This is our “Yellow Submarine.” She’s a 1963 Mini Cooper made in 1962 and titled in 1963. This was the hottest Mini available at the time, since the 1275 Cooper S didn’t come out until 1964.

NEW! Drive video below!

This particular car was a race car for much of its life and comes with a log book and a few pictures from that chapter of the car’s journey (see photo album). The log book starts in 1975 and ends in 2008. Sometimes after 2008, the car was fully and artfully completely restored for road or track, and she still presents as a very fresh restoration today. Just 1750 miles have been put on the car since that restoration.

This happens to be one of the better classic Mini restorations I have seen, with everything done to a very high standard. Paint is excellent, engine bay is very tidy, interior and engine bay finish is excellent, with smooth and uniform paint throughout the interior and trunk. Fender flairs fit perfectly.

The underside is very clean, with the perfect amount of protective finish. It’s durable and it’s not hiding anything. The rear subframe was also replaced during the restoration.

This car would have shipped new with a 997 Cooper engine, but has since been replaced during restoration with a remanufactured Ivor Searle Cooper 1380 CC engine with 1750 miles on it. If you are unfamiliar, this is a quality rebuilder in the UK. According to the engine build information, installed is a 1275 short block which has been bored to 1380 CC for maximum power and then mated to the Cooper head (with the appropriate and stronger extra stud holes, per original).

Specs for that short block are below:

She’s also fit with a sidedraft 40 DCOE Weber, nicely fit into the dashboard bodywork with a good air filter, courtesy of the modified speedometer housing in the dash to provide ample space for the bigger carb. Transmission is the original four speed with a non-synchro first gear, as original. A nice thermostatically controlled oil cooler is fit on the passenger-side inner fender, as shown below.

The interior is set up in minimalist mode with no fabric coverings and a full roll cage. Access is still excellent, with the roll bars cut down over the door sills for easy access and egress. The new Sparco seats are outstanding, much more comfortable than the original seats with tons of lateral support.

The car is very street-worthy, and has been titled for road use during the past few years. All lights are working, there is a horn on the turn signal stalk and a mild (but popular) RC40 exhaust system, header and a street cam. The car idles well and is very user-friendly with no bad manners, front disk brakes and incredible grip. She’s also vintage race ready if you so prefer, with roll cage, racing belts and seats already fit. The Momo suede steering wheel is also a delight.

Minilights wheels with 165/70×10 Yokohama tires provide shocking adhesion to the road. The rear sway bar helps balance the handling. This car is great fun no matter where you drive it.

Whether for street, track or autocross, this is a stunning and super clean car you can drive to events and enjoy. She’s a fitting tribute to the iconic history of the Mini Cooper name, and will prove a delight for the new owner!

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This car was built in 2015 by Vintage Speedsters. We call this one “Cobalt.”

Take a video tour in the below:

I am not a “replica” guy. But I was very impressed to see that the fiberglass body on this car looks like steel to me, the workmanship is that good. The car shows about 7000 miles on the clock, and presents like a virtually brand new car. There is something very seductive about a brand new classic car, without the work of performing an exhaustive restoration. Thus, we have will stock a few of these for customers who want immediate gratification in an exciting package.

This is a fantastic Speedster recreation. If you want a curvy vintage car with reliable and simple air-cooled German components, this car is worth serious consideration. I have fallen in love with these cars, because they are fun and sculptural without the liability of a precious original Speedster. They also accommodate large people quite well, and are much more roomy than most British classic roadsters. The interiors are built to a high standard, and quite comfortable.

Power is excellent, from a 1915cc opposed engine with oil cooler, upgraded distributor and electric fuel pump. The engine sound is and driving experience is very much genuine 356… the flat-four engine might as well have been built in the Porsche factory, except it is significantly faster than any stock 356 I have driven, with about 100 HP. She is also fit with front disk brakes, short shift kit, new battery and an impressive ceramic coating on the beautiful paint job.

A 3:88 rear end ratio which makes highway cruising quite pleasant.

