The Stimson Mini Bug of 'The Wombles'

Keeping up with the 'Mini based cars on British television' theme (last week's Unipower in The Troubleshooters here), I was sent this little movie clip below of 'The Wombles', which supposedly made it to the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, famously won by ABBA of Sweden. If you go to 1:50 in the clip you will see three beach buggies, two of them VW powered but number three being a Stimson Mini Bug!

Barry Tilbury wondered if it could be his car, which happens to be another example that made it to a British television series in the 1970s (see here and here). Although the Wombles clip comes in a pretty low quality, the registration of the Bug seen in that seemed to be different from Paul's. 'LPM 317K' perhaps? 

Well, almost. It turns out to be 'EPM 317K' and the car is known by arch Stimson enthusiast Paul Wylde who added "It lives in a field in Wales and the guy will not sell it - I tried." Pity. It is a great little car with some fun history that deserves some tender loving care after all.

The Wombles in their buggies, one of them being a 1972 Stimson Mini Bug

Picture Youtube

The car was registered 'EPM 317K' and is known to survive

Picture Youtube

 

The Wombles made it as an act to the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, famously won by ABBA

Video: Youtube

And that's the car today, sitting in a field in Wales with the owner not wanting to sell it

Picture courtesy Paul Wylde

Swedish Marcos to be auctioned

A lovely Mk3 Mini Marcos that was supposedly sold new to Sweden is now offered for sale in an auction. The car is said to have been sold through Swedish concessionaire Elmhorn-Troberg Racing Service and was first registered in Sweden in 1969 with a Mk1 Cooper from Kalmar used as a base vehicle to build it up. 

It does remind me of Bo Elmberg's Mk3 that could be seen racing a big Ferrari in anger on the Roskildering in 1967 (see here). Could it be the same car? Remarkably, Mini Marcoses were built in Sweden also and it could be one of a few made there, too. Click here for the full story about that. 

Fact is that it's seen some modifications over the years, including a straight cut Cooper 'S' gearbox and many more tuning parts. The wheels are rare Swedish-made JP alloys, very period. Inside an Innocenti dashboard has been added but most of the interior is believed to be original. The car was bought by the current owner in 2017 who is now selling it due to other restoration projects. For the full description from Bilweb Auctioneers click here. Bidding starts on the 3rd of this month and the estimate is 170- to 190,000 Swedish Crones (12,600 - 13,400 GBP or 14,500 to 15,500 Euros approx.).

A Swedish Mini Marcos Mk3 of 1967 is offered for sale in auction

Picture Bilweb Auctioneers

A nice and clean car that was supposedly sold new to Sweden

Picture Bilweb Auctioneers

Swedish concessionaire was Elmhorn-Troberg Racing Service of Stockholm

Picture Bilweb Auctioneers

Built originally with a Mk1 Cooper as a base it has been modified heavily

Picture Bilweb Auctioneers

The interior is said to be largely original though. Dashboard is a later Innocenti

Picture Bilweb Auctioneers

Lovely lightweight wheels are rare JPs (not JAPs), also made in Sweden

Picture Bilweb Auctioneers