The Mini de Ville was announced by 'Harold Radford (Coachbuilders) LTD' in April 1963 and was available in three different levels of specification. The top of the range "GRANDE LUXE" had full specification and based on a Mini Cooper, the mid range "BEL AIR" having a slightly reduced specification, and lastly the 'De Luxe' which had limousine comfort still retaining the Minis outward features.
The Grande Luxe was fitted with every imaginable extra and re-trimmed to the very highest standards, although many of the extras fitted were after market accessories or items that were standard fittings on other makes of cars. The chrome body strips and the cowled head lamp rims were both Riley items - Elf and 1.5, the parking lights by Marchal were fitted to a Citroen and the full length Webasto sun roof was used on Rolls Royce and Rovers.
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The full with facia was from Paddy Gaston and housed the standard Mini gauges with the addition of Ammeter, Clock, Rev Counter and Cubby hole door with automatic light. The new facia had a speaker mounted in the front, extra swithes were set into the bottom rail to the side of the steering wheel which was a laminated one from Formula. The Minis ash tray was retained in the top rail with the addition of a Cigar Lighter, Speaker Balance Control and Parking Light Timer with a Radio fitted to the bottom rail.
The standard grille and headlamp units were replaced, by a Benelite grille using Lucas 567 Fog and Long Range Lamps recessed into it, along with Lucas PL700 headlamp units. Recessed in the rear valance below the bumper was a Reversing Lamp, also added were a Badge Bar and White-wall Tyres. The standard front sliding glass was removed from the both doors and Hinged front quarter vents fitted to allow the insulation of electrically operated door windows by Piper Electric Ltd.
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The cars were offered in two-tone Rolls Royce colour schemes finished off with a fine coach-line, although some of the customer's colour choices turned out to be very odd indeed. Radfords advertised the paint work to coach-builders standards but only the outside recived paint, the interior, boot and engine bay area metal work was left the original BMC factory colour.
The interior came in for a lot of improvement the seats and sun visors were re-shaped and trimmed in leather, a centre arm rest combined glovebox covered in the same leather was fitted between the front seats. Door panels with arm rests were constructed to cover the electric window mechanism these were also covered in matching leather and fitted with chrome door pulls and handles. Wooden door fillets in the same walnut veneer as the facia finished off the top of the door panels, and fitted to the lower edge of each door were night caution lights. After being completely soundproofed by Interior Silent Travel, lamb's wool carpets were fitted though out including the door kicking panels. Also added to the cars interior was a map reading lamp and grab handle to the passenger's cantrail, extra interior light and a Lucas dipping rear view mirror.
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The Grande Luxe also had the addition of Twin air horns, Bonnet light, Electric window washers with Lucas chrome screen jets and ACE wheel trims. The very first cars built had no badges only the words 'Mini de Ville' hand painted to both wings and a door step name plate.
The "Bel Air" and the "de luxe" specifcation could be added to any of the Mini range and only included a fraction of the items as on the Grande Luxe. These two models had no facia panel and a Tilling wind-down window was only fitted to the drivers's door, and the Bel Air having basket work side panels as standard.
In October 1963 just before the London Motor Show there were a few changes made to the Mini de Ville. The radio was now set in the front of the facia along with a cigar lighter, balance control switch and a revolving ash tray were the speaker used to be, which was now fitted in the top rail. Fully reclining seats using Microcell frames were also offered covered in P.V.C. or leather as an optioal extra, along with ash trays in both doors, arm rests in the rear and an engine conversion by Speedwell.
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July 1964 saw the introduction of a MK ll version of the Mini de Ville and with it some changes to rectify the little niggles of previous models. The wooden fillets were replaced by padded P.V.C. with wood grained Formica strips set in the door panels just below, the same Formica was also used to face the dashboard. Reclining front seats were now also standard fitting (probably because Radford had just brought the rights to make Microcell seats). An optional extra now availble was a fold down one or two piece rear seat to give more luggage space, and the engine conversion was now offered by Downton Engineering.
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It was at this time the round Radford badge (available in a number of colours) were fitted to both wings and boot lid. The oblong badge was not used by this date on the boot lid although one was used on the Mini from 'Shot in the Dark' film in January 1964.
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Radford continued to produce the Mini de Ville during the rest of 1964 till October 1965 when the GT was introduced. Only changes during this time a 1275 Cooper 'S' being made available from June 1965 with the option of Cosmic MK l alloy wheels, and no badges appeared to be fitted to any of the cars from around July 1965.