Continuing on with our “Tips Line In-Box Clean-up” Weekend Edition, here is a tip from our very own Tim Odell on an unusual Mini that is currently listed on eBay. Well, it used to be Mini, but now it’s Maxi!


This is a right hand drive 1969 Mini that had been professionally stretched into Maxi proportions while (whilst?) it was still in the UK. According to the listing:

A 1969 STRETCH MINI-COOPER LIMOUSINE, IT IS AN APPROX. 50 ” STRETCH AND RIGHT HAND DRIVE, IT WAS PROFESSIONALLY DONE IN THE U.K. BY A COUPLE GUYS THAT WORKED FOR A LIMOUSINE STRETCHING COMPANY, AND IT WAS BUILT ON A BET, THEY WERE SITTING IN THE PUB AFTER WORK, DOWNING A COUPLE OF PINTS OF BEER, AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE A COOL PROJECT CAR TO DO, THAT NO ONE HAD DONE BEFORE AND WOULD BE STRUCTURALLY SOUND. LUCKILY ENOUGH THE MAIN BUILDERS FATHER WAS A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, AND HE DESIGNED ALL THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES, SO IT IS OVER BUILT IN AVERY WAY, AND IS SO SOLID AND DOES NOT HAVE ONE SINGLE CREEK OR A SWAGGER OR ANY GAP PROBLEMS. YOU CAN JACK UP ONE CORNER OF THE CAR UP 3 FEET AND STILL OPEN ALL THE DOORS AND STILL HAVE ALL THE SAME GAPS PERFECT EVERYWHERE. THE CAR IS AS CLEAN UNDERNEATH AS IT IS ON TOP, NOT UNDER-COATED, BUT PAINTED WHITE AND WAXED LIKE ON TOP, NOT A SPOT OF RUST ON THE ENTIRE CAR GUARANTEED…WHILST IN THE U.K. IT WAS IN A TEMPERATURE REGULATED GARAGE, AND NEVER OUT IN RAIN OR SNOW. 

IT WAS BUILT USING 3 CARS, AND HAS 3 CROSS MEMBERS, AND LOTS OF STEEL GIRDERS, LOTS OF CONNELLY LEATHER, WILTON WOOL CARPET, AND BURL WOOD EVERYWHERE, THE REAR DOOR WINDOWS HAD TO BE SPECIAL MADE BY MINI FOR THE CAR, THEY ARE OF COURSE TEMPERED GLASS, AND I HAVE A SPARE SET FOR THE NEW OWNER THAT GOES WITH THE CAR JUST IN CASE.

THE ENGINE IS VERY POWERFUL. IT IS A SPECIAL 1430CC WITH A SPECIAL TRANSMISSION. THE CAR WAS BUILT IN 1993 AND FINISHED LATER IN LATE 1994, SO MOSTLY NEWER PARTS WERE USED ON THE CAR WHEN BUILT.ABOUT 18 MONTHS AND SOME 4,000 MAN HOURS, IT HAS APPEARED IN MANY MAGAZINES AND HAS BEEN IN 3 MAJOR FILMS, AND SOME 45 COMMERCIALS, I HAVE A VHS TAPE WITH MOST OF IT ON THERE. IT HAS CUSTOM MADE AIR CONDITIONING COMMISSIONED AND MADE BY MINI IN GREAT BRITAIN AND TOOK 9 MONTHS TO MAKE FOR ME.

THERE IS SO MUCH MORE THAT I COULD WRITE ABOUT THE CAR AND COULD GO ON FOREVER, BUT I WOULD BORE YOU AND I DO NOT WANT TO DO THAT, CHECK OUT MY WEB PAGES LISTED IN THE ADD, AND IF YOU STILL WANT MORE EMAIL ME, I LOVE THIS CAR BEYOND WORDS. AND SO WILL YOU IT IS TRULY A ONE OF A KIND.

The car originally costs £50,000, and was appraised at £65,000. Current bidding has stalled at $11,100 with an unmet reserve. According to the listing, the reserve is somewhere around $25,000. Do you think it will be sold with that kind of reserve? See the listing here.