The front and rear aprons, bonnet air scoop and dual tailpipes hint. Jul 29, 20 the very last mini to leave longbridge has sold for. The longbridge factory has grown over the years, but is split up into four main areas. The last mini to leave the longbridge factory has sold for.
The biggest mini in the range, built for families who live for adventure. The mini was a fairly loaded example as these cars go, being a clubman 1275gt. His father, a farmer, was giles stevens austin and his mother was clara jane simpson. The mini countryman comes with an optional fourwheel drive, advanced navigation technology and adventurous spirit. All new mini vehicles sold in the uk as of july 2018 are. Anyway, since i first posted these thoughts, a couple of readers have pointed out that, according to jon pressnells book, mini the definitive history, this is very much the case. Normally, in doing so you want a clutch centering tool. Longbridge was commissioned for an underground factory, which was built underneath groveley lane, where aircraft engines and associated components were assembled during ww2. British rail class 168 clubman, a diesel multipleunit train.
Containing unique images from the offical company archive, this book charts almost 100 years of carmaking at longbridge near birmingham. Clubman racing car class bl mini clubman, a small car produced by british leyland from 19691980. I suppose with the plant eventually closing, any sense of nostalgia was quickly lost given the car was either destined for a dealership for an. Get other bmw repair manuals heremini 1969 2001 haynes owners service repair manual covers. Jul 28, 20 the mini clubman so famously rescued from the longbridge tunnels in 2012 fell short of impressing at auction. May 15, 20 the very last mini to leave longbridge is to go under the hammer. Top of the range 2010 mini cooper clubman with pepper and media pack, 1. He was educated at rotherham grammar school and brampton commercial college, where he studied architecture. A 25yearold mini has gone up for sale with just miles on the clock, after it was originally bought for the previous owners sons who were too tall to fit inside. Clubman tt, a motorcycle sport event in the isle of man from 19471956.
Very rare convertible mini in lhd with ac and 1275 engine. The first mini with all4 fourwheel drive, four doors and four seats. Mini new and used parts and accessories kawana wreckers. Introduction the origins of the longbridge works are a tin printing and box manufacturing works built by the birmingham company of white and pike ltd. The mini clubman so famously rescued from the longbridge tunnels in 2012 fell short of impressing at auction. The clubman is a longer version of the mini hatch, with more rear legroom and a bigger boot beneath its estatestyle squaredoff tail. With its iconic split rear doors, the new mini clubman is the perfect car for those with personality. Mini clubman city unveiled in the uk as more affordable choice.
The mini clubman so famously rescued from the longbridge tunnels in 2012 making it the final new example of its type to leave the factory will be going on sale at silverstone auctions on 27 july. A car hidden for more than 30 years after being left in a tunnel under the factory where it was built is to be. Needs some work around the edges but a great project. Mini yourstudent gemini wiki fandom powered by wikia. May 29, 2018 the mini was a fairly loaded example as these cars go, being a clubman 1275gt. A car hidden for more than 30 years after being left in a. The word mini has been used in car model names since 1959, and in 1969 it became a marque in its own right when the name mini replaced the separate austin mini and morris mini car model names. The battered mini clubman used to travel around the sprawling plant had. Mini cooper clubman city 2018 uk price and specs revealed.
Mini moke leyland bmw workshop and repair manuals book. Rare convertible mini lhd, ac, 1275cc engine, consignment sale. The result is a unique and exclusive proposition that combines the john cooper worksspecification engine and corresponding modifications with mini. In the second world war, the main plant produced munitions and tank parts, while the nearby east works of austin aero ltd at cofton hackett produced short stirling and the hawker hurricane aircraft. Oct 04, 2016 the clubman is too new to have been included in any reliability studies, but mini itself has a middling record. Otr price is based on the recommended retail price including vat and on the road charges including delivery and. Entrance to the longbridge tunnels all photographs by the author. Most of the longbridge site is currently being redeveloped, the remaining buildings still standing are owned by the. Mini stylised as mini is a british automotive marque founded in 1969, owned by german automotive company bmw since 2000, and used by them for a range of small cars.
