5 replies to this topic

[MiniManiac]

Hello everyone. I am "almost" done with my first Mini restoration. Let's say I can finally pretty much see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak hehehe So I was hoping to get some help from anyone here in the forum, to determine which would be the proper badges/emblems that would have come on my '72 Mini van.

With the help of some of you, I think I am almost certain now that it is indeed a '72 van that I purchased. It came along with what to me, seem like very diverse and contradicting badges/emblems. I do not know if it is because the lady that I bought it from just went and got her hands on whatever Mini badges & emblems she could find, or because all the previous owners contributed in some way to the collection that came along with it, or rather (the least likely to me) it actually had the original ones, and got some added along the way. What do you think??

Below are photos of the car and the emblems it came along with (some Morris, an Austin 'script' which I believe is for MK I boot, a Mini black & blue shield which I think is a Cooper S Mk III bonnet badge, etc).

My issue is they seem to be from different years and also from different styles/models. So If anyone could please help me out to find out which badges/emblems my '72 Mini Van should be sporting? it would be great. Thank you very much for your time and help

Attached Files

•  Best view.JPG   75.48K   7 downloads
•  Austin Script Boot Badge:emblem.jpg   78.98K   1 downloads
•  1st MiniVan photo.jpg   58.64K   7 downloads

[mininuts]

Your van, being a '72, is a Mk3 so, the shield shaped badge on the left of your picture is correct for the bonnet, (same as a Mk3 Cooper S).

There would have been no badges at all on the rear. The Austin and Morris names were dropped in 1969, when the Mk3 appeared, and the van simply became Mini Van.

The round 'MINI' badge in the bottom right of the picture is actually a steering wheel centre and, that is the correct one for a Mk3.

Hope this helps.

[Artful Dodger]

Be different, get the big badge with the horn in the middle of your picture on there, would look cool!

Edited by Artful Dodger, 11 September 2012 - 10:21 PM.

[MiniManiac]

Thank you very much mininuts that is actually very helpful. The shield shaped badge on the left is actually the one that is on the bonnet right now (well, one just like it), also the current steering wheel has a centre just like the one on the photo, but I was doubtful they were the right ones, because in addition to them the car has one of the small 'Morris' badges in the photo fixed on either side (I think that would be on the 'A' panels), and had the 'Austin' script boot badge on the rear left door. So as you can see I was somewhat confused, specially since it has no identifying number plates other than the FE number which is one of the reasons why I had a hard time 'dating' it in the first place.

Well Artful Dodger I do think it might look cool as you say and I am all for being different and unique I actually thought of doing just as you suggest, but the only problem is that the big 'Morris' badge pictured that you are referring to, is broken (if you look closely at the photo you can probably spot that), so that pretty much made me abandon that idea. Although lately I have been wondering if it would be possible to either take it somewhere to get it stuck together/fixed or have a replica made from a mould or something of the sort.

My other idea would be to turn it into a sort of period Mini version of a Paris-Dakkar rally competitor, with round white magnetic number plates - red numbers, on the doors, period roof rack, large fender protector (we call them 'donkey killers' here in CR LOL) with mounted halogen & fog lamps, etc. (I am not sure about the racing stripes on the bonnet though) or to go full UK/brit and place a Union Jack on the roof, UK flags on the bonnet and boot emblems & possibly the wheels & steering wheel centre, etc.

I would appreciate any and all feedback and input regarding which direction to go

[mesco]

The correct front badge:



http://www.austinmin...om/van1000.html

[mininuts]

That's a Mk4 badge which appeared in 1976, the OPs van is a '72 which makes it Mk3.