I have bought an Auto Design Mini Cabriolet. What? Wait..! Don’t you already own one you may ask? Well, yes, I do. I own “Lippy”, the green Mini Cabriolet by Auto Design. I now have another. I am privileged to own two of these rare cars.
Lippy
My metallic British Racing Mini cabriolet by Auto Design is taking me so long to restore back to the standard I had it in 1994. Here “Lippy” is pictured camping at the International Mini Meeting at Silverstone in 1994, and in the Outer Hebries in 1995, before touring the Loire Valley in France in 1996. I remember the late John Cooper taking a close look at her at that IMM. I really wanted another Mini to drive and play with now, because as you can see from the image on the transporter trailer, “Lippy” is a long way from being finished.
Searching the inter webs, as I do for other Auto Design Minis, in order to invite their owners to join the register, I spotted another Auto Design Mini Cabriolet in Nottingham, and for sale too. This one needed a little work, scruffy in places, and the price reflected this, but, I could see potential for next year, if I did the work through the winter. I rang the vendor up, and had a chat, and he was selling the car on behalf of his sister who no longer drives. I secured the car with a deposit, and arranged to collect the car with my transporter trailer the following Sunday, in 9 days time, as this Sunday is the British Mini Club’s Mini Fest.
Bluebelle
So, I am now the proud owner of two rare coach built Mini cabriolets by Auto Design (Kent), “Lippy” my green one, and the new one which I will need to think of a name for.
Naming Bluebelle
Mrs Rambling Motorist as well as my two children all came up with names, and none of them seemed right. A good friend suggested “Bluebelle” the concatenation of blue, her colour, and “belle” for her stunning looks. “Bluebelle” sort of stuck, and I liked the name. Everyone started calling her “Bluebelle” from then on.
Snagging List
So, I put together a snagging list of work that the previous owner said needed doing in order to make her road worthy again, along with my own list, perhaps with the intention of getting her back on the road for the summer of 2026.
- Really bad oil leaking from the gearbox, constant drip when running.
- Exhaust leaking from the engine manifold.
- Exhaust brackets needs replacing from front to rear.
- Hood trim needs attention, inside and out.
- Interior trip custom to the conversion needs attention.
- Electrical gremlins, bulbs gone, corrosion on connectors, interior light wire broken.
- Paintwork needs attention in places.
- Underneath needs painting.
- Oil and filter change.
- Missing “Mayfair” graphics and “Automatic” badge.
I guess I am going to be busy this winter. Due to my friend’s Mini rally car being currently parked in my garage, “Bluebelle” has gone to my mums garage for now, but, I intend bringing her home to work on at Christmas.
Mark Smith
“The Rambling Motorist“