13 replies to this topic

[JBW]

Being a bit of an anorak I like to know as much info as I can, so please excuse this.

 

Looking at Practical Classics December 2001, there is a 4 door Mini Major for sale, it was a 1990 car & they wanted £25K for it, then I saw the post about the 4 door World Rally Cup Mini, after a bit of Google therapy I found this,   9-a56c2.jpg   117.75K   49 downloads

 

Its the same as the one in PC, but in Japan.

 

Has anyone ever heard of or seen a Mini Major ?

[some1158]

There were proposals in the late 50s for a four-door Mini (see http://www.aronline....mini-four-door/) but they were abandoned, presumably because they would have not been too different from the ADO16 1100 model, which was basically a 'big Mini'. This Mini Major looks home-made, though quite well done.

[JBW]

Thanks for the info, just seems odd that I found 2 Mini Majors.

I used to work near Cowley & remember the infamous 434NWL which was claimed to be the first Mini, a Mr Ferriman was the owner,who had purchased it when he worked at the factory, saw the car most days.

Also once saw a fibreglass one as manufactured in South America, but it was UK registered.

[Leonberger]

Saw one of these at the IMM in Belgium that was the first I had seen but I thought it was probably a home made adaption bit like a mini limo.

[mab01uk]

BMW had this classic Mini 4-door built when they launched their Mini History exhibition in Munich (soon to come to MINI Plant Oxford) and also to coincide with the launch of the 4-door F56 MINI (5-door if you include the rear hatch).

Mini-Mengers:-

https://www.mini-men...le/mini-4-door/

 

 

Quote from Autocar magazine:-
"As part of the exhibition, BMW has also built a replica of an experimental four-door Mini that was constructed by Austin-Morris in the early 1960s. Based on period photos, the new car is based on a later-model Mini Classic. BMW design sources say the original four-door was built on the same stretched wheelbase as the Mini Van, which was launched in 1960. One version used standard Mini front doors, which were flipped and rear-hinged, while nother version used a bespoke door design. Neither prototype survived when the company decided not to pursue the idea."

 

28 Photos from the exhibition here:-
http://www.autocar.c...picture-special

The 'Mini Story' exhibition will eventually be going on show at the Cowley Oxford Plant after its run in Munich.

 

Concepts and prototypes : Mini four-door:-
http://www.aronline....mini-four-door/

Edited by mab01uk, 28 November 2021 - 02:14 PM.

[JBW]

Thanks for all the info, very interesting.

Looking forwards to when the exhibition gets to Cowley Hope we will be allowed to visit it.

[mk1leg]

[666junky]

Mk1 - is that the Essex based one? I wont go into too much detail on where it is.. I did alot of research into 4 doors, then basically got threatened to stop looking into it all and to keep my nose out lol. I almost bought a complete custom 4 door that was very nearly scrapped but i believe the fella changed his mind or sold it for silly money.
There is a certain type of 4 door - all standard length and all built around the same time, last i knew there was 3 to 5 of them around but I cant really discuss it further for fear of being lynched!!

[JBW]

Very interesting, I found a few more pics in my searching , so obviously a few have been created.

Attached Files

•  mini 1.jpg   93.95K   9 downloads
•  mini 2.jpg   40.55K   10 downloads
•  mini3.jpg   78.02K   4 downloads

[mk1leg]

when they were launched at Beaulieu in 1993or 95 they had made 3 and had orders for another 6 so there could be 9 knocking around ........

[timmy850]

They sold a 4 door Morris Major in Australia (nothing to do with a mini though)

https://en.m.wikiped...ki/Morris_Major

[mab01uk]

Thread resurrection.....found some Mini-Major photos below I took at Brands Hatch in early 1990's.

 

Mini-Major 4-door Mini conversions

 

[Maccmike8]

They dont look so good..

[nicklouse]

Don’t forget the rally car.