I tracked down my grandfather's Mini after it'd been lost for DECADES – I restored & now it's worth over £12,000
Jamie Garrett, from Oxfordshire, was recently named a runner-up in Lancaster Insurance 's prestigious Pride of Ownership award for 2025, after showcasing his beautifully restored and much-loved classic car.
5
5
5
5
5
Speaking to the classic car experts at Lancaster Insurance, Jamie revealed the iconic little motor was originally purchased by his grandfather in 1965 and became an integral part of the family's life.
Indeed, it was used for everything from summer holidays in France and Italy to teaching multiple family members, including Jamie's father, how to drive.
The car later served as Jamie's father's work vehicle - before rust claimed it in 1977, rendering it undrivable and leaving it off the road for decades.
In 1996, an attempt was made to restore the Mini but the project stalled and the car was eventually given away.
For years, it was thought to be lost forever - until Jamie tracked it down in 2019.
Against all odds, he bought the car back and embarked on the ambitious task of restoring it to its former glory - despite having no prior experience in car restoration.
As expected, Jamie faced numerous challenges, including a failed initial attempt, but his determination never wavered and by working with specialists, including a skilled panel expert from the Real Mini Company, the Mini's shell was brought back to life.
Better yet, Jamie decided to keep the restoration project a secret from his father until 2023, when he unveiled the fully restored Mini as a surprise - leaving his father overwhelmed with emotion.
Together, they worked on the final touches before taking the car for its first drive to visit Jamie's grandfather, who apparently, when he first saw it, said: 'It was never this good!'
Speaking to Lancaster Insurance, Jamie said: 'As a family we are immensely proud of the car, and the story that goes with it makes it even more special and brings joy to everyone that meets her.
'She will live on as a lasting memory of my grandparents who are now no longer with us.'
The motor now serves as both a functional car and a showpiece - regularly appearing at various events.
Lancaster's Pride of Ownership award, as voted for by classic car enthusiasts, recognises not only craftsmanship and dedication.
Yvonne Gosney, the firm's Senior Trading Manager, said: 'The work Jamie has completed on this Mini is nothing short of exceptional, and we congratulate him on his deserving podium position in this year's Pride of Ownership.
'Jamie's Mini is a powerful reminder of how classic car restoration can be about more than just metal - it can bring a family's history back to life.'
The Morris Mini has become a favourite among classic car enthusiasts and has risen in price in recent years - with the median price, according to the Classic Valuer, being £13,616.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
20 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Car insurance price rises 'out of firms' control' says City watchdog
Soaring car insurance premiums are 'outside of firms' control' rather than being driven by insurer profits, the City regulator has said. The Financial Conduct Authority found that the cost of motor claims has been primarily driven by higher prices for cars, parts, labour and energy. The cost of hire vehicles, and the number and cost of theft claims, and uninsured drivers have also contributed to the rise. The average cost of car insurance premiums dropped 7 per cent in the first three months of 2025 compared to a year earlier, from £635 to £539, according to figures from the Association of British Insurers. However, premiums remain higher than two years ago when the average annual policy cost was £478. The FCA found that referral fees from credit hire firms and claims management companies had also pushed prices higher and contributed to slower processing. While the Government's motor taskforce, launched in 2024 to tackle the rising cost of car insurance, may help drive down premiums, the regulator said it would not prevent these kind of cost increases. The FCA also said that insurers across all sectors still needed to handle claims more efficiently. It said it had 'uncovered evidence of poor claims handling practices', particularly in the home and travel sector. This included just under a third of storm damage claims resulting in a payment, and what the FCA describes as 'insufficient management information'. Sarah Pritchard, deputy chief executive of the FCA said: 'Insurance provides peace of mind but people must be confident they can get a fair deal and be treated right when the worst happens.' Pay monthly insurance customers paying more Around 48 per cent of motor and home insurance was paid monthly in 2023, but customers could be paying higher premiums. The FCA report found that some firms that allow customers to spread costs and pay monthly rather than yearly were earning more money than the cost of providing the cover. Analysis found that the margins on these so-called 'premium finance' arrangements ranged between 14 and 62 per cent across insurers, intermediary lenders, intermediary brokers and specialist premium finance providers between 2018 and 2023. The regulator requires insurance premiums charged to customers using premium finance to be at the same level as those paying yearly, unless there is an objective and reasonable basis for the change. Some insurers say that the choice of payment method is correlated with the risk for those paying monthly. The FCA said: 'Where firms charge for premium finance, revenues appear to materially exceed costs for some providers. 'Whereas the profit margin earned on a core insurance policy may be relatively low, we see margins on premium finance that are somewhat higher. 'Different business models will have different ways of recovering costs. 'In some cases, they recover all costs through the insurance product itself, or recoup returns on lower margin insurance product through higher APRs [annual percentage rates].' As yet, the FCA will not introduce a cap or any other measures to encourage insurers to equalise premiums. Hannah Gurga, director general of the ABI said: 'Having the option to pay for insurance in monthly instalments can provide flexibility for those who need to manage their budgets. 'Offering this service does involve costs for insurers, and firms also have to keep cover in place for a period of time if a payment is delayed or missed. 'Our Premium Finance Principles, which we published last year, outline that any charges should be fair, transparent and reflective of the costs that the insurer faces. 'We'll continue to work with our members on this matter and engage with the FCA's review.'
