9 replies to this topic

[Hunter2]

My Austin countryman was built in July 1961 and shipped to a dealer in New York.  Decades later it was imported into Canada but in need of restoration.  After sitting for more than 10 years on a rack in my garage, the restoration began today Dec. 1, 2015.

 

I took several photos to document the welds through the door steps across the floor and through the A pillars to confirm the Woody was constructed from a good back end and a good front end.  There is even some distortion of the tunnel aft of the crossmember.

 

My theory has been that it was built in July 1961 from the good bits of 2 crash test Minis as the external tank was being evaluated.  The leading of the welds on the A pillars and door steps is abundantly evident.

 

I was told by a very high end restoration shop (Pebble Beach Concours Winners) that the welds were so good they must have been done at the factory.  We can see the welds 54 years later.

 

Happy to post the photos here.

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[Mini Manannán]

So the factory sliced two cars in half and welded the halves together?  hmmm...

[Spider]

Interesting but not altogether surprising.

 

I did some Consultancy and Contracting work for Ford here in Sydney from 1983 until I literally turned the lights out in 1991, and some of the things I saw 'happen' on the line (and off the line) in that time, well, it raised my eye brows more than once. I did query one vehicle in passing once and they said that they just couldn't afford to write off any cars. I have no idea if BMC were in the same boat, but looking at your woody, could well be!

Edited by Moke Spider, 02 December 2015 - 08:26 AM.

[Shifty]

It would be a good story but I really doubt it.

Looks like a good old fashioned cut and shut to me. Very nicely done but not a factory job.

[CityEPete]

At least they managed to not put an mpi Cooper back end on like many on eBay!

I can't see the time and effort being worth it at the time compared to throwing a few cheap pressings on a jig, the paint and fitting out would still need to be redone even if the mule cars were just bare inside surely?

[nicklouse]

I would also say cut and shut at some time, most likely while in the usa.

[ACDodd]

There are many like this around the planet. The factory would join cars at the seams not the floors. Straight through like that is usually a sign of some underhand back street shenannigans.

Ac

[Vipernoir]

Front end smash some time in the 60s, repaired with the front end from a rear ended Mini.

 

Not as blatant as some of the internal hinged wind up window MPi Woodies there are floating around, but still a vintage cut-n-shut.

[peter-b]

It is also possible it was cut to avoid import tax. Not sure of your laws but here in Aus, years ago, if you imported a car you paid import duty on it. If it come in in two halves it was just 'parts', avoiding the import tax. Didn't take government long to fix that loop hole.

[CityEPete]

CKD complete knock down cars were sent around the world but they wouldn't have cut it in half, sub frames off and seats out maybe.