Registration - LPA 848K

Chassis No. - TBC

M.O.T. - Exempt

Odometer - 38,000

Interest in period coachbuilt Minis is currently running high – witness the unique gathering of the Beatles’ cars at the recent London Classic Car Show - so the emergence of this rare Wood & Pickett Margrave is arguably pretty timely. It is finished in an attractive shade of metallic blue that’s complemented by sumptuous white leather interior trim. Among the more obvious internal features are a wood-rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel, original Radiomobile Stereo 8 player, full-length Webasto sun roof, and electric windows. A tour of the exterior reveals distinctive diamond-cut WP-badged alloy wheels, twin-headlamp grille, pair of locking fuel caps (the car boasts twin fuel tanks) and twin reversing lights. ‘LPA 848K’ has had just six keepers to date, the most recent of whom has retained the car since 2009. During his tenure it has been equipped with a Hi-Lo suspension kit, replacement dampers, stage 3 engine tune, electronic ignition, oil cooler and electronic ignition. As recently as this year the brakes have been uprated, the wheels refurbished and the carburation changed from twin SUs to a single HIF44 unit - he has retained the originals as well as the meaty nudge bars that were a key feature of the Margrave package, if not to everybody’s taste. The vendor currently rates the 1275cc engine, four-speed manual gearbox and upholstery as ‘good’, the bodywork as ‘average’, and the paintwork as ‘below average’. A rare opportunity to acquire a poster car from the heyday of the luxury coachbuilt Minis.

Wood & Pickett rose to prominence off the back of its up-market Mini conversions. Inspired by the success of Radford’s Mini de Ville, the company created the Margrave, which featured impressive leather and walnut trimmed facias, leather or Dralon upholstery and distinctive front and rear nudge bars etc, to which customers were encouraged to add from a lengthy list of other luxury options.

In summary:

• A rare survivor of the coachbuilt Mini era
• Just 38,580 miles and six keepers from new
• Features a number of additional upgrades