Photo shoots don’t always go according to plan, but this was an exception. We’d headed to rural Herefordshire to meet the owner of one of the world’s earliest surviving Mini Pick-Ups, an affable enthusiast called Chris Spaett. The sun was shining, the countryside location was perfect… and the sight of a particularly well-restored Mini commercial being driven with gusto as it headed towards our camera was a real joy. It was one of those memorable days.
Of course, any well-preserved Mini Pick-Up is a vehicle worthy of a feature. They’re hardly commonplace even on the Mini scene, but this one’s particularly interesting thanks to its age and history. “I’m only the third owner to date,” explains Chris, “and I’ve got lots of paperwork as well as old photographs of it from its early days. I suspect it might also be the earliest Mini Pick-Up actually in use, but if any readers know any different,
