1980 Austin Mini - Reborn from the Flames - My Car

Just as a phoenix must go up in flames in order to come back stronger, so did this Austin.

That’s because when owner Ian bought it for just £275 in 1993 (having haggled the owner down from £290), it was rose-coloured with a brown vinyl roof and brown interior - until it caught fire during a welding mishap in 1994.

“Doing some welding on it the carpet rolled back [which set it on fire],” Ian told us. “It warped the roof, burnt all the seats, all the interior, centre console, dash, wiring looms. So it got pushed to the back of the unit and I forgot all about it.”

It sat in the back of that unit for nearly 30 years while Ian bought and repaired other Minis, but three years ago he decided to come back to it with a goal in mind: “I built it because I wanted to do a bit of hillclimbing. That’s why it’s got the full cage.”

A full rollcage isn’t the only thing it’s got - the 18-month restoration saw the interior get checkerboard floor mats, leather bucket seats, a fire extinguisher, and not much else. The focus on weight saving is obvious, as the dash has just three dials, the door handles inside and out have been milled to be lighter, and door cards are very minimal.

He’s also made some performance changes, replacing the standard 1100 engine with a 1275. “It’s fully restored, nut-and-bolt, virtually everything,” he told us. There’s also direct camber on the rear and an adjustable 1.5 on the front to help with handling.

With the car having previously been on fire though, it needed a new lick of paint - something Ian also did himself.

“I wanted a Japanese-esque cafe racer style look to it. The wipers are from Japan, wheels are from Japan. Odd little bits and pieces.”

The design choices continue - roundels on all four sides, leather straps on the bonnet and a leather patch around the fuel filler cap, fog lights front and rear, and the wider wheel arches (something the car originally came with) add more character to the car. 

There’s just something that draws you to it - the size, the focus on form and function - it just looks fun. And it draws people in, too.

“I was parked by the side of an SVJ and there were more people looking at mine than the Lamborghini”, Ian told us.

Ian’s car's story is one worth remembering; sometimes, rebirth is hard but necessary - and it'll be better because of it.