Mini Magazine – September 2019

brother quickly realised that the crowd

were completely out of touch with the

heritage of the car. “People were tearing

into it saying “It isn’t a Cooper at all, it’s

just a worthless old 850.” This reassured

Lars, until his brother noticed that an

expert was quietly taking a lot of photos.

After all his years of waiting, Lars was

going to lose the car. That night he went

home to his wife, Helle, with a heavy

heart. He explained that it was all over

and he wasn’t even going to bother

bidding. Her response brought him up

short “you’ve gone on and on about the

bloody Mini for years, you’re not

backing out now!”

Lars sent his bid on the Sunday and

waited nervously until the following

Friday for the winner to be announced.

By Friday afternoon he had heard

nothing and the sense of disappointment

returned, until the evening came,

bringing with it the email that he had

been waiting for.

And five days later he went back to

pick the car up. “When I was loading it

onto the trailer two guys came and told

me that I was a fool! They said that it

wasn’t a Cooper and was of no value. I

must admit that it really made me laugh.

They would be so surprised if they saw

the 131 now!”

When it comes to restoration stories,

we all know how easily you can lose

many years to sourcing parts, putting

money aside and slogging out the hard

graft. But for Lars, just waiting for the

car to become available involved a

serious war of nerves.

As we stood beside that splendid

Morris on the very site that it was built,

shining as brightly as it did on the day it

was manufactured, we had to agree with

Lars that it was well worth the wait and

all of his patience had paid off.

If you have an interest in 1959 Minis

then you may be interested in browsing

the 1959 Mini Register website.

http://1959miniregister.com If you have

a Mini that was manufactured in 1959,

then the Register is free to join.

You can contact the Register via the

contact form on their website or by post

if you’d rather: 1959 Mini Register,

Precedent House, Woodchurch Road,

Upton, Wirral. England. CH49 5PJ

“I knew this Mini was a pearl, and it was

my responsibility to make it correct”

THANKS TO:

The 1959 Mini Register and the Oxford

Plant. Bill Bell and Trevor, Michael

Elsberg for good sparring, Micke

Pettersson and Peter Kronsell , Lars Åke

Dalgreen for helping with parts and

everyone else who I have pestered for

parts until they gave up and handed

them over to me. Also, the painter and

blacksmith for doing such a good job,

even though they thought I was crazy!

Correct in every detail, this export

model features unique parts such

the B-post side repeaters.

brotherquicklyrealisedthatthecrowd
werecompletelyoutoftouchwiththe
heritageofthecar.“Peopleweretearing
intoit saying“Itisn’ta Cooperatall,it’s
justa worthlessold850.”Thisreassured
Lars,untilhisbrothernoticedthatan
expertwasquietlytakinga lotofphotos.
Afterallhisyearsofwaiting,Larswas
goingtolosethecar.Thatnighthewent
hometohiswife,Helle,witha heavy
heart.Heexplainedthatit wasallover
andhewasn’tevengoingtobother
bidding.Herresponsebroughthimup
short“you’vegoneonandonaboutthe
bloodyMiniforyears,you’renot
backingoutnow!”
LarssenthisbidontheSundayand
waitednervouslyuntilthefollowing
Fridayforthewinnertobeannounced.
ByFridayafternoonhehadheard
nothingandthesenseofdisappointment
returned,untiltheeveningcame,
bringingwithit theemailthathehad
beenwaitingfor.
Andfivedayslaterhewentbackto
pickthecarup.“WhenI wasloadingit
ontothetrailertwoguyscameandtold
methatI wasa fool!Theysaidthatit
wasn’ta Cooperandwasofnovalue.I
mustadmitthatit reallymademelaugh.
Theywouldbesosurprisedif theysaw
the 131 now!”
Whenit comestorestorationstories,
weallknowhoweasilyyoucanlose

manyyearstosourcingparts,putting

moneyasideandsloggingoutthehard

graft.ButforLars,justwaitingforthe

cartobecomeavailableinvolveda

seriouswarofnerves.

Aswestoodbesidethatsplendid

Morrisontheverysitethatit wasbuilt,

shiningasbrightlyasit didonthedayit

wasmanufactured,wehadtoagreewith

Larsthatit waswellworththewaitand

allofhispatiencehadpaidoff.

If youhaveaninterestin 1959 Minis

thenyoumaybeinterestedinbrowsing

the 1959 MiniRegisterwebsite.

http://1959miniregister.comIf youhave

a Minithatwasmanufacturedin1959,

thentheRegisteris freetojoin.

YoucancontacttheRegisterviathe

contactformontheirwebsiteorbypost

if you’drather: 1959 MiniRegister,

PrecedentHouse,WoodchurchRoad,

Upton,Wirral.England.CH495PJ

“I knew this Mini was a pearl, and it was

my responsibility to make it correct”

THANKS TO:

The 1959 Mini Register and the Oxford

Plant. Bill Bell and Trevor, Michael

Elsberg for good sparring, Micke

Pettersson and Peter Kronsell , Lars Åke

Dalgreen for helping with parts and

everyone else who I have pestered for

parts until they gave up and handed

them over to me. Also, the painter and

blacksmith for doing such a good job,

even though they thought I was crazy!

Correct in every detail, this export

model features unique parts such

the B-post side repeaters.