My First Car, “Harvey”

I have finally decided on a car!

Back in October 2008 I was out and about with my uncle, just out for a drive, and we came across a dealership full of classic cars. We went inside for a closer look, and something drew me to a car. A 1973 Austin Mini 1000. Now, I have always liked Mini’s but never really considered one as a first motor, but when I saw “Harvey” (He’s Harvest Gold, that’s the origin of his name) I fell in love with him.

He’s a two owner from new, 36,000 Mile Minter. Never Welded, Modified or Resprayed and Undersealed from new.

The asking price was £3495, and we considered buying it, we haggled and agreed on £3000, with a new battery, full service, 6 months tax and a fresh MOT. We went back later that week and took him out for a test drive. He was so much fun, and surprisingly nippy given his “massive” 37bhp output!

When we came back off of the test drive, the owner of the garage was there. We hadn’t dealt with him before, and when we mentioned the agreed price of £3000 he blew his top at the employee we had been talking to, saying that they’d be losing money and there was no way in hell he could sell it for that price. We were gutted. He could see that we were annoyed and said we could have it for £3200 with no MOT, no tax and no service. We in as many words, told him where he could put that offer.

I was totally gutted, it crushed me, I had my heart set on that car and it took me ages to get over it. But about 2 months ago I was around the same way as the dealer that was selling it at the time. I asked what had happened to my Mini, and found out it had been put in a local Maritime Museum. We went down there straight away, and found out it had been bought by an employee, so that the museum could use it in an exhibit. We left out name and number, and never expected a response.

A week later, a lovely man called Tony Stevens rang us. The new owner of Harvey. He is a classic car collector, and said he would be more than happy to sell it once the museum has finished with him, January 2010. I went down to his and went out in a few of his classics, including: A 3.9V8 Morgan, Austin 7 Ulster Rep, 1973 VW Bus and an Austin 10. Was great fun! After this, he said he liked me and my attitude towards cars and my general personality. He had said any time I want to come and play around with a car, I am more than welcome to go down his, and he’ll teach me a few things.

But the best news? He has PROMISED to sell it to me in January, and my uncle has promised as well!

He’s a 1973 Austin Mini 100 in Harvest Gold, A very Seventies colour.

I intend to do totally reverseable modifications, like:

Twin HS4 Su’s, Torque-Master Inlet, 12G295 (1275cc Cooper S) Head, 3-2-1 Exhaust Manifold into straight through system with Cherry Bomb Silencers, and possibly a Kent Cam Kit.

Shold be pretty pokey!