The austin motor company was founded here by herbert austin in 1905 and it has since been home to british motor corporation, british leyland, rover group and latterly mg rover. As it turns out, they are simply not available for the 2009 mini cooper clubman as yet. Herbert austin was born on 8th november 1866 at 3, mill cottages little missenden, buckinghamshire, england. The very last mini to leave longbridge has sold for. Saloon estate van and pickup including clubman cooper s mk3 1275gt 1. This is typically just a cheap plastic jobber that costs a couple of dollars that allows you to center the clutch disk on the motor shaft. Longbridge tunnels, birmingham aug 20 i popped down a couple of weeks ago without my camera and decided to pop back down technically i was on 1 10 so this is a dinner hour visit the entry is starting to get a bit dodgy, someone has gone through one of the bottom steps and one of the steps higher up started to crumble below my foot which. Longbridge underground tunnels in 1936, and aswel as the shadow factories that existed, an extensive network of tunnels began construction. The 20072014 model has now come to the end of its life, but. Last austin mini to leave longbridge up for auction. Dec 09, 2012 afrter being dumped down a tunnel under longbridge in the late 1970s where it was stripped and battered by everyman and his dog and is now out and going to be restored this is part 2 of its. May 14, 20 image caption the mini clubman was found in a tunnel under the longbridge plant.
The car was damaged by a storage container falling on it and had been left without an engine or gearbox for around 30 years before being recovered during. The mini clubman was used for testing purposes by bl and the underground tunnels were used during the war military production years and then in later years mainly for storage and testing purposes i think. Mini 1969 2001 haynes service repair manual uk click here to learn more. Mini moke leyland bmw workshop and repair manuals book australia. The longbridge tunnel mini clubman 1275gt heads to auction. The clubman is too new to have been included in any reliability studies, but mini itself has a middling record.
This vehicle has been sold to jennie in camrose, alberta. Clubman in the longbridge tunnels page 2 mini chat. Final longbridge factory mini sold at auction bbc news. Longbridge tunnel mini introduce yourself the mini forum. Otr price is based on the recommended retail price including vat. May 14, 20 this piece first broadcast on 14 may 20. When the tunnel was set to be filled in, enthusiasts rushed to extract the mini from its tomb. Jun 23, 2014 a 25yearold mini has gone up for sale with just miles on the clock, after it was originally bought for the previous owners sons who were too tall to fit inside. Longbridge tunnel mini goes to auction honest john. Mini genuine all weather front floor mat set cooper r55 r56 r57 r58 51472243917 by mini currently unavailable. May, 20 the mini clubman so famously rescued from the longbridge tunnels in 2012 making it the final new example of its type to leave the factory will be going on sale at silverstone auctions on 27 july.
The engine in the mini one d clubman city allows the brand to achieve emissions of 109 gkm, the lowest emissions of any clubman model. And with all the charm of a mini plus a load of extra luggage space, it has won over drivers ever since. Broad oak mini are pleased to announce the latest generation in the john cooper works range, the new mini john cooper works clubman. In the second world war, the main plant produced munitions and tank parts, while the nearby east works of austin aero ltd at cofton hackett produced short stirling and the hawker hurricane aircraft since the collapse of mg rover in 2005, part of the site has. Used mini clubman estate for sale used cars gumtree. South works where it all began, then north works, west works and finally east works. Dec 02, 2014 blackout below birmingham in the abandoned wwii tunnels.
Longbridge tunnel mini clubman to be auctioned bbc news. Longbridge tunnels, birmingham aug 20 derelict places. The mini clubman cooper d surely has it all great looks, fun to drive, excellent fuel economy, good performance, very low depreciation and a valuable amount of added boot space over a regular mini hatch. Page 2 of 3 clubman in the longbridge tunnels posted in mini chat. Photos courtesy silverstone auctions for decades, the last mini from british leylands former longbridge plant near birmingham, england, sat abandoned in the maze of tunnels below the massive factory, its roof staved in by an unfortunate encounter with a shipping container. Blackout below birmingham in the abandoned wwii tunnels. The first mini to include this design and a handy set of split doors appeared in 1960 in the form of the mini traveller. This mock up was created at longbridge as an extrapolation of the pininfarina originals and stored in the longbridge tunnels.
The battered mini clubman used to travel around the sprawling plant had been secretly dumped in the network of tunnels in. The very last mini to leave longbridge is to go under the hammer. Elfin clubman and elfin type 5 clubman, sports cars produced by elfin sports cars. The last mini to leave the longbridge plant did so in 2012, when a 1970s 1275gt which was used by staff to travel around the car plant was recovered from the disused tunnels under the plant. Image caption the mini clubman was recovered last year.
The last mini a red cooper sport was built on 4 october 2000 and presented to the british motor industry heritage trust in december of that year. However, after a shipping container fell on the roof, the cost to repair was deemed to high and the mini abandoned. Last longbridge mini goes under the hammer birmingham live. Rhino auto mini clubman 20072014 r55 fully tailored heavy duty rubber car mats 1183 by rhino auto in stock.