Tabla de contenidos para June/July 2020 en Mini Magazine

We find ourselves living in extraordinary times. It feels as though no sooner had we sent the last issue off to the printers that the world shifted on its axis, and the following morning we woke up to a very different scenario and things that we take for granted had simply stopped. Events we were looking forward to, Minis we had long being planning to shoot for features in upcoming issues of the magazine, even jobs we were half way through on the project cars came to an abrupt and sudden halt. We know it's not forever, and as long as we adhere to the guidelines being issued by the government and health professionals, normality will soon return. But writing this in the midst of lockdown, it's hard to imagine…

The Covid-19 crisis has had a vast impact on everyone’s lives and caused a great disturbance to our daily routines. For us car enthusiasts this means no more garage days, track days, shows and meets. However, it’s not all bad news. Mini scene stalwart and the drive behind MiniRunUK, Jake Dennis, is just one of many Mini enthusiasts who are putting their time and vehicles to good use. The MiniRunUK team and several of their close Mini-owning friends have all signed up as volunteers to help the NHS with deliveries. “We will be using both classic and GP2 to deliver medication and food for vulnerable people in the surrounding villages.” Jake explains. “We hope to put smiles on people’s faces during these hard times... we might even break out the…

Round one of the 2020 HRCR Mini Sport Cup, Jasper’s Bakeries David Owen Historic Stages run by Owen Motor Club got the season off to a thrilling start on Saturday 14th March with 20 Minis entered, but on the day, two crews elected to self-isolate. The day started with light drizzle after heavy overnight downpours, making the roads in Weston Park incredibly slippery. By Stage 4, the front-runners all set times within a few seconds of each other, showing just how close the Minis are! Leading from the start, John and Martin Cressey were doing well until Stage 5, when the father and son crew ended up in a field, with bog up to the sump guard… John’s little ‘field trip’ resulted in a Stage maximum of 30 minutes, giving…

From a young age, Sean Blackwell, worked on cars. He grew up surrounded by Minis as his father, Martin, worked at Kent Auto Developments (KAD) alongside Peter and Colin Woollard, Gary Oldfield, Nick Cole, Sean’s Grandad and his Uncle, Andy. He spent a lot of time there as a kid, especially during the summer holidays. He was born in 1996 – a few years after the company started – but by the end of the 00s he couldn’t stay away. This experience and the influence of his family members has without a doubt inspired Sean to build a road race car that meets the highest spec. Sean has had this Mini since he was 17. He was adamant that his first car was a Mini! He enjoyed driving it but…

Peter Smith grew up surrounded by friends who were mechanics, and he too developed a mechanical mind. As a result they all spent a lot of time playing around with cars. However, it was only later on in life that Peter finally had the time and money devote to his automotive passion. He’s certainly making up for lost time, as he now owns an impressive fleet of unusual Minis all of which are very well looked after. As well as a collection of Minis, Peter also has his ‘toy cars’ his Spyder (one of 200) and a GT3RS (which is one of 123). “I’ll admit that I’m into my Porsches, but my first car was a Java Green 1275GT and that’s how I got into them. I’ve worked abroad a…

IRREGULAR BEHAVIOUR Q I recently bought a 1992 Mini Cooper which has a recurring problem. When you keep the engine speed at 2500 rpm or above, the revs seem to go up and down without any input to the pedal. A rattling noise also occurs now and again. I’ve been told that it could be the sensors, the ignition coil or the fuel cut-off. I also noticed that the catalytic converter has been taken off and told that it could be the Lambda sensor. Karl A This often happens when a complete replacement air filter has been fitted and the standard air temperature sensor in the standard air filter case has not been refitted, or when the throttle linkage has worn badly. In the latter case, the servoed throttle linkage…

Q I’ve recently bought a 1983 Mayfair as a project car. The plan is to completely strip and then rebuild the car. I’m expecting to have to deal with plenty of rust, but once the shell is restored to good condition, I’m going to make it look like on of the last Cooper Sport models – externally at least. I’m going to fit the Sportpack arches, and ideally, 7x13 inch alloy wheels to complete the look. As the car currently has drums all round and 10 inch wheels, what are the best discs/servo combo you would recommend me to fit and will I be able to fit the 13 inch wheels without any mods to the bodywork? If not, what mods will be required and is it a big job?…

I’ve been here plenty of times before. You feel you’ve been working towards that turn of the ignition key for weeks – we actually have on the GTM thanks to limited garage time – but each time you think you’re ready to go, something else needs doing. So far with the GTM, it was dealing with lost keys, a missing ignition barrel, oil leaks and dodgy hand tools. The last one wasn’t anything really to do with the GTM, it was just annoying... With the engine oil tight, fresh oil and filter, and fuel in the tank, we looked all set to go. We’ve got no idea of when the GTM was last run, but I suspected it wasn’t going to start easily, even off a fresh, fully charged battery.…

