Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2017 i Mini Magazine

Even after 57 years, the Mini scene doesn't stand still. People keep coming up with new ways to keep the scene fresh, and our R1-powered cover star illustrates that point perfectly. It's hard to imagine another Mini that comes close to Dan's creation for sheer attention to detail. With 150bhp it's got all the power you'll need, but it's the individual touches that really impress. He's even made his own headlights for goodness sake! If there's a better bike-engined Mini out there, we'd sure like to see it. Let's hope Dan gets his Mini to a few shows in 2017, so you can see just how impressive it is in the metal. Don't go thinking we're neglecting the Mini's traditional roots here though, far from it in fact. Sean Ashford's…

Lancaster Insurance’s MkII Mini, nicknamed Margo, has raised almost £13,000 for Prostate Cancer UK following its sale at the recent NEC Classic Motor Show. The specialist insurer auctioned its Mini restoration project at the show through Silverstone Auctions, and after a thrilling bidding war, Haydn Davies from Wales became the new owner. First introduced to the public at the 2015 event, the 1969 Morris Mini Super DeLuxe has undergone a sympathetic restoration by the MG Owners’ Club. Fully covered in our sister magazine, Classics Monthly, the work lasted seven months and saw the car in gleaming condition for the auction. The top bid was an impressive £12,938, with Mr Davies buying Margo as a Christmas gift for his wife. “I travelled to the show especially to bid for Margo and…

• The Mini Seven Racing Club has announced a new Mini Libre formula for the 2017 season. This new formula, meaning ‘free’ or ‘liberty’ - is the club’s modern-day interpretation of those heady days of Free Formula and Special Saloons in the late-1960s/early-1970s, where Mini tuning really began to push the boundaries of performance. Mini Libre will once again offer race-goers the spectacle of power-packed grids, running with the Mini Miglias at each of the 14 championship rounds. As the name implies, the Mini Libre formula is open to all racing Minis, and bar having to run with 10-inch wheels and be powered by a traditional A-Series block, it will be a free formula. This should mean excellent racing, involving enthralling Mini variants and A-Series developments of the modern era.…

• Midweek Minis’ regular Wednesday meeting took a scarier turn for Halloween, with scary outfits and pumpkins aplenty as members dressed themselves and their Minis to suit the occasion. The Midweek Minis meets are for anybody who owns a Mini or has an interest. The group gathers at Mick’s Monster Burgers, Portsdown Hill Road, Portsmouth between 6-7pm every Wednesday, before going for a drive. Search for Midweek Minis on Facebook for more details.…

• Mini Run UK’s Remembrance Sunday Run proved to be a huge success, with a total of 72 Minis taking part. The cars were driven in convoy to the National Memorial Arboretum near Lichfield in Staffordshire, followed by a visit to the Staffordshire Regimental Museum. The run was the latest in a line of successful Mini Run UK events, a group that was only formed earlier in the year, yet has already attracted a strong following. This event saw participants raise a total of £278, which was split into donations between the Arboretum and the Museum. The next run will be on December 27, with the group’s flagship Elan Valley Run set to place on July 29-30, 2017. Mini Run UK will also be attending the National Metro and Mini…

Clowns have been in the news for all the wrong reasons in the UK recently, but it’s all a lot rosier in the USA. The World’s Fastest Clown, a.k.a. Mike Guido, assembled his Classic Mini United faithful in the mountains of Northern Tennessee for the Hawaiian-themed Mini 57. With cars driven and towed to Kingsport from all over the Eastern Seaboard of the USA, as well as visitors from Canada and the UK, there was an air of eager anticipation in the KOA campground as the three days of driving got underway early on the first morning. Split into two driving groups, spirited and touring to suit the (legal) speed ambitions of the drivers, 60-odd cars set off for 112 miles of twisting roads and steeply cambered bends. Aside from…

