Registration - SBN 506S

Chassis No. - XE2D2-491245A

M.O.T. - Oct 2023

Odometer - 49,621

‘SBN 506S’ bears little similarity to how it would have looked on leaving the Leyland production line in March 1978 as a standard red-coloured GT. We understand that it was restored and resprayed within the last 10 years by Mini specialist M&N Davies of the Castle Garage, Holt, near Wrexham. The result is certainly eye-catching thanks to its white over blue paintwork, white striped bonnet, and extra wide arches covering a set of mighty Minilite-style alloy wheels shod with suitably low-profile tyres. Other upgrades include auxiliary lights front and rear, bonnet pins, a pair of chromed Le Mans-style filler caps, rear mud-flaps, uprated exhaust system, alloy rocker cover, high-back reclining seats, OMP woodrim steering wheel, and a polished wood facia with auxiliary gauges. The vendor acquired the Mini in January last year and says it ‘starts, runs, and stops as it should, and is reliable’, though he notes that ‘the starter motor is now a bit slow’. Overall, he classes the grey cloth interior as ‘excellent’ and the A Series engine, four-speed manual transmission, bodywork and paintwork as ‘good’. He is now offering the GT complete with JVC radio/cassette and parcel shelf-mounted speakers – the odometer currently registers a totally credible though unwarranted total mileage of 49,621.

‘At last – a comfortable Mini’ was Motor magazine’s take on the 1275 GT/Clubman at its introduction in 1969. There were pros and cons to the alternative design – its longer nose offered far better crash protection and infinitely superior under-bonnet access. It was also an altogether better equipped car, but was inevitably more expensive and also aerodynamically inferior to the classic 1959 option. A total of 110,673 1275 GTs and 275,583 Clubman saloons were ultimately produced.

In summary:

• Restored by a Mini specialist garage some 10 years ago
• The subject of a number of uprates inside and out
• Dry stored between occasional outings in its current ownership