Mini Magazine August 2021

It felt like it was never going to happen. It seems strange that as Mini owners, one of the most important things we doesn't involve not driving or working on our cars, but parking them up. Although admittedly, parking them up at a venue with hundreds of other like minded souls... So his month, it felt like the scene began to breathe and live again, and despite the fact that we're still living under some restrictions, car enthusiasts of every persuasion have started to gather once again. In the issue, we have reports from the Mini Cooper Register's National Day at Beaulieu, and the first Mini Festival at Prescott Hillclimb. Plus more from other events that our regular contributors managed to get along to. It's just fabulous to see people…

Having been around them since a very young age, Mat Jones has long-coveted a classic Mini. “My dad had a Mini when I was very young,” recalls Mat fondly. “He used to keep it in my nan’s garage. I remember sitting in, trying all of the controls, turning the wheel, making engine noises, pretending to drive. My enthusiasm for Minis never waned. In fact, as I got older, the desire to own one grew stronger.” That desire culminated in the purchase of the Mini you see pictured here. It was quite a find and has been turned into quite a car. Mind you, its purchase involved some sacrifices. “I was rallying a Nissan Micra at the time, in Formula 1000,” explains Mat. “However, I found myself becoming increasingly drawn to…

BODY 1963 Super Deluxe. Clear front indicators, driver’s mirror, Cooper grille, bonnet strap. ENGINE 1293cc A-plus, MED cylinder Head, Swiftune SW8 camshaft, Swiftune distributor, MED lightened flywheel and clutch, Duplex, twin HS6 SU carburettors, K&N filters, Maniflow LCB, centre exit exhaust. Uprated twin-core radiator. Power: 110 bhp (est) SUSPENSION Dry suspension, Spax shock absorbers, Hi-Los, negative camber front kit. TRANSMISSION Four-speed, straight-cut gearbox, 3.4 diff ratio. BRAKES 7.5 inch Cooper S discs and calipers, Cooper S rear drums, MkIII servo, braided lines. WHEELS AND TYRES 4.75 x 10 inch Mini Spares Rose Petal alloys with 165/70R10 Yokohama A008 tyres. INTERIOR Safety Devices rear rollcage, Corbeau front seats, four-point harnesses, Motolita steering wheel, works dash, fire extinguisher, cut-out switch, standard rear seat, standard doorcards, carpets.…

London Electric Cars (LEC) has launched a new electric conversion kit for the original Mini, which it says is one of the more affordable electrified classics on the market. Prices start from £25,000, excluding the cost of the donor car and relevant taxes, which makes it look relatively affordable compared with other players in the electrified classic car sector. LEC’s conversion for the Mini uses a compact 20kWh battery pack, which keeps the cost low but slashes the car’s range to between 60 and 70 miles under city driving conditions. The standard battery can be upgraded with larger 25kWh or 33kWh units, which offer up to 90 and 120 miles of range respectively. Prices for the 25kWh car start from £27,000, while the 33kWh model starts from £30,000. LEC will…

• This new exhibition from the British Motor Museum 'Factor Us In' will open on 22 July and is the culmination of a two year project to uncover the fascinating stories behind the motor industry and of the people who worked and lived around it. In a year where the sense of community is more important than ever, the Museum wants to encourage local people to engage with the history on their doorstep, of an industry that has dominated the region for more than a century. ‘Factor Us In’ puts the spotlight firmly on how the motor industry in the West Midlands affected people, the local landscape and surrounding businesses. The exhibition will look at the societal impact of the factories, the highs and lows of their production, as well…

2021 is a special year for MINI. It’s both the 20th anniversary of production at Plant Oxford, as well as two decades since their modern design was launched. In celebration of twenty successful years of modern MINI production, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales visited the home of the brand at MINI Plant Oxford to meet the people behind the cars and to get an insight into the manufacturing processes and developments in sustainable production. His Royal Highness toured the site’s assembly hall, where he was able to meet some of the 130 apprentices, as well as staff who were closely involved in integrating the manufacturing of the MINI Electric onto the standard production line, making Oxford the first BMW Group plant in the world to build fully electric…