She comes with handsome top boot cover as shown, and an excellent matching stayfast canvas top that has hardly seen the light of day. Matching and nearly new tan side curtains are also included. She is titled as a 1967 VW, which will make titling in any state a breeze.

As an added benefit, we have 2300 cc upgraded performance engines in stock and we will gladly swap the great power plant in this car for something with significantly more grunt. We have beautiful polished headers to mate with these performance engines, and if you want to upgrade this car into a rocket, please give a call or email and we can discuss transforming this already wonderful car into something even more special.

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Here’s something new!

Classic car drivability and reliability has always been our priority. This week, we are excited to offer for sale a special curated collection of late model Speedster replicas! We have four wonderful cars for sale, each with curves in all the right places, and each with a simple and reliable low-mileage drivetrain. If you are looking for classic car fun without the headaches, these Speedsters are worth a serious look. They are simple to service, fast, and tons of fun!

For years we have been dedicated to making classic British roadsters as reliable as possible, and we continue pursuit of this commitment each and every day. But our passion for curvaceous sports cars is not limited to Bugeye Sprites – we love all shapely and bug-eyed sports cars. The $300K + price tag of original Speedsters has always kept me away… until now. These replicas are quite affordable, and unless you’re a 356 aficionado, it’s difficult to tell them from the real thing. In fact, I’ve recently met a few 911 owners who own replicas similar to the ones shown here… they are not the real thing but they do a good job of fooling many of us!

Power in these four cars shown is typically from a 1.9 liter air-cooled flat four cylinder engine, that puts out about 110 HP. For comparison, the original Speedsters generally had 1582 CC engines good for about 60 HP. We also offer 2276CC uprated engines, good for about 150 HP, if you prefer higher performance. We have larger engines in stock and can install them in any of the cars shown.

These cars all feature fiberglass bodies on both Volkswagen and custom pans. Interiors are excellent, generally made with leather seats and wool carpets, built to a high standard.

For years, “replica” was a real turn off for me. But the quality of these replicas shown is impressive, and there is something very attractive about the availability of new VW components, plentiful from multiple suppliers. Upgrades and custom parts are plentiful too.

All of the cars shown have front disk brakes, and the “Creamster” above also has rear disk brakes. As with our custom British car build-outs, we can retrofit rear disk brakes on any of these Speedsters too.

Registration is easy. These cars are generally titled as early Volkswagens, which makes registration and vintage car insurance in your home state a breeze.

I have curated this special grouping specifically for our customer base. The cars are wider and roomier than Bugeye Sprites, and thus a more comfortable option for any of our customers who find Spridgets to be a bit cramped. The vented bucket seats are quite comfortable and easily accommodate large bodies. Access is also superior compared to most classic British cars. Doors are bigger, hinges are further forward, and it’s easier to get in and out. Leg room is significantly more plentiful than with Sprites… I’m 5’8″ and drive Sprites with the seats fully aft. In the Speedsters, I can barely reach the pedals with the seat fully aft, so there is at least four more inches of leg room than in a Spridget.

These are nearly new cars all made between 2009 and 2018. Not all replicas are the same… these particular cars are built by Beck and Vintage Speedsters, impressive products with great performance and quality.

I have chosen an excellent grouping for this offering, and each of these cars are now for sale. We have gone-through all four of the cars to prepare them for sale, with the same attention to detail and using the same quality checklists we have used on all the other classic cars that have passed through our building. As with all the cars we sell, these Speedsters can be further customized in our workshop to your taste.

If you are interested in owning one, it would be best to call or email to start the conversation! Prices start at $38K.

We’re excited to offer a fun quality product with minimal hassles and tons of style! Feel free to call if you would like to know more!

Above is a new 2276 engine with larger Weber carbs, standing-by for a horsepower upgrade. We also have beautiful header and exhaust options available.

NOW ON DEPOSIT 9/20/20! Thank you Gary in Florida and congratulations!

Are you looking for a little British car project?

