Back in 1969, Dawn Webb’s husband-to-be Alan predicted her 1967 Morris Mini “would never last”. Fast-forward 55 years and how wrong he was!

The white Mini is now a rare gem, which still sparkles when the Webbs get her out for a drive.

Turning 80 on August 20, Dawn was aged 25 when she went searching for her first car.

“I was working at the supermarket, and needed a car,” says the Ohauiti resident.

“I bought it from Dominion Motors, the Morris-Austin agent on the corner of Second Ave and Devonport Rd.”

All the rage

Dawn says Minis were all the rage back then and everyone had them.

“I used to beat around in mine – it was my everyday car. I had a nine-foot-three surfboard on top and ‘Murphy the smurfie’ dangling from the rear-view mirror inside.”

‘Murphy the smurfie’ has been hanging in Dawn’s 1967 Morris Mini since she bought it in 1969. Photo: Merle Cave.

Dawn met Alan in September of ‘69.

“The car was new in November 1967. So we’ve had it 55 years,” says Alan.

The Webbs retired the Mini from being Dawn’s runaround in 1994.

“We’d started our own business and it needed few minor jobs. But we were so busy it was off the road for 10 years. Then our daughter Michelle wanted it for her wedding car,” says Alan, who pulled it out of the shed.

“The amazing thing is it’s done 177,000 miles and the motor and gearbox are untouched, which is phenomenal.”

The Mini has received little restoration work.

“I’ve done the brakes and the exterior has been painted but the rest is original,” says Alan. “It’s only an 850cc but it does 50 miles/hr at 50 miles to the gallon.”

Dawn could fill the tank for $5 when she bought it!

“To fill it now is about $27.”

A heist

Alan and Dawn have been down the South Island four times in it – but they’ve had a weird experience too.

“In 1979 Dawn and I went to the movies at the Odeon in town," says Alan.

"We parked across the road in the Farmers carpark, locked it up, and went in. We came out, unlocked it, got in and sniffed. We’re not smokers and the car reeked of smoke! I panicked and checked the motor and it was hot!

"We’d parked it with a full tank of gas and only half a tank was left.

“Somebody had stolen it, done a few miles, but they’d put it back in exactly the same carpark and it was undamaged."

Money on the dash and a box of wine also survived the heist.

In 1980, at an international rally in Rotorua, the Webbs fitted “about 12 or 13 of us” in the Mini to get to a restaurant.

“We put a few kids in the boot. The guards were just about on the wheel. You’d never get away with it today.”

Dawn Webb still enjoys her rare 1967 Morris Mini after 55 years of owning it. Photo: Merle Cave.

A well-used ‘toy’

Nowadays the Webbs belong to the Tauranga Mini Owners’ Club – Dawn is a founding club member.

The club was established in 2008 to assist people to enjoy all Minis – old and new – socialise with like-minded brand owners and collectively celebrate the Mini. Activities include runs to destinations of interest, scavenger hunts, time trials, and annual ‘kampout’ extended weekends.

“Today it’s a thriving club,” says Dawn, who offers one last gem.

When she acquired Alan, four months after acquiring the car, Dawn says he thought the Mini was “a toy”.

“He was a Chev enthusiast – he said it would never last. Now we’re still beating around it!”

Alan?

“Well, it’s lasted because I look after it,” he quips.

Happy driving you two!