Help identifying this mini

[94touring]

Have a guy in Tulsa who contacted me to go inspect 3 minis just down the road from me.  Sent me pics and I need some help figuring this one out.  I'll get a better idea once I see it if it's something I snag.  I'm thinking it's an innocenti but does it all match up? Note the rear boot lid, twin tanks, later model lights, internal hinge doors, doors have winders plus a vent, then the inno turn lamps.  Ideas?

[MPlayle]

External clues definitely suggest it is either an Inno or an Authi.  Leaning more toward it being an Inno.

An interior shot of the dash and door cards would also be a good clue.

[94touring]

Did innos have twin tanks?

[MPlayle]

I don't recall for certain.  I think some may have had twin tanks, though a quick image search seems to indicate the later 1300 Export series did not.  The boot lid and side marker lights are very definitely Inno.  The Innos were also some of the first to get the tri-color tail lights.

[MPlayle]

Did some more image searching and not finding much to support the right hand tank aspect.  Definitely confirmed the boot lid is the Inno style.

Also found several pictures of Innos in the beige with black roof color scheme.

Post some details when you get them.

[MiniDave]

Someone could have added the right tank? Should be able to tell from the internal lines and such, if they look factory or add-on

[BruceK]

 The headlight rings are wrong for an Inno, but they could have been replaced.  The front repeater light placement, closer to the front of the car, is correct for an Inno.

[BruceK]

Looks like roll up windows with quarter light vent windows- very much an Inno thing

[94touring]

Some pics. 

[BruceK]

Everything, doors, dash, etc  points to Inno.    But I don't think they have made RHD cars.   Converted?

[94touring]

Dave and I may convert it back.  ;D

[MPlayle]

I agree with Bruce - definitely an Inno from the doors, dash, etc.

The steering wheel is unusual even for an Inno.

[Willie_B]

That is a neat looking steering wheel.

[MiniDave]

Abarth steering wheel, rare I'm sure. Missing the center horn button or emblem.

I was surprised to see RHD also, but the instruments are Italian, Benzina, Olio etc.....

[BruceK]

 Yes it's a mirror image of the typical LHD Inno dash.  But it looks factory.

[BruceK]

 Just noticed. Look at the gap between the brake pedal and the gas pedal. Holy size 13EEE Batman!

[MPlayle]

Actually, the dash is the same as the LHD Inno dash.  It is not mirrored.  The full 6-gauge Inno dash had 4 small gauges in front of the driver, the tach and speedo in the center and one gauge to the right.  This dash matches that layout.

It may have been converted to RHD for import into the UK and resided there for a while before making its way to the US?

I've seen pictures of a few Innos converted to RHD and they all left the dash as original which put most of the gauges offset to the left as in this one.

[velopackrat]

Curious, did Innos have Benditalia servos instead of Lockheed?  And Dan, are those big fat HS4 carbs?  Cool car.

[BruceK]

Actually, the dash is the same as the LHD Inno dash.  It is not mirrored.  The full 6-gauge Inno dash had 4 small gauges in front of the driver, the tach and speedo in the center and one gauge to the right.  This dash matches that layout.

It may have been converted to RHD for import into the UK and resided there for a while before making its way to the US?

I've seen pictures of a few Innos converted to RHD and they all left the dash as original which put most of the gauges offset to the left as in this one.

Okay. I was wrong about the mirrored part but right about the factory part!    ;D

[BruceK]

Her Majesty's Government says that reg number belongs to a 1980 Leyland unknown.   Which kind of makes sense because it's not an Austin or a Morris.    So there might of been some difficulty registering an Innocenti so it just got listed as a Leyland. 

[ve9aa]

Looks like an Inno....I didn't think they made RHD cars though.
Post a pic of the inside of the boot lid.  They had an inside panel on their bootlid.

I agree the headlight rings look thin.  The Inno's generally were all quite a bit wider.

I have some old old Inno pix around here somewhere, but I've never been an expert.
I do admire them though.

I think original Inno's had Veglia gauges too, not SMITH's.

Looking fwd 2 more pix.

-

[MiniDave]

That is a neat looking steering wheel.

Looks like the original is on the passenger side floor.

I'm pretty confident that it was converted to RHD, and that's why the acc pedal looks so weird, I'm betting it's the LHD one just moved over.

[94touring]

We believe it's a 1300 export, basically the cooper s of Italy.  They were all lhd so it's been converted, but hopefully looking at the pedals all the gear is still there.  From reading online and poking over the car yesterday the only other thing missing is the inno grill and perhaps the head light bezels.  Otherwise it seems to be untampered with and the body while filthy in the pics is in excellent shape.  I didn't notice any body work.  No noticeable dents, scratches and looks to be original paint.  Found one small rust bubble low on one door.  Paint was bubbling below the right tank in the boot where fuel had spilled.  This and 2 other minis were stuffed in a barn about 5 miles from my house.  It was hard to get pics because of how cramped and dark it was in there, but I'll get more soon. 

[ve9aa]

Dan,

If it's not rotted out and the (unique)gauges/wiring is OK and the very thin plastic gauge-surround isn't all cracked to bits, it's certainly worth saving or buying.

There was a 71(?) up here in NB that I tried for about a decade to buy which needed a full resto, but the guy basically just let it sink into the ground as Mother Nature reclaimed it.  One of those "I'll get around tuit"things.  Lotsa really neat features on the Inno.

Even though it *MAY* say 1300 on the boot badge, it may be a 998 (the one up here was).  A popular 'mod' back in the day to Cooperize your Mini. (I didn't study your picture, as it's upside and hurt my neck to look at it, LOL)

[ve9aa]

Is the inside of the bootlid double skinned?  ie: has a pleated panel on it?

Somewhere I have pix of an old Inno up by me, original a 1300 export, but pretty sure it had a 998 in it.