Top Gear
38 minutes ago
- Top Gear
Here's what the Porsche Carrera GT could have looked like
Here's what the Porsche Carrera GT could have looked like In the late 1990s sketches were being drawn up at Porsche for a mid-engined V10 coupe Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. Well, this is rather fun. The sketch above shows what the Porsche Carrera GT could have looked like if it was a tin-topped, V10-engined supercar. The sketch was shown off in one of Porsche's YouTube videos, with actor Adrien Brody heading to Stuttgart to undertake an internship at the Zuffenhausen factory. Advertisement - Page continues below It's a heartwarming watch if you've got half an hour spare today, or you could skip to the 13-minute mark to see Brody meet Porsche's director of special projects, Grant Larson. Larson – who joined Porsche as a designer back in 1989 and penned the original 986 Boxster – explains that back in 1999 he was asked by the Carrera GT's project manager to come up with some ideas for a mid-engined V10 supercar. Must have been a fun few days at work after that. The sketch we're shown clearly takes some inspiration from the 911 GT1 in the roof to rear spoiler section. Looks like there would have been a hefty roof scoop, plus a dramatic ducktail-style spoiler and a giant rear diffuser section. And are those giant portrait exhausts? We love the Carrera GT, but this coupe could have been quite something. It's not too late, Porsche. Advertisement - Page continues below Top Gear Newsletter Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Success Your Email*
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Technician who turned into human fireball when rally car fuel caught alight sues firm for £5m over life changing injuries suffered in incident
A top rally car technician who went up in flames during training for a 1,300-mile desert race is suing one of Britain's top motorsport firms for £5m compensation. Matt 'Bubba' Finney caught fire after being soaked in highly volatile racing car fuel whilst filling up a high performance Prodrive Hunter T1+ rally car ahead of the November 2021 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Mr Finney, 52, was put in an induced coma for three months and went through extensive skin grafts and surgery in Dubai for four months before returning to the UK. Almost four years on, he has launched a massive compensation case against Prodrive Motorsport Ltd, which produces the rally raid machine, seeking damages for the impact his injuries have had on his life. The firm is one of the biggest British names in motorsport, designing and building Aston Martin racing cars and the World Rally Championship-winning Subaru Impreza driven by Scotsman Colin McRae in 1995. It continues to produce high-performance off-road vehicles including the Hunter, and works with Lewis Hamilton 's X44 racing team in the electric-only Extreme E series. Mr Finney also worked on a record-breaking Subaru WRX which lapped the 38-mile Isle of Man course in 17 minutes and 35 seconds at an average of 128mph in 2016. Lawyers for the experienced mechanic, who has been with the firm for over 20 years, claim his accident was down to defective working practices. He was taking part in testing of the Prodrive Hunter T1+ (pictured) in November 2021 in Dubai when a fuel pump sprang a leak Prodrive maintains that the mechanic was himself at fault in failing to wear full protective equipment during testing of the 600bhp turbocharged off-roader, which saw it driven on a 22-mile loop simulating desert conditions before being refuelled. Court documents filed by his barrister James Candlin claim that a 'fountain-like spray of fuel' shot out of the fuel pump after he had attached the nozzle to the car itself. Prodrive, he alleged, had failed to deploy enough crew for the refuelling procedure and had not trained staff comprehensively in the new Piusi Ex50 refuelling pump - which he alleged was not designed to operate above 40C. Mr Finney is said to have slipped on fuel that had spilled onto a tarpaulin sheet on the ground - allegedly sparking the fire. Racing fuels are also 'volatile', his lawyers said. 'Mr Finney attempted to run back to the barrel and pump to switch it off, but slipped on fuel in the ground tarpaulin whereupon fuel or fuel vapour ignited, and he was engulfed in the subsequent conflagration,' Mr Candlin said in the papers. The mechanic was rushed to a Dubai hospital via rough roads, where he was treated for burns to his head, face, chest, back, upper and lower limbs and his throat. Although Mr Finney began a 'phased' return to work, he continued to be dogged by scarring and chronic pain, along with flashbacks and mental trauma, his lawyers say. Mr Candlin continued: 'The claimant has recently been medically certified as unfit for work... but when fit for work since the accident he has been limited to engagements mostly in desk work, rather than hands-on mechanical roles for which he is trained.' Prodrive insists Mr Finney brought disaster on himself by neglecting essential safety procedures, with barrister Vaughan Jacob claiming: '(His) decision to refuel the car while it was hot led to the ignition of the fire'. He added: 'Had he worked with two other colleagues as required, it's likely the pump would have been turned off immediately when it began to leak, and before the leaking fuel ignited.' While Mr Finney was 'valued and highly experienced', Prodrive maintains he failed to properly assess the risks, did not wear the right safety equipment, failed to check the fuel pump connections were secure and did not use the correct fuelling area. At the time of the accident early in the morning, the temperature was below 40 degrees, which meant the fuel pump in use was 'within its safe temperature range', the barrister added. With a trial date still to be fixed, Mr Finney's claim came before Master Gary Thornett in the High Court as lawyers on both sides hammered out what evidence should be heard at the trial. Technical experts are still trying to pinpoint the precise cause of the fire. Addressing the impact of the burns on Mr Finney, barrister Rob Hunter said the trial would also need to hear expert evidence on 'stroke medicine' as the mechanic last year suffered a stroke which may have been triggered by his injuries. 'There's a potential link between his severe burns and that stroke,' said the barrister, adding: 'We think an expert would be helpful in addressing that potential link'. The case will return to court at a later date.
