Mini Magazine August 2019

The excitement is reaching a crescendo for the Mini 60 celebrations. In the next few weeks, Mini fans from around the world will come together to mark six decades of our favourite car in style. August is packed with major events - starting with the National Metro & Mini Show at the British Motor Museum on the 4th, the IMM kicking off in Bristol on the 8th and our very own Mini In The Park at the Mallory Park Race Circuit on the 18th. It's going to be an exciting month, and we're sure it's going to be fitting tribute to the world's best small car. We'll look forward to meeting many of you at at least one of the events. If you needed reminding of just how diverse and…

Growing up with a brother who raced Minis in Autograss, became National Champion in a Mini and who still competes, and wins in a Mini, it was inevitable that Lee Gascoigne would not only be bitten by the bug, he’d become a Mini owner too. “Mark, my brother, who works as a mechanic, races in Autograss. He started in Class 1, which is for sub-1000cc front-wheel-drive cars such as the Mini,” Lee elaborates. “He’s now racing in Class 5 and runs a space-framed, rear-wheel-drive Mini. I’ve been around Minis for most of my life. When Mark was Class 1 British Autograss Champion back in 2003, we started talking about building a Mini for me. A fast road Mini with racecar looks and performance, to have fun in at the weekends.”…

BODY 1994 Mini Sprite, quick-release grill, DSN classic mirrors, ACW polycarbonate side and rear windows, stainless steel bumpers, halogen headlights. ENGINE 1342cc A-plus, CST 2001 cylinder head, RE13 camshaft, roller rockers, Wedge crankshaft, Maniflow steel inlet manifold, LCB exhaust with RC40 system, twin 1.5 inch SUs, ITG filter with stub stacks, H&H Ignition Solutions modified distributor. Power – 100 plus bhp at the wheels. Top Speed 110 mph est, 0-60mph - 6 secs est. SUSPENSION Front: Spax dampers, adjustable tie rods, lowered damper mounting points, polybushed. Rear: Independent, Spax dampers, adjustable camber/caster brackets, polybushed. TRANSMISSION Four-speed, straight-cut, close-ratio ST gears, race-spec baulk rings, Quaife ATB 3.93 diff. BRAKES Front 7.5 inch discs, four-pot alloy callipers. Rear Superfin drums. All lines inside car. WHEELS AND TYRES 4.5x10 inch Minilite replicas with…

Mini In The Park returns on August 18 2019 at an exciting new venue - Mallory Park circuit in Leicestershire. The venue not only affords more space and facilties for the UK’s premier Mini-only event, but visitors will now be given the chance to take their own Mini out onto the circuit. Classic, racer or everyday commuter, driving on a circuit is unique experience and not to be missed. For just £35, you can enjoy a 20 minute Mini-only session on Mallory Park’s 1.35 mile circuit – featuring the tightest hairpin in the UK! There are no special requirements for your Mini, all you need is a helmet (a limited supply are available to hire on the day). To check the requirements, visit the website. Clubs are always central to…

• Hagerty Insurance are joining Mini Sport in supporting the Mini Cooper register.. “We are thrilled to be working with the Mini Cooper Register as their members embody everything Hagerty stands for in preserving, driving and enjoying their cars” said Hagerty UK marketing director Marcus Atkinson. Mini Cooper Register was set up in 1986 with the twin objectives of preserving the name of the Mini Cooper and stimulating interest in the car and its history. The Register has grown over the years and now has over 2,000 members in the UK and around the world.…

• Quentin Willson has put his December 1959 Austin Seven DeLuxe, 900FRL, up for sale. You may remember this very car featuring on the cover of our March 2013 issue. The 33,000-mile Speedwell Blue car was fully restored to concours condition by Derek’s Mini Centre, which included dipping and E-coating the original bodyshell. A matching numbers example, it still features its original engine, gearbox, registration number and all correct period early Mini parts. Period tweaks include Cooper front discs, twin carbs, a three-branch manifold and a Cooper exhaust. There are a couple of reasons for the sale. Firstly, Quentin is moving house and has fewer garages. Secondly, the car was built on December 10, which just happens to be the same date as his daughter Mini’s birthday (yes, that is…