Mini Scamp
A Mini-based British kit car inspired by the Mini Moke.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Mini Scamp is a British kit car derived from the classic Mini and styled in part as an alternative to the Mini Moke. The first Mark 1 examples were produced in 1969, when the Mini Moke was still an important reference point for small, open utility vehicles. The car was conceived as a largely owner-completed project rather than as a standardized, factory-built automobile. Its design used the Classic Mini's running gear and, in the earliest configuration, both the front and rear Mini subframes. This allowed builders to combine the familiar mechanical components of the mass-produced Mini with a lightweight, more utilitarian body structure. The original Scamp body was based on a steel square-tube or box-section frame covered with aluminum panels. The design was unusually flexible for a kit car. Buyers and builders could select among van, estate and pickup-style bodies, as well as different wheelbase arrangements and either four- or six-wheel chassis layouts. Engine and powertrain choices also varied, with installations ranging broadly from approximately 850 cc to 1,400 cc and with numerous possible modifications. Because much of the vehicle was left to the individual builder, finished cars could differ substantially in specification, appearance and performance. The first kits were styled by Robert Mandry in Ottershaw, Surrey. Production was later associated with the Scamp Motor Company and with Andrew MacLean, who took over manufacturing and ownership in 1987. Under MacLean's stewardship, a factory was established at East Grinstead in Sussex and later moved to Rowfant near Crawley. The change of ownership helped maintain the model as a continuing specialist product after the end of Mini Moke production at BMC's Longbridge operation, which occurred shortly after the first Mini Scamp kits appeared. A second-generation version was introduced in 1978. The Mark 2 adopted a squarer body design and a stronger chassis. It also departed from the earlier arrangement by not using the Mini rear subframe. In 1988, production moved to the Mark 3, which received publicity through demonstrators and coverage in British kit-car and Mini magazines. A sporting GT variant, the Mk3 GT Scamp, was also featured in Top Gear magazine. Later development broadened the concept beyond the original Mini-based format: versions were offered using either a Suzuki SJ chassis or the chassis of the Daihatsu F50/F55. The Scamp Motor Company subsequently expanded its portfolio by acquiring manufacturing rights to the RTV, or Rough Terrain Vehicle, in 2011. The RTV retained a relationship with Classic Mini running gear and extended the company's specialist-vehicle offering beyond the conventional Scamp body styles. The Mini Scamp is therefore best understood not as a mass-market automotive brand but as a small-scale British kit-car marque whose identity rests on mechanical reuse, owner customization and a distinctive compact utility-vehicle format. Publicly available material does not establish the brand's current production status, present ownership structure beyond the Scamp Motor Company association, or a current official website.
History
The Mini Scamp emerged in Britain in 1969 as a Mini-based kit car inspired by the appearance and concept of the Mini Moke. The first Mark 1 kits were produced by Robert Mandry in Ottershaw, Surrey. Rather than being a complete production car, the Scamp was supplied as a project vehicle using mechanical components from a Classic Mini. Early cars retained the Mini's running gear and both front and rear subframes, allowing owners to assemble a distinctive lightweight vehicle from familiar donor-car parts. The Scamp's construction emphasized adaptability. Its body and chassis used a steel square-section frame with aluminum panels, and the design could be configured as a van, estate or pickup. Four- and six-wheel layouts, short and long wheelbases, and engines ranging from about 850 cc to 1,400 cc were among the available possibilities. The open-ended nature of the kit meant that individual finished vehicles varied widely according to the builder's choices and the parts available. The model's appearance was especially timely because BMC ended Mini Moke production at Longbridge shortly after the first Scamp kits appeared. Although the Scamp was not a direct factory replacement for the Moke, its compact utility character and Mini mechanical basis gave enthusiasts a related route into a small, recreational or work-oriented vehicle. The Mark 2 arrived in 1978 with a squarer body and stronger chassis. It also changed the structural arrangement by dispensing with the Mini rear subframe. In 1987, Andrew MacLean, a Scamp enthusiast and retained firefighter from Turners Hill, took over manufacturing and ownership. Production facilities were established at East Grinstead in Sussex and subsequently moved to Rowfant near Crawley. The Mark 3 began production in 1988. Demonstrators appeared in specialist Kit Car and Mini magazines, while the Mk3 GT Scamp received coverage in Top Gear magazine. Later versions expanded the possible donor platforms. Some Scamps were built on Suzuki SJ chassis, while others used Daihatsu F50 or F55 chassis. This development showed that the marque could adapt its body concept beyond the original Classic Mini platform. In 2011, the Scamp Motor Company acquired manufacturing rights to the RTV, or Rough Terrain Vehicle, another specialist vehicle associated with Classic Mini running gear. Available reference material does not clearly document the present production status of the Mini Scamp, its current management or a current official corporate website.
