The GB Mini Garage - The Classic Mini Specialists
We’re a small, old fashioned Mini specialist based in Sheffield. Always here to help, we love what we do and there is never any sales pressure whatsoever, pop down for a coffee and a chat if there is anything we can help you with.
We export our Mini’s around the world and personally deliver them throughout the UK. That being said, it is always nicer to meet people in person.
Our landline is 0114 438 1816 and our mobile or WhatsApp number is 07542 685 869. Our website is gbminigarage.com and our instagram @gbminigarage.
Bertie the Restored & Upgraded 1989 Austin Mini 30th Birthday Edition with the Mini Sport 1293cc 80bhp Engine & Sunshine Roof
Having a build cost of £18,000 (as reported by UK Mini’s), this Mini has exceptional power with her 1293cc Mini Sport engine, beautiful bodywork and a comfortable, restored leather interior.
She is highly factory specified, being the very special 30th birthday celebration edition, of which only 390 remain. Her factory specification is taken further with her sunshine fold back roof, Cooper Sportspack and nineteen sixties features. Further still, she has a wish list of mechanical upgrades to refine her power and handing.
She is supplied fully serviced, with a recent MOT, a HPI accident clear certificate and professionally tuned by a well known engine tuning company, this makes a world of difference, makes her so much more fun.
I have expanded upon these below, beginning with her engine and finishing with her mechanical upgrades.
1. The 80bhp Mini Sport 1293cc Engine Kit
She is fitted with a highly upgraded 1293cc Mini Sport big bore engine which would cost nearly £5000 today, doubling her power. Combining this power with some serious upgrades and that legendary, rally winning classic Mini handling, she is terrific and/or terrifying to drive.
2. Beautifully Refurbished Bodywork, On Top & Underneath
Her bodywork, on top and underneath, is lovely and honest, solid and exactly what you want to see, beautifully finished in the special Austin Metallic Cherry colour combination, shifting from Cherry to Mulberry as the light fades. The photographs tell you everything you need to know, she's lovely. There are a few stone chips lovingly touched in, as to be expected, I think her roof paint is original and has some marks, but nothing that would concern you.
3. Refurbished Leather Bolstered Interior
Being fitted with the better bolstered, black leather interior, you can be comfortable. Having a new headlining, you don’t have the usual mankiness in eyesight. Finished with a range of John Cooper, Wood & Pickett and Newton and Commercial details, attention has been paid to all the little details. Her interior light isn’t currently working and has been replaced with a Amazon torch which is much more practical.
4. The Sunshine Roof
One of my personal wish list items, folding back the super rare sunshine roof on a sunny day is charming. Being fitted in 1992 and then recently recovered, you don’t have the usual water leakage. Being the more sought after manual variant, opposed to electric, you don’t have to worry about unreliability, you just pull it back and enjoy the sunshine.
5. The Cooper Sportspack
Being fitted with the Cooper Sportspack, you have the iconic wider arches and thirteen inch wheels, providing you with a much wider stance and that classically proportioned width to height ratio.
6. The MK1 Features
Finished with the iconic, nineteen sixties, chrome moustache grill, overriders, boot handle and Monza fuel cap, it’s the little details that make her special.
7. The 30th Birthday Celebration Limited Edition
Like any 30th birthday, this was be a special occasion, even more special as it would be Austin’s last. Accordingly, the Mini 30th was a fully specified all out party edition, from it’s lightening leather interior and opening rear windows to it’s special colour scheme, finished with extra lacquer. Today, only 390 remain.
8. Expensively Upgraded
Having too many upgrades to cover here, I have only covered the primary upgrades below:
- More Power
Combining the 1293cc Mini Sport engine with an LCB manifold and RC40 exhaust, she has 100% more power than her factory standard, 75% more power than the earlier nineties 1275cc and 50% more power than the high powered factory Cooper engines. Lots of power.
These engine kits cost £4937 alone from Mini Sport, albeit this engine kit was supplied and documented in 1998 at the end of factory production.
She also has a lightened clutch and flywheel, allowing you to accelerate your revs faster, then driver harder into turns, decelerating faster.
(b) More Reliability
Upgraded to use a cross pin differential and central oil pick up, her gearbox is more reliable and is silky smooth on transitions. Fitted with the premium £200 Aldon electronic ignition system, she starts first time, no matter the condition.
(c) Better Handling
Fitted with 13x6 Sportspack alloys wrapped in Pirelli P7F tyres, she has enhanced grip. Upgraded with Hi-Lo’s, SPAX adjustable shock absorbers and adjustable tie rods she has dynamic, adjustable handling that you can play with to create your perfect ride. Being fitted with a brake servo, aero quip hoses, superfin alloy rear drums and recently new discs and pads she stops well (for a Mini).
These Pirelli P7F tyres were specially made by Pirelli for a classic Mini and are advertised online at nearly £2000 a set, compared to just £200 for standard new tyres. Crazy. Apparently the selling point is that they have a similar tread pattern to a Lamborghini Countach (which I do know to be true, I just don’t know if they are worth £2k). But hey, posh tyres.
9. Fully Serviced, Professionally Tuned, HPI Clear, Recent MOT: Ready to Drive Away
She is supplied fully serviced, with a recent MOT and HPI clear certificate, ready for you to drive away without worries. I have been driving her personally and she is great. We have also had a well known engine tuning company tune her carburettor and engine to optimise her performance which makes a world of difference.
Extra Photographs
If you would like to see loads of extra photographs, please use the following link www.gbminigarage.com/c30