Having owned nine since he was seventeen-years-old, it’s fair to say that Kenny Hedges is something of a classic Mini enthusiast. However, as the adage : good things come to an end. The arrival of his son Callum signalled the need for a larger, more practical family car. And as the Millennium approached, Kenny bid goodbye to his then Mini and bought a Vauxhall Astra. “I’m a cabinet maker by trade,” he reveals. “So I really did need something larger, not just for the family, but for work too. Also, it’s worth remembering that this was the time when classic Mini production was coming to an end. There was a lot of scaremongering. People were saying that parts would become hard to get hold of etc. This was partly why…

• Although we are having to limit our time outside the house, plenty of us still have to take the cars out for work purposes and grocery shopping. Although keeping your car running regularly will do it the world of good, refuelling could actually put you at risk. Earlier in the month there were rumours flying around that petrol pumps were a main cause for the rapid spread of Corona. The UK Petroleum Industry Association defending this notion by saying “We are not aware of any evidence that fuel nozzle handles or other forecourt features, such as pay-at-pump keypads, are any more or less prone to the spread of COVID-19 than other hard surfaces. The public should be reassured that retailers are advising site operators to implement enhanced hygiene controls…

• As we all get to grips with the implications of lockdown, the summer ahead looks bleak for the Mini scene. Sadly, all Mini shows and events that were due to take place over the next few months have had to be cancelled to respect public safety. This means that all of the hard work that the organisers have put into planning these well-loved events has gone to waste, and it will also no doubt have huge financial implications. We urge you to all make an extra effort to support next year’s shows and show support where you can. If any of you are managing online meetups with fellow Mini fans then do let us know, we’re really interested to see how you are keeping the community alive at this…

Clitheroe and District Motor Club with valuable assistance from lubrication technology leader Fuchs Lubricants, will again promote a championship for Classic Minis. Sally Travis, marketing manager, said “We’re pleased to be title sponsor to the Classic Mini Challenge -we have a long history in motorsport and our proven products are demanded by everyone from clubman competitors to professional race teams. This opportunity will give Fuchs Lubricants a wider involvement in the classic car sector and we wish all competitors the best of luck and thank the organisers for their good work.” The first round of the 2020 season was the LDV Donnington Rally run by Dukeries Motor Club, on Sunday 15th March 2020. Five of the Nine registered crews started the rally. Steven Robinson was sidelined from the start having…

Due to the government guidelines in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we can no longer meet in groups outside of those who we live with. This means that sadly all scheduled Mini meets in the next few months will have to be cancelled or postponed. If you had an event that you were looking forward to, please check out the organiser’s website to find out details of their rescheduled events. Here are some of the events that have released details of new dates: Brooklands Brooklands Museum is closed due to the Corona situation, and all events have been postponed or cancelled until the end of June. https://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/ Riviera Run The Cornish Mini Club have taken the decision to postpone the 25th Anniversary of the Riviera Run 2020 to the Bank…

It’s incredible what you can achieve with a little creative thought and the support of family and friends. Carmelo Urso’s cracking Mini turbo is a perfect example – bought as a gift as his first car, it’s come a long way from its humble beginnings as a carb’d 1275 Mini Sprite but none of it wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support of others. It all started with Carmelo’s Dad, Alfonso. “My dad’s always been into Minis – always built Minis, was always messing around with Minis. I’ve got loads of pictures and that’s what always inspired me. I’ve been around them all my life to be fair, them and ice cream vans...” he adds with a smile. The Urso family have run a successful ice cream business…

Faulty wheel bearings are quite a common occurrence on a Mini, but thankfully if you know how to undo a nut and bolt then you should be able to tackle this job at home with just some basic tools. Other than the usual spanners, sockets and screwdrivers you will also need a good torque wrench and a bench vice to support the swivel hub whilst you change the bearings themselves. A Workmate or similar will do if you don’t have a proper engineer’s bench and vice at your disposal. For this feature, we are replacing a front wheel bearing and have used a disc brake model which was booked in at the Sleaford Mini Centre for a set of driver’s side bearings due to excessive play. The procedure is very…

Q I’m interested in building a Mini from a donor car and reshelling it in a fibreglass Mini shell. What I want to find out is the safety aspect of the shells. I’ve spoken to some people on forums, and generally people think they are a good idea, as long as a roll cage is fitted, but some advice on the matter would be very appreciated. How do the fibreglass shells in competition cars compare to a steel shell? Alex A If they’re available for sale in the UK and are OK’d by the manufacturer for building up into a road car, then it is highly likely that the manufacturer has had them tested for MoT approval. The tests are stringent so would suggest the shell should be pretty resilient…

