Cars

Young man tracked down his grandfather's much-loved Mini after it'd been lost for decades and restored it to brand new condition

Published on Oct 17, 2025 at 5:14 AM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson

Last updated on Oct 16, 2025 at 7:55 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Emma Matthews

A young man tracked down his grandfather’s beloved Morris Mini that had been lost for decades in order to restore it.

Jamie Garrett tracked down his grandfather’s Morris Mini and brought it back to life in time for a car competition.

He had a big job on his hands with the restoration, which took years to complete.

But the end result was well worth the wait – the end result was beautiful.

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This Morris Mini was given a new lease of life after being lost for decades

This 1960 Mini has quite the legacy behind it.

In it, multiple people have learned to drive, and it’s been across France and Italy

It was a family car, purchased back in 1965 by Jamie’s grandfather, and was a family staple.

Jamie’s dad used it for work, but its days were numbered.

But rust had taken its toll by 1977, and it was off the road for decades.

Young man tracked down his grandfather's much-loved Morris Mini after it'd been lost for decades and restored it to brand new condition
Lancaster Insurance

In 1996, an attempted restoration didn’t go ahead, and the car ended up going to someone who never repaired.

Fast forward to 2019, and Jamie was able to get his hands on the Mini Morris.

Despite having no prior experience in car restoration, he got to work – and was met with something of an uphill struggle.

Working with specialists from the Real Mini Company, he restored the car to its former glory – all while keeping it a secret from his dad.

He unveiled it to his father in 2023, and left his dad overwhelmed with emotion.

Young man tracked down his grandfather's much-loved Morris Mini after it'd been lost for decades and restored it to brand new condition
Lancaster Insurance

Jamie’s grandfather even got a chance to see it.

“It was never this good!” he said, The Sun reported.

There’s an endorsement if we ever heard one.

The car has gone on to win multiple awards, including securing a third-place finish in the Pride of Ownership competition.

We love it when a family car is given a second chance

Family cars have a special place in people’s hearts.

This father was left in shock when his sons restored a 1987 BMW M6 that he had previously abandoned.

One man did the same thing for his dad’s Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Not that familial car gifts always get the best reaction – as this doctor who gave his dad a Ferrari Roma as a retirement gift found out the hard way.

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Ben Thompson is a Senior Content Writer at supercarblondie.com. Ben has more than four years experience as a qualified journalist, having graduated with a Multimedia Journalism degree from News Associates. Ben specializes in writing about Teslas, tech and celebrity car collections.