Terry started to build a Designer limited edition Mini for his wedding day car back in 2011 and used a Mini specialist local to him called Surf Blue Garage in Ilkeston and this is how he came to own the 1979 Mini Pick-up.
Terry went to buy some parts and noticed a Pick-up in the corner, buried under a load of parts. He asked if the car was for sale but they said it wasn’t and that everybody that came through the door asked if it was for sale.
About a year later Terry spotted the Pick-up for sale on Facebook and frantically tried to contact the garage. Eventually Terry managed to speak with the owner who explained how he had been inundated with calls about the Pick-up, possibly because he was advertising it for a mere £600. The Pick-up was being sold as a first come, first served basis the next day at 9am so Terry hooked up his trailer the evening before and was first to the garage at 7am the next morning and beating around 6 other people before the 9am deadline.
This wasn’t a miracle Pick-up that needed a couple of swift repairs to get it back on the road and anything listed for sale with a three-figure sum was likely to need intensive care, just like this Pick-up.
With nine previous owners on the logbook, no current MOT certificate and lots of corrosion there wasn’t much of a Pick-up to look at and much work was needed. Terry started to compile a list of parts as many were needed including front and rear subframes, brakes, suspension and a complete front end.
This was a massive long build process and fast forward to 2018 when the Pick-up was finally assembled and made its way over to Gas Bodyshop for a full respray in Smoke Grey which really suits it. Terry then spent the next 18 months building the Pick-up to what is is now.
Straying from standard Terry decided to build it just how he wanted it.
The engine is a 1275 A+ engine bought from a member of the Derbyshire Classic Mini Owners Club, which has been bored by +0.040” to displace 1312cc and is equipped with a 12G1805 11-stud cylinder head, as used on the MK3 Cooper S models, ported and gas flowed. Fitted with an MED XT 280 camshaft suited to track day use this provide a power band between 2,500 and 7,250rpm.
Terry estimates his final costs for building this fantastic Pick-ups is yet to break into a five-figure sum but he did start with a very reasonable purchase price and having the added advantage of a workshop and specialist friends helping has helped.
Shopping around at Mini shows for several years has made huge savings for Terry and even recalls when he knocked over £100 off the asking price of a selection of used parts simply by waiting until the end of the show.
There is no escaping the hard work that has gone into this Pick-up which has been an ongoing project for the last 10 years or more for Terry. The quality of build on this Pick-up is superb and has to be one of our favourite Minis on the scene so a massive Well Done to Terry for putting this together.