“He has a clear remit for Paul, and that's to build the best car he's ever done...” PROJECT PROFILE THE OWNER NAME: Jonathan Bown AGE: 42 LOCATION: Bedfordshire THE CAR: CAR: 1964 Austin Cooper 970 S START CONDITION: Running, MoT'd example CONDITION NOW: Bodyshell mostly stripped TIME TAKEN SO FAR: Two days! ESTIMATED TIME OF COMPLETION: Beaulieu 2017 Some may disagree, but for the majority, it's the MkI Cooper S that's top of the tree in Mini circles. You've got the purity, the incredible motorsport heritage and a brilliant reminder of the swinging '60s all rolled together in one world-beating package. And when it comes to the MkI S range, the Holy Grail has to the ultra-coveted 970cc version. When the Cooper S first appeared in March 1963, it was…

We know the Mini thing can be as infectious as any hobby, but three brothers all driving and modifying the same car marque? That has to be rare. Roland, Niek and Erno Linting from north Holland are the guys behind Mini Projects NL, a club flying the flag for tastefully modded Minis on the continent. “Our dad bought his first Mini in the ‘70s, a brand new Minivan,” says eldest brother Roland. “When we were 13 or 14 we bought a Mini together to work on with Dad, and after that many more. We’ve collected quite a few, back when they cost maybe 500 Euros for a good one, and now we’ve got around 15 between us.” The family collection now includes a Cabrio, VTEC Clubman, MkI, Mr Bean-themed car…

The Italian Job’s motto is ‘raising money for children in a fun way’ and in short, it really is as simple as that! This year was the second time that we have taken part on the event, and it proved to be just as much fun as the first time in 2014. Our vehicle of choice this time was Paddy, our 1971 Mk3 Cooper S, partly due to his three-quarter-length Webasto sunroof, which gets little use in the UK! The concept is simple. The official meeting point is in Italy – at a different location every time – followed by a week’s worth of carefully planned routes past spectacular scenery and over mountain passes, visiting movie locations and vibrant towns and cities along the way. Anyone can enter as long…

“If there is no dedicated earth strap providing an easy route to earth, the engine will use something else... ” CAMBER ADJUSTMENT Q Is it possible to modify the rear camber on a Mini without buying expensive new adjustable brackets? I’ve got too much positive camber on the offside, which I’m led to believe is common on Minis. I just want to level it up to zero degrees. Rick A Simple one this – you just remove the brackets and file the hole that the radius arm pin comes through upwards. I would suggest scoring some guidelines into the plate faces by using a ruler or engineer’s square. You need to only move the hole upwards. Angling it fore or aft would alter the tracking at the same time –…

The latest fancy buzz word in classic car circles appears to be ‘evocation’, and as terms go, it’s pretty broad. Previously it’s been used to describe beautiful creations like the Eagle E-type or one of those bespoke Aston Martins, which take the original concept and brilliantly upgrade it with modern engineering. But on the flip side, it’s increasingly been adopted as clever marketing lingo to get premium money for something that isn’t quite the full ticket – a car with all the right badges, but not the right bits. Sean Ashford could never be accused of such cynicism when it comes to his stunning MkI, however. Blank out the badges and it looks to be for all the world a genuine, period-tweaked Cooper S; it’s got the proper S front…

• Mini fans were in for a real surprise at the recent NEC Classic Motor Show on November 11-13, with a British Motor Heritage prototype MkI shell making a long-awaited first appearance. The decision to display the bodyshell was only made at the 11th hour, with the primer applied in the days before the event and the displayed item still early in the development stage. The move to produce a MkI shell has always suffered from a lack of available tooling. However, the prototype version includes the earlier remote-change tunnel, a full-skirt front panel, externally hinged doors/A-panels and, contrary to many reports, the correct smaller rear window aperture. BMH is aware that some of the other details are incorrect for a MkI, such as the dash tray, switch panel and…

• The final big West Country Mini Scene shindig of 2016 saw Minis gather at Plymouth Barbican on October 30. This was the second Cap’n Jaspers gathering of the year, with people coming all the way from Worcestershire to attend. The weather remained good and plenty of prizes were up for grabs on the day, including a giant hamper in the free raffle, which was won by Graham Collett from North Devon. Best classic Mini of the day was a grey Riley Elf, while Denise Harris’ Paul Smith-themed creation was awarded best MINI. The next Cap’n Jaspers meet will be on Sunday March 26 2017, beginning at 10am. Entry is £5 per car, which includes £5-worth of raffle tickets and free entry for passengers. The date for the big Mods…

