Tabla de contenidos para Summer 2020 en Mini Magazine

So here we are - getting used to the new 'normal'. As the UK closed down at the end of March, 'we' as both a Nation and as motoring journos, made changes to our day to day lives that were unprecedented. I count myself very lucky to do what I do for a living, I enjoy freedoms in my day-to-day life which I know many can only dream of, and our place of work usually entails a stunning Mini of some description, a camera and a good chat - about Minis... It was a shock realising that just being friendly, offering a hand to shake, or even stopping to talk could suddenly become a matter of life or death. It goes without saying, we followed the deadlines and withdrew. But…

• Car dealers reopened on June 1st. The following steps will be taken to ensure safety: non-contact delivery; all vehicles sanitised prior to delivery - making sure that all surfaces, steering wheel, clutch, door handles are wiped down prior to the customer touching the car, gloves always worn and frequently changed throughout the day to prevent spread of germs. Masks should be worn too, with the two metres distancing with customers, hand sanitisers located at points around showrooms and no cash to eliminate contact. If a customer wants to test drive a vehicle, they will be allowed to drive the car without dealership staff, again adhering to the social distancing rules. Trade plates are to be used. Vehicle will then be sanitised again after the test. This data was commissioned…

We’re all feeling a little lost thanks to the widescale postponement of the 2020 show season, so we decided to have a wander down memory lane, delve into the MM archives and revisit a show from the past. And as we would normally carry a report from the British Mini Club’s evergreen Himley Hall event in this issue, we were drawn to the images of past Himley’s – settling on the 2009 show. It was a busy year, with queues on the roads to the venue well before the gates were open. And being the 50th Anniversary, you can guess the theme for the stands – gold. It also happened to be the colour of the giveaway car in the BMC’s legendary ‘Win A Mini’ raffle. The chance to win…

As the Covid-19 crisis continues, we are all feeling the impact of cancelled plans. As disappointing as it is to have a summer without car shows, the impact on the clubs and organisations that usually arrange the shows will be far greater. However, there are still ways to show your support. If you have already bought tickets, consider deferring your entrance fee for another year rather than accepting a refund. Keep an eye on the websites and social media pages of the organisers of the shows that you usually support and do your bit where you can – perhaps you could buy presale tickets, merch or membership. Confirmed Dates 16th August MCR National Mini Day Rescheduled, but returning to Beaulieu for its 39th year, the Mini Cooper Register’s National Day…

Throughout the 1960s, whilst America was happily cranking out gas-guzzling behemoths in their hordes, a ‘small’ automotive revolution was gathering pace. More and more motorists were rebelling against Detroit’s ‘largesse’, seeking instead a rather more compact option. Not only that, despite fuel costs being a mere pittance, economy cars and modestly-sized ones in particular, were making market headway. VW’s Beetle was becoming popular with the impecunious. And the hipsters too. But the Mini, which arrived in America in 1960, could tease even more from a gallon, was cooler than a cool thing, and could out corner just about everything – even the exotica. The American motoring press and sports car enthusiasts loved the Mini, which was in a class of its own. Yet BMC’s baby began falling victim to the…

When trying to trace electrical faults a good quality multi meter is a must have tool. Not only will it allow you to take a voltage reading to help you determinate whether the battery is charging but you can also use it to locate a battery feed when installing accessories such as a radio or spot lights. A good meter will also have a continuity tester built in which is handy for testing for faults. This will allow you to check that a wire or connection does not have any breaks in it. A meter like this will cost you from around 10.00 upwards depending on the make and quality. As with any tools get the best you can afford and hopefully they will last you a life time.…

Q I own a 1996 Rover Cooper. It is completely standard but I want a more aggressive look. I want to go for something more chunky but I’m not very keen on the Sportpack wheelarches. I’m thinking of going for 6x10 inch alloys but would like Group 5 or Miglia arches — would these look too wide with 6 inch wheels? Do you have any suggestions on how I can achieve the look? Evan A The problem with fitting wheelarches is that until you have them, and the wheels you want fitted, you just don’t know how they’re going to look. The Mini Spares Centre accessory and tuning catalogue has a section on how far a variety of different arch types stick out from the body, which helps a great…

There’s no denying that seeing a bodyshell, fresh from the paintshop is a key moment in any restoration. Mike Brewer’s Project Frankie 1964 Cooper S hasn’t been with Andy Harrison and his team at Acespeed Historic Motorsport for very long, but the project is coming along in leaps and bounds, despite all of the current unavoidable problems caused by the Coronavirus outbreak. Regular readers will recall that after Mike purchased the Cooper last year, it was decided that as the car had already been reshelled earlier in its life (using a 1962 MkI shell), it would be a good move to utilise a brand new British Motor Heritage MkI bodyshell during the rebuild. This would not only be the correct spec for the year of manufacture, it would also speed…

