Strangers on the Shore

If the Mini you’re looking at has roll-up windows and no visible door hinges, it was made after 1969…no matter what the owner or the title claims

by Gary Anderson

The success of the new Mini has meant that classic Minis are starting to reappear in the United States, despite the fact they haven’t been legally imported since 1967.

However, there’s something a little suspicious about many of these cars, with their roll-up windows, concealed door hinges, wooden dashboards, leather upholstery, and fuel-injected engines. One might suspect they were made after 1967. Even Sports Car Market recently added one of these little beasties to its motor pool. So what’s the story?

The first Minis were introduced in 1959, which means we’ll be celebrating 50 years of Minis soon. They were available in the United States early on and gradually grew in popularity in the 1960s. During those swinging years, the tiny but practical car became a fixture in pop culture and a force to be reckoned with on race tracks and in rallies.

Unfortunately, the U.S. Clean Air Act emissions restrictions effective with...