Awww, look at that Mk1 Mini. Even in that battered state it’s just delightful! It’s a Cooper, too. How can you not love that car. Imagine if it was restored into a condition that was even better that the day it rolled off the factory floor.
Thanks to the UK television series For the Love of Cars, produced by Channel 4, we don’t have to imagine what that Mk1 Cooper would look like in mint condition, because they’ve already done it for us!
There’s seven episodes in full and the series is currently airing here in Australia on the ABC. Six cars in total get some quality love and attention from Ant Anstead and his team, while Life on Mars star Philip Glenister breaks down the barrier between Gene Hunt and real life as the show’s host.
It’s a format we’ve seen before, most notably with Wheeler Dealers, but For the Love of Cars is more about the quality of the restoration than it is about making a quick buck. Sadly we don’t get an in-depth look at the restorations, but we do get a great reminder of what made these (mostly) British cars so great.
The classic cars restored during the series are listed below and the seventh episode shows the results of all the cars when sold at auction:
- Episode 1 – Mk1 Ford Escort Mexico
- Episode 2 – Land Rover Series I
- Episode 3 – Triumph Stag
- Episode 4 – Mk1 Mini Cooper
- Episode 5 – MG-TC
- Episode 6 – DeLorean DMC-12
Of course, thanks to the wonder of the internetz you can see these episodes whenever you so choose (see below). We recommend you find the time to do so.
The best thing this show does is put a smile on your face; for the love of cars!