When you meet someone like Tom Carter, you’re reminded that from the very beginning, the Mini scene has always been about innovation and creativity. And sometimes, just trying left field stuff because you can. Some of the greatest ideas and builds have come from people who have had a brainwave and thought they’d give it a go – some reasonably sensible, some right out there on the limits… Tom’s Mini encapsulates that way of thinking, and it’s here because he just gets stuck in and makes things happen. He’s a mechanic by trade, and thanks to his equally car mad Dad, grew up around classic cars. So even before working on motors became the day job, he knew his way round a workshop and already had an impressive array of…

• Motorsport UK, the national membership organisation and governing body for British four-wheeled motorsport, has announced how it proposes to restart the sport after the current suspension ends on June 30th. Consultations between stakeholders from across the sport and Motorsport UK’s specialist committees have taken place to conceive how the sport can be restarted at the appropriate time while adhering to the government’s prevailing guidelines. Motorsport takes place in large outdoor environments, so it’s hoped that with practical measures in place, much of it can resume as long as changes are made to established protocol. Details of the Motorsport UK’s ‘Getting Back on Track’ guidance can be found together with updated event declaration documentation by visiting www.motorsportuk.org/restart…

• As the UK lockdown measures slowly ease, there are calls for authorities to end the six month MoT extension, which currently runs until March 2021. While workshops remain open for essential repairs, the MoT extension policy and the reduced use of vehicles in general has dented the UK’s aftermarket industry. Guidance published in May by a range of industry bodies and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) aims to provide clarity on how exactly the wider industry can restart. This paves the way for the MoT requirement to be reinstated, especially as the public transport restrictions will force more people to use their cars more. The government’s advice currently remains to perform your own checks (outlined on www.gov.uk/ coronavirus) and has yet to change its MoT suspension…

You’ll remember Peter Smith from the June/July issue. We were blown away by his impressive collection boasting a Swifttune engined ex-Liverpool police MkII Mini Cooper S, another MkII Mini Cooper S on original hydrolastic S, a 1979 Mini Pickup, a Flame Red 1971 MkIII Mini Cooper S, a 998cc Austin Countryman, a Works style 1964 MkI Austin Cooper S with Downton head, a MkI 1967 Maroon B Super Deluxe, a 1969 MkII Cooper and of course, that stunning 1969 Antelope GT. October 1969 was an important month for Mini. As the Mini Cooper MkII ceased production, the 1275GT came in as a form of replacement. Launched alongside the Mini Clubman and the Mini MkIII. Clearly based on the Clubman bodyshell, the GT stood out thanks to a distinctive blacked-out front…

THE FAMILY WAY Name: Julia James Car: Very early Mini Location: Hereford • Julia’s Mini ‘Norah’ has been in the family since she was first built, first belonging to an aunt and now proudly owned by Julia. With just 56,000 miles on the clock Norah is still in good working order and has been beautifully preserved. She is stored in a climate controlled garage, but Julia and her daughters aren’t afraid to get her on the road either. Still sporting the original Clipper Blue paint colour and most of the original features, including the original hubcaps. Registered in 1960, there is a possibility that this Mini was built in 1959. We’ve got some digging around to do before we get an answer, but we’ll be covering the full story in…

A defective alternator will result in a flat battery and a call for help to get you home. Thankfully changing one is a relatively simple procedure and requires only basic tools. With the engine running use a multimeter to check the voltage at the battery. When the alternator is working the voltage should be around 13.8-14.3 volts – if it stays around the 12 volt range or rises above 15 volts then the alternator is not working correctly and will need replacing. Reconditioned and new units are available from most good motor factors and Mini specialist. Expect to pay upwards of £50 for one, but you can just as easily use a secondhand unit which will save you a considerable amount of money. Most Mini specialists and breakers yards will…

RIPPED RAG TOP Q My Mini Cooper had a fabric roll back sunroof fitted from new. The car has been in storage and somehow, the outer vinyl covering has been damaged. I think it’s beyond repair and will need to be replaced. Is there a specialist who can supply a new, original style cover, or if not, make a replacement? The inner ‘headliner’ part of the roof has also started to show its age, and if possible I’d also like to replace this at the same time. Can you help? Martin “It’s entirely feasible to fit a Clubman flip-front onto a round-nose saloon” A These sunroofs were enormously popular and found their way into a lot of classic cars over the years. The construction became more sophisticated as time passed,…

Q My Mini has had its brakes uprated at some point in its life, and although I’m not 100 per cent sure, I believe the front callipers were off a Metro. They’re four-pot types and it has ventilated discs. Since I’ve owned the car, I’ve always thought the brakes were weak – they don’t feel like they bring the car to a halt any quicker than those on my old Rover Cooper and that was completely standard. So I’ve decided to strip them down, and as far as possible, rebuild them. Is this possible at home and are all of the parts available? So far, I’ve only had a quick look at the callipers but I have noticed that there are three bleed nipples on each one. One of these…