- 2011
RTV manufacturing rights acquired
[1]The Scamp Motor Company acquired rights to manufacture the RTV Rough Terrain Vehicle.
- 1988
Mark 3 enters production
[1]The Mark 3 began production and received visibility through specialist automotive magazine demonstrators and articles.
- 1987
Andrew MacLean takes over the marque
[1]Manufacturing and ownership passed to Andrew MacLean, who established facilities in East Grinstead and later Rowfant.
- 1978
Mark 2 launched
[1]The Mark 2 introduced a squarer body, a stronger chassis and a revised rear structure that did not use the Mini rear subframe.
- 1969
Mark 1 Mini Scamp kits appear
[1]The first Mini Scamp kits were produced in Surrey using Classic Mini running gear and a body concept influenced by the Mini Moke.
Products and positioning
A British specialist kit-car marque positioned around affordable reuse of Classic Mini mechanical components, adaptable body formats and extensive owner-led customization.
Mini-based kit car · 1969
Mini Scamp Mk1
The original Scamp generation, introduced in 1969, used Classic Mini running gear and both Mini front and rear subframes. Its aluminum-panel body on a steel box-section frame was influenced by the Mini Moke and could be completed by an owner in several utility-oriented configurations.
Kit car · 1978
Mini Scamp Mk2
Introduced in 1978, the Mark 2 had a more angular body and a stronger chassis than the first version. Its revised construction did not rely on the Mini rear subframe, distinguishing it mechanically from the earlier generation.
Kit car · 1988
Mini Scamp Mk3
The Mark 3 began production in 1988 and was promoted through demonstrator vehicles and specialist magazine coverage. The generation included the sportier GT Scamp and continued the marque's emphasis on builder-selected specifications.
Sporting kit-car variant
GT Scamp
The Mk3 GT Scamp was a more sporting interpretation of the Scamp concept. It received coverage in Top Gear magazine, although the available reference material does not provide a complete specification or production total.
Specialist utility vehicle
RTV Rough Terrain Vehicle
The RTV was a related specialist vehicle for which the Scamp Motor Company acquired manufacturing rights in 2011. It was also based on Classic Mini running gear, extending the company's activities into rough-terrain utility vehicles.
Marketing campaigns
- 1988Mark 3 magazine demonstrator programme
United Kingdom
Mark 3 demonstrator vehicles were presented through Kit Car and Mini magazines to introduce the new generation to the British enthusiast and kit-car audience.
Outcome. The Mark 3 and the GT Scamp gained specialist press exposure, including coverage in Top Gear magazine.
Brand decisions
2011
Acquisition of RTV manufacturing rightsM&ABackground
The Scamp Motor Company expanded beyond the core Scamp kit-car line.
Action taken
The company acquired the rights to manufacture the RTV Rough Terrain Vehicle.
Aftermath
The rights acquisition added a related specialist utility vehicle to the company's product activities.
1988
Introduction of the Mark 3Generation changeBackground
The company continued developing the kit after its 1987 ownership change.
Action taken
Production of the Mark 3 began, followed by demonstrator activity and specialist magazine coverage.
Aftermath
The new generation broadened the Scamp's visibility among British kit-car and Mini enthusiasts.
1978
Redesign and chassis strengthening for Mark 2Generation changeBackground
The first-generation design was replaced by a more angular body and revised chassis architecture.
Action taken
The Mark 2 adopted a squarer body, a stronger chassis and a layout that did not use the Mini rear subframe.
Aftermath
The redesign established the second-generation Scamp as a distinct development rather than a minor update to the original kit.
Recent events
- 2011
Scamp Motor Company acquires RTV manufacturing rights[1]
M&A · Product launch
The company acquired manufacturing rights to the Rough Terrain Vehicle, a specialist vehicle also related to Classic Mini running gear.
- 1988
Mark 3 production begins[1]
Product generation · Campaign
The Mark 3 entered production and was promoted through demonstrators and coverage in Kit Car and Mini magazines.
- 1987
Scamp manufacturing and ownership transferred to Andrew MacLean[1]
Leadership change · Other
Andrew MacLean took over manufacturing and ownership, establishing production facilities first at East Grinstead and later at Rowfant near Crawley.
- 1978
Mark 2 Mini Scamp introduced[1]
Product generation
The second-generation Scamp adopted a squarer body and stronger chassis and no longer used the Mini rear subframe.
Sources1 sources
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