1980 Austin

Morris Coupe

4 - Cyl.

Automatic

SAXXL2S1N20220922

Gasoline

This car is titled as a 1984 but I had to list it as an 1980 so that Ebay's listing system would accept the VIN number. Up for sale is a Classic Austin Mini. If you've seen the movie The Italian Job or The Bourne Identity, you know how neat these little cars look out on the road. This one makes the new style MINI Coopers look huge! The car has about 51,400 miles on it. It is originally from England and so it is right-hand drive. Don't let this bother you though because the car is so small you'll feel like your driving lane is as wide as a runway! The engine is a 1275cc 4 cylinder with a single carburetor and K&N filter. This car features the rare automatic transmission. This transmission can be left in "D" or shifted into the gear of your choice and driven that way, just keep your eye on the tachometer when manually selecting gears because this one won't shift automatically into a higher gear like modern automatics will do if the revs gets too high when you put it in 1, 2, 3. Like all Minis, this one is front wheel drive. Overall, the car is in really nice shape. The paint is good but not great since there are a few rust bubbles forming and a couple of scratches here and there. The engine turns over and starts up everytime but it likes to warm up a little before getting out on the road when it's cold. The car is a blast to drive and will turn heads everywhere you go. Don't be surprised when iPhones come out of people's windows on the highway just so they can take a picture of you! Speaking of the highway, this car is completely capable of highway speeds, but is better suited for city driving or back roads (the more curves the better). Once you realize the handling limits of this car, you'll love the back roads! As I already mentioned, there are a few rust bubbles (see pictures, I included a penny for scale) but the body generally is in great shape and solid. Typical for these cars, this one does have an oil leak but I'm not sure where from. I really haven't worried about it because I keep a small pan under it when it's parked and I just add a little bit of oil when it needs it. Keep in mind, this car is about 30 years old. If you are looking for a car for your daily 40 mile commute to work, this is not the car for you. If you are looking for a unique little toy that is fun to drive and will turn heads everywhere, this is the one for you. Of course, if you have the skill or the money, honda engines can be installed into these cars to make super fast and reliable little speed machines with go-kart like handling. Some people even put sport motorcycle engines in them and convert them into rear-wheel drive rockets! The car weighs less than 1500 pounds. Compare that to so-called compact cars these days like the Honda Civic that weigh over 2600 pounds! I included the car in pictures with a Nissan Maxima and a Kawasaki Ninja Motorcycle to show just how small it really is. Check the mini mania website to see all the after-market parts available for these cars. This car was imported from England and is now titled in Pennsylvania as a 1984 Austin Morris. It is currently registered and insured and is inspected (including emissions testing) through April of 2012. The only title brand is an "F" which means it came from outside the country. The VIN shown on the plate in the picture is the only one I can find on the car but comes up as invalid on standard VIN searches. I'm not sure why this happens, but I suspect it's because the car was imported from England. As such, some U.S. companies will not insure the car but there are many that will. I have used Hagerty in the past but am currently using Progressive. Insurance is very cheap! I'm listing this car with absolutely NO RESERVE! Whether it sells for a few dollars or thousands of dollars, the final bid wins! Because of this, no returns will be accepted so be sure when you bid! You are more than welcome, and even encouraged, to come see the car in person and test drive it before the end of the auction. Additional pictures of anything you want to see will be provided upon request. Goodluck and happy bidding!