January 8 2017 Wirral to Llandudno Run Popular annual run from Bromborough on the Wirral to Llandudno in North Wales, including a stop in Rhos-On-Sea and the spectacular climb up the Great Orme headland. Over 150 cars usually take part. The run is free but the purchase of run plaques is encouraged. www.wirralminis.com January 12-15 2017 Autosport International Huge annual motorsport-themed show taking place at Birmingham’s NEC. Expect some Mini content, plus traders, numerous displays, live action, top personalities and more. www.autosportinternational.com January 29 2017 British Mini Fair The largest indoor Mini event in the UK, organised by British Mini Club. Expect traders and autojumble, Pride of Ownership display, club stands and the chance to win a Mini! This is a great event for buying parts to finish off those…

Although there’s been countless attempts to update it over the years, it would be rather unusual to describe a classic Mini as ‘modern’. However, you might be tempted to do exactly that when it comes to Dan’s carbon-clad, bike-engined pocket rocket. Not only has the 33-year-old bodybuilder from Hertfordshire equipped his pride and joy with a freshly-rebuilt Yamaha YZF-R1 motor, he’s also used the very latest in design know-how to bring the rest of what was once a tired Flame Red Mini City bang up to date. “I’m a CGI animator by trade, and I’ve been able to transfer the skills and knowledge I utilise for work over to my Mini project,” Dan explains. He cites 3D printing as a recent addition to his arsenal of expertise, and one that…

Even after more than five decades, the Mini scene still has plenty of capacity to surprise us. Many might recognise Richard Newton as the co-founder of Suffolk-based Newton Commercial, the leading light in replacement Mini trim. But while that’s pretty remarkable in itself, there’s more to this tale. You see, Richard’s career highlights also include time with the BMC Competitions Department, a year at the legendary Downton Engineering and even a spell in Germany managing two Cooper S racers. And it’s the memory of those race cars that inspired the transformation of his Mk3 S from a £500 daily hack into the unique tribute act you see here. Richard first bought the car as a standard Glacier White example in 1979, just as he and wife Vera had started the…

They might not sound that exciting, but your rear brakes still serve an important role, even if the majority of the braking force is provided by the front. They need to be regularly checked and serviced, especially given the spurious quality of parts that have flooded the market in recent times. Servicing the rear brakes is also important if your Mini has been laid up for a length of time, as the components can seize and corrode. A glance at the forthcoming pics may have you thinking that we’ve got more pressing issues on the Canadian-market car we’re working on, like a rusty rear subframe for starters. But while that may be true, it’s a good ‘worst case scenario’ car, demonstrating the pitfalls you may encounter when doing this job.…

The 2017 International Mini Meeting has a new location. The organiser, Irish Mini Owners Club, has opted to move the event from Piltown in the south to County Mayo on the western coast. The event date remains May 25-29, but the venue will now be Westport House Estate, Westport. The move is said to be due to a reduction in planned camping space adjacent to the Piltown GAA Club and Iverk Showgrounds. “Grounds which were planned as camping ground and integral to the success of the event, was sold in recent months,” announced the organising team on the IMM 2017 Facebook page. “Despite many months of negotiations with the new owners, we were unable to find a solution to this impasse. As a team, we looked at all possibilities to…

• Plenty of classic car fans descended on the Bath and West Showground in Somerset for the Footman James Restoration Show on November 5-6. Running for the 16th time, the multi-marque event attracted a healthy number of Minis and Mini-related traders. Inside the halls were displays from Bristol Mini Drifters, Retro Fundraising and the Midas Owners Club, with a late Cooper Sport from the Yeovil Car Club and what was claimed to be the oldest registered production Mini Moke also present – one from the first batch of 10 ordered by the Devon Fire Brigade. Outside, a good turnout of Minis included a Works-inspired Mk3, a MkI Cooper S and DOM 337C, a superb replica of the two famous twin-engined ‘Twini’ prototypes built in the ‘60s. The main appeal for…

