by "Laurence" (mrlaurence)
Published 04/05/2017 at 12:41
by "Laurence" (mrlaurence)
Published 04/05/2017 at 12:41
Tags: Innocenti
; Ebay
STARS: 1
Just how many of these? did they make? I know some things about the cars ( An Italian replacement for the Mini, using the same mechanical underpinnings, then later some sourced from Daihatsu - a lovely, and now pretty rare car that some people think should have been sold by British Leyland, rather than spending loads of money they didn’t have developing the Metro. There were even some quick versions developed by De Tomaso), however, I didn’t think that any were made in Right Hand Drive or made it anywhere near the UK. I know there are a few other BL enthusiasts here who may know more than me, but I can remember hearing that a tiny number of these (like, a single figure amount) were shipped over and converted for something, but I may be wrong on this. How rare is this car, and how come you see so few of them, outside of Italy, at least?
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Sadly though, this one probably isn’t worth saving in its current state....
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
04/05/2017 at 12:49, STARS: 1
I’ve actually priced out first-gen Innocenti (license-build) Minis before as (in theory) a good way to get a classic Mini with premium interior and LHD. Sadly, they’re not as common as they once were, and not speaking Italian, there were limits to what practical knowledge I could get.
"Laurence" (mrlaurence)
04/05/2017 at 12:56, STARS: 0
yeah - there was a time when they were everywhere, and if you can find one, are still a viable alternative to an old Cooper, but there are far fewer left now. The handful I found online were either pretty expensive, or in far too poor condition to be worth importing anywhere
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
04/05/2017 at 12:57, STARS: 1
My little sister wants an Elf. Should be possible at some point, but that window may start to close in another ten years...
"Laurence" (mrlaurence)
04/05/2017 at 13:10, STARS: 0
I’d love an Elf - They’re just as rare, if not even more rare though... there seem to be plenty being restored though, so there’s still hope for the future :)
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
04/05/2017 at 13:28, STARS: 1
The facts of the matter are, that even with an original Mini being a bit more affordable, the cost of acquisition in the UK as a premium for the Elf is dwarfed by the shipping and importing costs to the US, and still comes out quite reasonable vs. what an importer charges for a turnkey original Mini. Therefore, there’s no particular reason *not* to try to shop for one if it’s preferred.