Tabla de contenidos para August 2020 en MiniWorld

All of the stunning Minis in this issue would be very welcome to reside in my garage, should they so wish. There is a good mix of standard and modified cars and and now that Vans and Pick-ups are becoming so rare they would get pride of place. Saying that, a rally Mk1 gives a lovely nod to early Mini motorsport and I do love a 1275 GT for the 70s nostalgia they evoke. It would certainly be difficult to pick out my favourite. I hope you enjoy reading about them all and their dedicated owners. I'm sure I'm not alone in missing Mini road trips so I enjoyed reading Mark Chadwick's account of a trip he took in his Mini to France last year (pages 74-79). It certainly got…

Bex of ArtbyBex is well-known for her evocative motorsport artwork and she definitely has a soft spot for Minis and their owners. She has found it hard during the pandemic to be so distant from Minis and can’t wait to visit Mini shows again. “I’ve been missing seeing Mini fans at Mini events! Don’t worry we’ll all meet up again very soon,” she told MiniWorld. During the lockdown she kept herself busy in her studio while working on various artworks for her clients and she would love you to keep in touch with her by following her on Facebook, Twitt er and Instagram. She can be contacted for commissions via her website: www.artbybex.co.uk.…

Sometimes a Mini rebuild can be one project too far. “It very nearly killed me,” remarks 57-year-old John Doyle. “The restoration caused me to have a heart attack, which happened three weeks after the car was finished.” In John’s case, he admits he was trying to do everything, including holding down a job as a self-employed gas engineer, playing lead guitar in a band (he’s supported the likes of Elbow and New Order) and finding time to rebuild the 1275 GT that has been in his family since 1996. Fortunately, everything has worked out favourably but he now takes life’s challenges in his stride and realises that being alive is the top priority. This was clearly evident when MiniWorld met up with him to photograph his GT. Whilst he confesses…

I have owned my 1967 Riley Elf for 20 years and have always enjoyed driving it. Shortly aft er I bought it I fitt ed a set of 4.5”-wide reverse rims as I think it still looked respectably standard but a bit more purposeful at the same time. A few months ago, the front brake wheel cylinders started leaking and, rather than replace them, I have had the brakes changed to a set of 1275GT discs. The brakes still need to be bedded in but my main issue is that the front wheels now stick out unacceptably. Someone has suggested fitt ing a set of 1275GT Rostyle wheels as they are correct for the brakes. But I don't think I want Rostyles and I am sure I have seen Minis…

Richard Tanner 1979 Mini Van I bought my Mini Van on 13 Aug 2016 and I worked on its restoration over two years and 11 months. I had been looking for a Mini Van project for some time when I saw an advert in the classified pages of MiniWorld for a Van which was located on a farm in Dartmoor. I contacted the owner and I set off with the borrowed Five Valleys Mini Club trailer to transport my new purchase; if a negotiated price was agreed. My Mini club is based in Stroud but has members in Gloucestershire and beyond. I must add, at this point, being in a Mini club is very worthwhile if renovating or repairing a Mini. I know you can view clips on Youtube and…

Known for its electric Swind E classic Mini conversion, amongst other things, Swindon Powertrain is taking orders for its own compact EV 80kW power unit, called the High Power Density (HPD). It was devised as a response to the lack of compact engineered EV systems, and is aimed at sports, recreation, light commercial applications and classic car conversions. The HPD EV 80kW production unit is now smaller and lighter than the concept, with a claimed weight of 49.9kg including lubricants. The motor features a brushless, permanent magnet motor, transmission, open di. erential and one metre of cabling. The package size is now just 441mm x 384mm x 228mm. SP says the ‘crate’ motor is suitable for OEMs, niche vehicle manufacturers, electric car conversion companies and also the enthusiast home mechanic.…

Ever since competition Minis started to be fitt ed with wider wheels it has arguably been the most important mod to make to any performance Mini. In many cases it will have been the only mod made. Fashions and styles change and, in the 60s and early 70s, it was mainly the 4.5x10 reverse rims off ered by BMC/BL Special Tuning and Dunlop that were used. Minilites were very expensive and usually only appeared on competition Minis. This changed when Dunlop introduced the Formula D range of alloys and there were other wheels available from companies such as Cosmic too. They were made of LM25 alloy which made them significantly cheaper than magnesium-alloy Minilites and brought alloy wheels within budget for many owners. In the early 70s in particular the…