• Yeovil Mini Mania members were joined by fellow enthusiasts from Jurassic Coast Mini Club for a special Remembrance Sunday Run on November 13. Beginning at the Coopers Mill pub in Yeovil, the runners set off for West Bay, with a two-minute silence held in lay-by en route. The silence was followed by a stop in West Bay and lunch at The Crown in Bridport, and Cream Tea at the Lobster Pot in Portland.…

With 71,000 visitors, the 2016 Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show at Birmingham’s NEC was the most popular in the event’s 32-year history. And with 2500 classic cars and motorcycles spanning one million square feet, it wasn’t hard to see why. Squeezing it all into a single day is nigh-on impossible. Our strategy was simple – head for the Mini-centric area in Hall 2, where some of the country’s most prominent Mini clubs were out in force. Making its NEC debut was the Cooper Sport 500/Mini 2000 Register, which included three of the Rover press and publicity LOEplated cars in its line-up. Two were gold Knightsbridge models; Andy Mynott’s car is to Japanese spec, while Oli Neville-Payne’s was built to European spec then switched to right-hand-drive. Alongside, the impressive British Mini…

JDM STYLE Name: James Kelly Car: 1987 Mini City Location: Dublin • I’ve taken plenty of inspiration from the Japanese Mini tuning scene to fully rebuild ‘Maggie’, my longterm project Mini. She’s running plenty of original Japanese parts including SSR split-rim wheels, an HKS exhaust, wide arches, Downton Garage lightweight flywheel, Bride seats and linked wipers. The engine’s still a 998, but completely rebuilt with new flat-top pistons, a Stage 1 kit, Swiftune SW5 cam and Aldon distributor. Handling wise, I’ve gone for a big order of KAD goodies such as front and rear anti-rollbars, adjustable tie rods and alloy hubs. There’s also KAD four-pots and 7.9-inch vented discs squeezed under the SSR wheels. FIVE STAR Name: Simon Cox Car: 1985 Mini Ritz Location: Didcot • My Mini Ritz has…

Opinion was somewhat divided when British Leyland controversially introduced the longer and square-nosed Clubman model in the autumn of 1969. But for what was once very much a Marmite car, the turnaround in its fortunes has been remarkable. The Clubman and its sporty 1275 GT stablemate have probably been highly sought-after for longer than they haven’t nowadays, especially the earlier cars. And if that early car happens to be an Estate, it comes with added cool and usability. Ian ‘Westy’ West is clearly a fan. The M4 Minis member from south east Wales is the lucky owner of this custom ‘71 Estate, which is his first Clubman. It’s not his first Mini though. “I went to Bristol Mini Day with a friend,” he explains. “I was a van driver at…

KEITH CALVER Keith has been Mini Magazine’s tech expert since we launched in 1996. Keith’s Mini CV speaks for itself: he joined the motorsport scene as a Miglia competitor in 1978, before a five–year stint at the Mini Spares Centre (London) in the early ’80s. Now independent, Keith builds race engines for numerous disciplines. His 1275 GT race car and sharing his vast amount of Mini knowledge are also main focuses. If there is one question that always causes a good deal of questions and answers, it’s ‘what needle do I need for my carb to start with?’ The crucial information needed to make an educated guess at the needle spec required is the type of carb or carbs, cylinder head modifications if any, engine capacity and camshaft spec. The…

SPORTPACK ARCHES WITH 10S • Sportpack arches were always designed with 13-inch wheels in mind, so fitting smaller diameter rims is always going to be risk. Get it right though, and it looks great, as Niek Linting’s car proves. He’s teamed chunky arches up with 7x10-inch MB Racing split-rims to great effect, although we’re sure you could use designs from Force Racing, Image or Specialist Components to the same effect. Genuine Sportpack arches are available from Mini Spares for £360 per set, with several cheaper replica versions on the market too. See www.minispares.com CENTRE LOCK WHEELS • Over the years the centre lock wheel system has become synonymous with professional racing teams, allowing quick and easy wheel changes at a moment’s notice. Obviously centre locks are suited to race and…