Oct the Mini Metro Press Kit was released featuring photos of an Austin Mini Metro GJW 315W.

 

Unfortunately none of this helps you find GJW 179W   

Looking at the Pass/Fail data & the mileage on it's old MOT it's more probable that it is in limbo somewhere (stored, probably stripped & awaiting a full rebuild) than it having been scrapped.

Have you tried Facebook yet?

[arran1977]

That is almost certainly true.

Canada stopped importing Minis sometime in 1980 & this Mini would have been built late in that year (Sept?) so it's probably one of the last Canadian Minis ever built.

UK Mini production couldn't meet fulfill demand at that time (1000 Belgian built Minis were imported into the UK every month in 1979  & i'm pretty sure things hadn't got better in 1980!) so it's not surprising that they fitted UK spec front Indicators & sold it here in the UK.

The demand for Minis did drop later after the introduction of the Mini Metro. On the 8th Oct the Mini Metro Press Kit was released featuring photos of an Austin Mini Metro GJW 315W.

 

Unfortunately none of this helps you find GJW 179W 

Looking at the Pass/Fail data & the mileage on it's old MOT it's more probable that it is in limbo somewhere (stored, probably stripped & awaiting a full rebuild) than it having been scrapped.

Have you tried Facebook yet?

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for taking the time to write all the information and thanks to the members and more importantly West Country Mini's they have manged to get me some information on it within 24 hours which was unreal and now trying to make direct contact with them.

 

Without all this help I would not have known where to start but thanks to all that have contributed and the power of the internet is unreal.

[G'Racy]

Interesting car and story, hope you find it

[mm man]

Interesting car and story, hope you find it

 2nd that 

[Cooperman]

Please let us know how you get on with this.

[mab01uk]

Rare version of the Mini, hope it still exists and gets restored to original Canada Export spec for posterity....even though this export 'look' was never popular!