Well, progress has been a little slower than I had hoped on the Cooper rebuild. A mixture of other cars to work on, lockdown slowing down panel deliveries and arranging for a new spraybooth to be installed after my old one was condemned has been to blame but progress has been made. After stripping it down to a shell, I soon realised this was going to turn into a fairly major shell rebuild. With this in mind, I set out to create a jig that would hold the car in shape whilst major surgery was carried out. Using some fairly hefty box section I had lying about, I made up two separate stands that hold the car at a comfortable height for working. The front one picks up the subframe…

• Swindon Powertrain’s High Power Density (HPD) EV system is now available for customers to order, with deliveries starting in August. Suitable for OEMs, niche vehicle manufacturers, electric car conversion companies as well as the enthusiast home mechanic, prices start at just £6,400+VAT for the 80kW motor, transmission and differential with options for cooling, inverters and limited slip differential also available. “It’s now easier than ever for anyone to convert a car, truck or even quad bike to electric,” says MD Raphaël Caillé. “HPD is a new, properly engineered system with a years’ warranty. With deliveries starting in August, now could be the ideal time to start planning a project.” Customers placing orders from this week are scheduled to receive their system in August. “Despite the challenges the world faces,…

Mini Sport are delighted to announce that they recently completed work on a restoration of a beautiful 1964 Mini Cooper S. Their customer had a very distinct image in mind for this Mini, wanting a ‘cool London zoom around Mini.’ Arriving at Mini Sport, their expert team wasted no time in examining the Mini, checking for any points of concern and parts that would need addressing, before the respray of this Cooper S took it from white with a black roof, to Brewster Green with a black roof. This Cooper S was in relatively good condition, with the team noting that just a few small repairs (including an A-panel replacement) would be required to the body. The Mini was completely stripped down to a bare shell, before being moved to…

The McIntyre family love their Minis. “It all started when my older brother Aaron was 16 and asked if he could have a Mini for his 17th birthday. Dad found a late 1978 Mini 850 which needed some work,” Dale explains, “It needed a lot of new panels and even the roof was in bad shape.” It’s worth pointing out that Dale’s dad, Stuart, runs his own fabricating workshop so he has the skill set and attention to detail necessary when turning ‘minging into blinging’. “I had no experience of Minis before I started into Aaron’s car but gradually I worked through all the problems,” says Stuart. By the time Aaron’s car was MoT’d and on the road Stuart had been bitten by the Mini bug so he bought himself…

As many of you may recall, we featured Dave Glanfield’s ’66 Austin Mini Countryman part way through its mammoth restoration early last year. Despite having many of the parts to complete the project, there was still plenty of work to do back then. As we departed on that freezing cold February day just as the rain and sleet arrived, we certainly didn’t envy Dave tackling those remaining tasks. True to his word, Dave has managed to complete a project and his now stunning ’66 is back on the road after its forty year slumber. Dave’s certainly no stranger to taking on a major project, the previous ground up restoration of his 1963 Bedford CA dormobile camper also kept him busy for many years. “It had been laid up for 30…

Q I need to replace the wings and front panel on my 1989 Mini. Rust has completely eaten through it pretty much everywhere. I love the street racer look, and also I’ve always loved the look of the 1275GT/Clubman. Is it possible to fit a Clubman flip-front on to a regular round-nosed Mini saloon? Keiran A Yes, it’s entirely feasible to fit a Clubman shaped flip-front onto a round-nose saloon. You would have to cut the inner wing panels back to the front bulkhead join, as the round-nosed saloon ones are an entirely different shape and don’t look at all right if left in place. You’ll also need to fit brace bars between the front of the subframe to the bulkhead crossmember. You will probably need to fabricate extra stiffening/…

Last year for the 60th anniversary issue I copped out of “My life in Minis” as I had just done the once-in-a-lifetime race at Goodwood and I couldn’t hold it in any longer. So I have started to look at some of the memories I have with our little box – not all, but a quick glance. I started out with a motoring background as my Dad had a garage but I drifted off into photography. Surprisingly, I never took many pictures of my daily driver – well, it’s a bit like taking pictures of a 1.1 Corsa van now. I had a lawn mower-powered car in the late 50’s to drive around our garden but it took till 1968 before I got my licence. I used my sister’s 850…

Even after a successful start up, the GTM continues to throw little niggling problems at us. Fresh petrol flowing through the fuel system caused the old rubber pipes to dissolve, thanks the overbearing presence of ethanol in modern fuel. These have now been replaced. But after restarting the engine, it was clear that things still weren’t well. I’d put the lack of pull from the engine down to a missing air filter but the new one I’d ordered was correct for the SU HIF44 carb and a standard Mini, but sadly the bulkhead on the GTM is notched to accommodate the carb and air filter, and it was just too tight. I dug the discarded old air filter out of the bin, tidied it up and refitted it. It made…