MINI SPORT POWERLITE MICROSTART STARTER MOTOR £358.80 PowerLite High Torque Starter Motors save weight, improve performance and maximise your chances of starting your car first time. Light but deceptively powerful the MicroStart has an epicyclic gear box which delivers extra power when engaged. Lightweight, durable and easy to fit this 1.3kw starter motor delivers maximum power yet weighs only 1.5 kg. • 01282 778731 • www.minisport.com MINI SPARES ENGINE BLOCK UPGRADE GASKET SET £40.32 Using original Payen gaskets as a template, but utilising modern Klinger super gasket material (as used on some parts of the MPi twin point injection engines) this dual-fit multi-piece selection of Klinger upgraded engine block gaskets will fit any early or A-Plus engine. It is suitable for road or race and will boost the longevity of…

• With us all spending much more time at home, it’s the ideal time to get stuck into that resto project. Luckily for us, it’s still business as usual for many Mini parts suppliers (such as Mini Spares and Mini Sport) and with the financial impact of the crisis, it makes sense to support UK businesses where we can. Sealey launched their bodyshop and garage and workshop promotions on April 1st, with discounts of up to 58 per cent, 850 deals between the two promotions and scores of new products it’s certainly worth a look at the website (www.sealey.co.uk). Please be aware that some deliveries are taking longer than usual due to restrictions on the postal service and delivery companies, so try to be patient. As always, stay safe and…

Imagine hearing the story of how your father won the Monte, the most prestigious prize on the international rally scene. For most of us this would take a lot of imagination but that’s how it was for Colin Johnston when he was a growing up in Northern Ireland. His father, Derek, had studied medicine until the outbreak of WW2 when he joined the RAF. There he met George Bryson and after the war they decided to go into motorsport together. In 1949 the intrepid pair, in their two seater MG TC, competed for the first time in the Circuit of Ireland Rally, an event which covered 1000 miles over the length and breadth of Ireland in three gruelling days and nights. It may have been Derek’s first event on the…

SILVER DREAM Name: Iain Howie Car: 1999 MPi Location: North Ayrshire • Iain has owned his Mini since 2012. It’s the first Mini he ever owned, and one of three in their household. It was rebuilt in 2015 on a tight budget and has the usual Stage 1 mods and LED lighting. When Iain got the car, it looked a lot better on the surface than it actually was… typical MPi rot had set in. The whole front end, scuttle, sills and doorskins were replaced along with the flitch panels, boot, rear quarters and rear valance and rear subframe. The Mini has been resprayed in original Platinum Silver but the roof and wheel centres are now black. The interior is all original, with the exception of the carpet which was…

Q I am currently modifying my 1991 Mini. I’ve bought alloys and arches and as I like the retro rally look, I’d like to add door roundels and race numbers. I’m finding it hard to find out whether having a race-style number on the doors is legal. Could you advise? Also, I would like to fit some white on black number plates. Is this legal, considering my car is a 1991 model? Sam A Running on the road with door roundels and numbers doesn’t contravene any road traffic laws – there is a long standing request from the MSA to all competitors to remove race numbers after an event if the car is to be used on the road to avoid any negative publicity. It’s not good if the general…

We last reported on the build in the March issue, when the Mini had been settled into the Acespeed workshops, and had not only been inspected by Andy Harrison and his team, but had also come under the expert scrutiny of the Yorkshire branch of the Mini Cooper Register members. The car had found widespread approval. Mike describes his ideas for the project as a 1964/2020 Cooper. He wants all the best of the classic Cooper S, but with a few enhancements to make the car more usable and enjoyable on modern roads – this is not going to be a trailer queen, he wants to get behind the wheel as much as he can. Central to this was the desire to replace the bodyshell. The car had already been…

The Blitz got some love. Having changed the engine (as it donated it’s A-series 1300), we stuck some different wheels on it as it needed a bit of cheering up. I had toyed with the idea of putting a Mini bodyshell over the top, using the grasstrack car I bought last year. It wasn’t too sacred to cut up and donate its body to science/frivolity. Then someone came along and said they wanted a back end to convert into a seat cum toolbox for their workshop so that decided its fate. I am just about to cut it in half, so I need to find a home for the Blitz as it would take huge money and time to get it road registered. On a positive cleansing note, the Elf…

My Mini story starts when I was 17. Although I’d been around cars and bikes all my life, I never had a favourite. At the start of the 6th form a new student joined and I really fancied him, and he liked Minis. I wanted to impress him so I thought I’d get a Mini when I passed my test as I was learning to drive at the time… extreme, I realise that now! Anyway, I’m glad I did. I got my Mini and soon went off him. My first Mini was a blue City E… unfortunately there’s not a lot to say about this one as I only had it a couple of months. Somebody pulled out of a side road in front of me and the car was…