For sale: 1965 2 door sedan Toledo Triumph

Instrumentation: The central oval instrument binnacle was retained on the MKIII, with the central speedometer showing both Miles & km allowing for metric export markets such as Canada and other parts of Europe. A fuel gauge was below the speedometer in the same binnacle. A temperature gauge was on the left, and an oil pressure gauge on the right (all gauges being of the Smiths brand). Exported MKIIIs may have been fitted with a radio from factory. In the UK market, a radio was a dealer installed accessory.

Seat trim: A new range of vinyl trim colours were introduced including Blue, Black, Brown and Beige. The MKIII trim is almost indistinguishable from the Mini 1000, with vinyl upholstery featuring a simple heat formed pattern (7 long thin pleats running through each of the front seat squabs and backs, and 10 pleats on the rear seat squabs and backs). The seat frame and pads are the same as applied to the MK2, while the covers are almost the same, but the vinyl grain is courser than on the MK2 models. Reclining seats were an option, and some vehicles bound for export markets had a special lock down catch fitted.

Door trim and quarter trim: The door trims are the same as applied to the Mini 1000 and other saloons, with three pairs of lines running the length of the door card, and one single line below. The same pattern was repeated on the rear quarter panel cards.

Trunk: The boot board was covered in course black Veltone fabric (and no longer had a stitched vinyl border as applied to earlier cars). The tool bag in the trunk was the same as on earlier models, nut now contained only the jack and the wheel brace (a plug spanner was no longer supplied).

Carpets and small trims: Carpets were colour coded to match the rest of the trim, as was the rear parcel shelf panel (refer to the paint and trim codes section of this guide). The headliner, sun visors and rear quarter trim pieces were finished in either a pale grey or off-white. The interior roof lamp now fitted on the left side of the roof. The Windscreen pillars, scuttle rail, upper dash rail and lower parcel shelf rail were all trimmed in black vinyl. The parcel shelf rail had a bright chrome finish beading. The Interior mirror has a light grey backing plate, and was fitted with a suction cup to prevent vibration.

Switches: Early UK market cars have a combined ignition lock and starter switch panel (in the centre of the dash), with toggle switches for the lights and wipers (knobs for the heater (Right) and locking choke (left)). Later UK cars (from January 1971) and most export market cars, had rocker switches in the centre dash panel for the lights and wipers, and the ignition moved to the steering column (which had an integrated steering lock). The new ignition on the column was made by “Lowe and Fletcher”. This type of lock was introduced from Commission Number N20D/850. Early export cars with a steering lock have a blanking plug over the redundant ignition hole in the centre switch panel, but the hole was deleted altogether once the steering lock became standard.

Steering wheel, column controls and gear knob: A two-spoke steering wheel was fitted (the same as the MKII), but now had a centre hub stating “MINI”.  A multi functional stalk controlled the indicators, horn, sip switch, high beam flasher. The switches for lights and wipers are still on the main switch panel. The MKIII should have a black gear knob/lever with the gear pattern printed in white.

Seatbelts: Seatbelts in the UK market were dealer installed on pre-1971 cars, but from January 1971 became a legal requirement. Recommended types at the time included “Kangol Magnet” static belts or “Britax” inertia reel belts – both attaching to a centre tunnel buckle fastening.

Heating and ventilation: The MK3 heater is quite different to the MKII. It is a Smiths heater, the same fresh air water valve type – but now the air intake is through the mudguard rather than the bulkhead/firewall. A higher output heater was installed on export cars bound for colder climates. The heater was standard on all UK market cars. An optional extra on the MKIII was a fresh air ventilation system, with black plastic vents fitted to either end of the dashboard liner.