Here are three square Sprites for sale, from one of our customers who bought our Bugeyes (Gavin). All three cars are for sale as a package to the first person to step forward with $2,000. This blow-out price is to make room for the Bugeye that is soon to be delivered. Someone is going get quite an array of British car bits and three different cars to play with, all for not a lot of dough. If you are one of the folks who has emailed me looking for a starter project at a very reasonable price, this could be your big chance!

All three cars are rebuildable.

Here is an inventory of what you get:

The orange/red car with no front fenders installed (although they are included) is 1965 MKIII with chassis number HAN8L 57199. This car sports a 1275 engine. Check out the pictures below to take a look at some of the additional goodies that come with it.

The green car is a 1968 MKIV Sprite. Below is a picture of its engine bay.

The red car that was pictured in the garage is a 1966 MKIII Sprite with chassis number HAN8L 58737. The picture below is a snapshot of the engine bay.

All three cars are located in Sylva, NC, (about 100 miles south of Knoxville, TN). Pick up is preferred, but delivery is also possible for an extra fee.

This is a great deal with a ton of stuff for a very reasonable price, so if you are looking for a fun project, please get in touch!

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Now SOLD to John in California!!! Congratulations!!!

Here’s an excellent classic car and a great value. This is a show winning round wheel arch Midget with all the best upgrades. Drive it anywhere!

This car was completely restored in the 90s, and through the early 2000s, collected an entire trunk load of first place trophies (which come with the car). The restorer loved this car and collected both the original glove box manual and original MG brochures. These are just wonderful, and quite entertaining. I have shown many still photos of these pages in the photo gallery. The car also comes with a notebook full of receipts.

The five speed transmission is a Rivergate/Datsun 210 gearbox, in excellent condition and mated with the original 1275 engine. This upgrade allows you to cruise quite nicely at highway speeds, and to also shift into first while rolling, since the gearbox is fully synchronized, unlike the original rib case transmission. It’s a very desirable upgrade.

The underside is quite good and very solid, (although a little weathered). The rocker panels and fender bottoms were all restored when the car was rebuilt. There is not rust visible anywhere. The tires and wheels are also recent, and the spinners look new.

There is so much to like about this car, because you get roll-up windows and a more plush ride, with five speed, disk brakes in front, front sway bar, and three-point seat belts. You even get a glove box!

Round arch cars are more popular, and you can see why in the photo above. The quarter panels are more elegant and help the car punch above it’s weight.

The engine bay is nicely detailed. No wonder the car won so many trophies! The 1275 engine has excellent oil pressure. Air pump emission control removed.

There is no tonneau (although we can fit one) and a good top installed with a slightly cloudy rear window. The car comes with the original top boot cover, so you can cover the top when it is folded down behind you.

This is a great little car, and you get much more car for your money with a Midget… A Bugeye in this condition would bring about twice the price. So if you are looking for a lot of car at a great number, give a call today!

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I am quite fond of this car. First, it has all the best features you would want in any Sprite… roll up windows, 1275 engine, disk brakes in front anti-roll bar, twin master cylinders and minilight wheels.

Secondly, the body is excellent, with no rust or rust blisters anywhere on the entire perimeter of the car, including both rocker panels and fender bottoms – they’re excellent.

But most importantly, I love this car because of the value it represents. This striking vintage sportscar is available for $14,995, and that’s an excellent value.

Were it a Bugeye in this condition, it would bring quite a bit more. This is a chance to enjoy a really fun Sprite for not a lot of dough.

The car shows 66,164 miles and drives very nicely. It was completely restored in the late 80s and still looks wonderful. The floors are solid, dashboard and windshield each have one crack (new dashboard covers and windshields are available).

Nice top and comes with a tonneau that has a patch or two but looks quite useable. Also comes with a nice top down boot cover (see picture).

Of note are the Ziebart rubber plugs you can see on the sills and B pilars. This means the body cavities were “rust-proofed,” which certainly can’t hurt, and as nice as this car has survived, it does seem to be working! No rust blisters anywhere!

Give a call or email if you would like to take this great Sprite home!

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