I bought my Mini on 15 July 2018 after rejecting a number of Minis on an online auction site. I was originally drawn to Mini because of its iconic shape and very simple mechanical design. It was also the only classic car I could suitably fit and work on inside my garage. What I liked about this little red Mini 1000 was the lack of corrosion on the bodywork; it had been dry-stored for a number of years. The mechanical and electrical features, on the other hand, were shot and needed a complete overhaul in areas which I could easily get back up to scratch. As it was an October 1979-built car I also wanted to take future advantage of the 40-year rolling tax exception which would offer cheap classic…

My first love was Mini and I've had nine since 1971. My first was a 1964 Fiesta Yellow Super Deluxe for which I paid £65 and fitted a fibreglass front. My last was a brand new 1993 Rover Mayfair which I sold in 2007. I wish I could have kept the 1969 Tartan Red Mk2 Cooper S but I couldn't have done a good enough restoration on it. When running Minis I thought 2CVs were strange effeminate cars; a bit hippy. They are very different to the Mini, definitely old-style driving, quite simple to keep on the road, plenty of spares are available but, just like the Mini, they are prone to tin-worm. They are fun to drive and comfortable but you need to take your time as it's not…

Andrew and Claire Schofield, from Cumbria, were married on 14 March. “My husband and I have shared our love for Minis from the moment we met,” explained Claire. “Our Mini has taken us all over the UK and Ireland.” The couple attend International Mini Meets as well as Thistle Runs in Scotland. “We are so lucky to share our hobby with our special group of friends,” enthused Claire. “Here’s to more years of Mini adventures with our Mini family as Mr and Mrs Schofield.” Sadly the pandemic meant that they could not attend the IMM in Germany this year as they had planned. Congratulations to the happy couple from MiniWorld. BUY THE SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSUE FROM 14 AUGUST • Available to buy in many shops • Online: https://shop.kelsey.co.uk • Digitally:…

Alloy brake caliper conversion The large range of Cooper products from Mini Sport includes this 8.4" front brake disc kit which features CNC machined billet alloy 4-pot calipers, finished with the Cooper logo. Available in black or silver finish, the kit includes a pair of Cooper 8.4" 4-pot alloy brake calipers, Mintex pads, stainless steel caliper bolts, spring washers, flat washers and drive flange bolts. £398.99 (ref: MCPBRKROAD) +44 (0)1282 778731 www.minisport.com LED Headlamps Mini Spares sells this LED 7” headlamp conversion kit, with halo rim rings. The headlamps are E-marked and road legal in the UK and Europe. They are available in a choice of black or chrome finishes and can be supplied for left- or right-hand-drive vehicles. S7096LED: chrome RH drive S7098LED: chrome LH drive S7099LED: black LH…

Building a Works replica Mini comes with the additional pressure of ensuring every detail is researched and reproduced accurately, a task made very difficult by the wealth of nonstandard parts used. Thanks to the internet such a feat is a little easier than it was years ago as more photos and reference materials are made available. Still, even for the most famous Works Minis like 33 EJB and AJB 44B, most will source the more obvious items such as lamps and livery configuration and then stop there. Those who do go into greater detail will find themselves spending countless hours on research and poring over historic photos. Even then, there is the additional task of finding someone to make custom parts or manufacturing them yourself. Nevertheless, when it came to…

Engine improvements are always exciting but this time there is no tuning involved. There is something very satisfying about opening the bonnet of a Mini and seeing a well-presented, tidy, clean engine bay. A clean engine is a sign of a wellmaintained car and it is much easier and quicker to work on when the need arises. What, if anything, needs to be done to your Mini’s engine bay will depend upon the usage, the overall condition of the car and what you are hoping to achieve. When a bodywork resto is carried out it is nice to continue the good work and improve all other areas of the car, including the engine. If the engine has been removed for a rebuild it is quite straightforward to finish it, and…

We know Patrick and Louise from the days when our two sons played youth football together. As so often is the case, the idea for this road trip started in a pub. It was Patrick's suggestion. “Why don't we take the old cars for a run over to France?” I have a tidy 1996 Rover 1.3i Cooper and Patrick has a Citroën 2CV. My wife Emilia and I are up for a challenge so it didn't take long for us to agree with his suggestion and soon met up with them again at their house, for a barbecue, where we came up with a plan. After much debate, and several glasses of Côtes du Rhône, we decided that a five-day, four-night jaunt would make a decent trip and we spent…