The car that changed the world was built in Australia from just after its launch and remained in production with few visual changes for 10 years.
BMC’s original Morris Mini 850 was basic yet astonishingly innovative transport. The engine sat sideways above the transmission and differential, providing extra space in a three-metre body with a flat floor and room for four/five adults.
The original 848cc engine was understressed and made just 28kW. With a four-speed manual transmission and weighing 585kg, the 850 Mini would still reach 122km/h and belted along Britain’s expanding motorway network at close to its maximum speed.
In Australia where distances between towns were longer, travellers liked their cars to cruise in a more relaxed manner, even though most of our highways didn’t encourage drivers to exceed 100km/h.
The Mini Deluxe arrived in March 1965, as a model specific to Australia with a bigger 998cc engine, improved seats and distinctive wind-up windows. A local-spec Mini Cooper S appeared at the same time with a 1275cc engine and dual fuel tanks. From 1964 there were Mini vans based on the 850 that were popular with businesses large and small.
Late in 1969 came an even more Australian version of the Mini, complete with kangaroos bounding through television commercials for the car. The Mini K used a 1098cc engine with 37.5kW for a top speed of 126km/h. From 1968, BMC Australia had also offered a four-speed automatic Mini-Matic, but demand for these was minimal and few survive.
Minis after 1964 and until 1971 featured innovative Hydrolastic suspension with displacer units front and rear, linked by pipes filled with fluid. Rubber dampers regulated the amount of fluid moving through the system, helping keep the body level even when the wheels were rising and falling over bumps.
Throughout the 1960s, local Mini sales averaged 15-20,000 cars annually and by 1974 more than 155,000 had been built in Australia. Where most of them went is hard to understand but survival rates are appalling and contribute to increasing values.
Early 850s in neglected but restorable condition do still appear at realistic prices. Providing any rust isn’t structural, full restoration is viable and cars that cost $50,000 to refurbish will go close to recouping their owners’ outlay.
Later cars may have been modified or commandeered as donor cars for Cooper S projects. Given the costs involved in this process, it may be less expensive to buy a genuine S and certainly smarter for those interested in making gains from their Mini as the decades roll by.
How have prices moved?
MODEL YEARS COND 3 COND 2 COND 1
2010
Mini 850 1961-66 $2500 $6800 $11,500
850 Sports 1962-63 I/D $13,500 $18,000
Mini Deluxe 1965-68 $1800 $6000 $9500
Mini K 1969-71 $1500 $5500 $8000
2015
Mini 850 1961-66 $2500 $9000 $14,500
850 Sports 1962-63 I/D $13,500 $18,000
Mini Deluxe 1965-68 $2000 $8000 $13,500
Mini K 1969-71 $1500 $6500 $11,500
2022
Mini 850 1961-66 $9000 $18,500 $27,500
Morris 850 Van 1964-68 $7000 $16,500 $25,000
Morris 850 Sports 1962-63 I/D $24,500 $33,500
Morris Mini Deluxe 1965-68 $7000 $19,500 $28,500
Morris Mini K 1969-71 $6500 $17,500 $26,500
2025
MINI 850 1961-66 $11,000 $22,500 $34,500
Morris 850 Van 1964-68 I/D $24,000 $37,000
Morris 850 Sports 1962-63 I/D $32,000 $45,000
Morris Mini Deluxe 1965-68 $8000 $18,000 $30,000
Morris Mini K 1969-71 I/D $16,500 $28,500
*Concours level cars can command a premium over Condition 1 Cars.