Have to share a truly amazing find of this all original GP1 I found with only 14k miles. I call it the first "barn find" GP as it was found buried in a garage with a thick layer of dust like you would expect a barn find to be. It was hidden away by the original owner that bought brand new in 2006. At the time he he was looking for a fun new car and hadn't even considered a MINI. As the story goes one night he went out to dinner with his wife and picked up a Autoweek magazine to look through while at dinner. When he saw and read the complete review of the GP and decided he wanted it. So joking with his wife said lets stop at the MINI dealer on the way home as it was almost 8pm and they would be closed so he could look without being bothered by a salesman. Well surprise to him the dealer was open till 9pm that night and they ended up walking in and talking with a sales guy that said he didn't think any were available but he would check with the manager. The sales manager came out and told him that it must have been his lucky day as about 2 hrs earlier a customer had canceled his GP order and if he wanted it he could have it. So he asked what the markup would be and the manager told him no markup just MSRP. So he paid the deposit immediately and waited a few months. He then tracked his order and had all the paperwork with the car showing how he figured out what ship it was coming in on and how he followed the route until he picked it up. A few months after he got the car he got a letter with a new window sticker saying that MINI was sorry for their mistake on the window sticker as it originally showed a 6 speaker stereo, which we know is wrong, and provided him with a new one that was corrected. So I have both window stickers which is pretty cool as I had never seen that before. He then used the car for fun for approximately the next 10yrs and it even made a trip or two to the dragon, but kept the miles low. Then health problems made it hard to get in and out of along with drive manual so the car got parked. Then they moved and again just moved the car in the garage and left it parked. He kept it up as the battery still had a full charge when I came across it. The owner truly loved the car as they actually ended up buying another MINI after owning the GP and I think that is where many of the miles were kept off the GP. The owner told me how much he loved it and how many great friends and memories the car had brought him and that is why it was just hidden away as he could still look at it everyday. I was fortunate enough to make a deal and become the next caretaker of this GP. It was really cool to be able to help awake it from its long slumber and bring it back to WMW. At this point I can't bring myself to wash it as I feel I'll just wash away the story and history that is part of this GP. I'm happy to be able to share it with the MINI world, and have it at the shop as it brings me joy just to see it even if it's dirty. Not sure what the next chapter will hold for it yet, but just being part of it is pretty cool.

 

Wow, I love the back story! Congrats and thanks for sharing those details! It's a wonderous thing scoring a super low mileage R53 from the original owner and being GP1 takes that to so much higher level!

To me, provenance is in the originality and ownership history with accumulated storage dust not-so-much. If mine, I'd have to very carefully detail it cosmetically and if it needs any mechanical attention, well then that part is easy for WMW...

 

So cool to read this. Hard to think in this day and age, finding a "barn find" is still a thing. What a car to find at that.

I'm so happy that I stumbled upon mine and was able to make a deal on it as well. Everytime I drive it, it puts smiles on my face!

Enjoy and keep us posted!

-Andy

 

For someone like you with a vested interest in Minis to find a car like this with a great story is amazing! Looking forward to its restoration!

 

Absolutely fantastic!

Glad it found a good home.

Thanks for sharing the story and the pics.

Glorious!

 

I'm a bit confused. You said that the original buyer of the GP developed health issues and had trouble getting in and out of the car, yet he went on to buy another MINI? I know the newer ones are bigger, but they're not that much bigger, right?? Or did he get the stretch limo version...

 

"As the story goes one night he went out to dinner with his wife and picked up a Autoweek magazine to look through while at dinner. When he saw and read the complete review of the GP and decided he wanted it. So joking with his wife said lets stop at the MINI dealer on the way home as it was almost 8pm and they would be closed so he could look without being bothered by a salesman. Well surprise to him the dealer was open till 9pm that night and they ended up walking in and talking with a sales guy that said he didn't think any were available but he would check with the manager. The sales manager came out and told him that it must have been his lucky day as about 2 hrs earlier a customer had canceled his GP order and if he wanted it he could have it...."

Talk about serendipity!

The happenstance of picking up that magazine!

From the right week too no less, and then going to the dealer getting lucky with one being available for him to buy,
I mean what are the odds?

Some sort of divine intervention!

Good stuff.

btw
also,
as far as I know, the GP only got one proper print advert in the USA and the publication it was in was Autoweek!
(august 7, 2006)

 

@Oldboy Speedwell If I had to pick one person that happened to have a copy of that mag and advert it would be you!

 

Maybe something with higher seating like a Countryman? I know I feel the difference in getting in and out of a lower car more than I used to, especially when making multiple short trips.

 

He bought another MINI cabrio for his wife in 06-07. They sold it a while back and kept the GP. So I think they put most the miles on it as I remember him saying it had a lot more miles on it.

 

LOL

Must say that I've become a bit obsessed haha

Finding the crumbs can be fun but nothing compared to the exhilaration of finding the big whole cookie like Way did!

Gotta give major credit to Library of Motoring for helping me find some of this stuff...

https://libraryofmotoring.info/html/...2006-2008.html

...such a tremendous reference and resource, so glad it's there!

 

Like rescuing a purebred dog from the pound! Well-done Way! Can't think of a better home for that puppy!
p.s.: Looks like cat paw-prints on the roof!

 

Have you washed that whip yet??

 

#dontwashit

 

Awesome story, Way! Couldn't be in better hands than yours. This car was meant to come your "way".

 

No I parked it in the corner of the shop and just look at every day. A few have offered to buy, but no real money so it's here still and I'm good with that.