thats why I love British races...

[Russ Noble]

I think the adventures and liaisons associated with the Mini have coloured people's memories, The wing mirror falling off sounded about right (thanks for that recollection, Malcolm). I had a lot of contact with mini's, and owned a Mini-Cooper S, and while I enjoyed the acceleration, handling, and parking (in every sense), they were the most unreliable, cheap and nasty, poorly assembled pieces of junk I've ever come across. Every component rusted, the bonnets flew open as the front flexed, the car would never start in wet weather (I used to ring road service before I left the office on a wet evening), you couldn't get any traction for acceleration on a wet road, the car changed lanes every time you changed gear due to the torque effects, ergonomics were a dirty word, I could go on. Great fun, but I never want to own another one.
Dalton

Well, I never had a shag in a Mini, but I had a van as a workshop hack for many years, and also owned a 1071S which whilst not a quick straightline car was however capable of ridiculously fast A-B times particularly through some of our tight and twisty mountain passes. These trips were great fun and much, much better than sex, so maybe my memories are coloured by that!

They had their faults the most significant for me was the praying mantis stance that I had to adopt with my 6'3" frame behind the wheel! The water in the electrics was easily solved by fabricating a cover to go over all the high tension stuff and periodic applications of CRC 6-66 Marine coped with all invasive fog etc. The build quality was no better or worse than any other pommie car of the day. I originally bought my 1071 S to compete in the first Heatway International Rally that was run in the South Island which in those days had an 1100cc class. I felt we would have had a good chance but unfortunately someone had nicked all the good S stuff out of it before I bought it and fitted 997 gear which was never going to get the job done! And since it then became the object of (successful) legal action I was advised not to rally it anyway. So much for that....

WRT Keiths comment about the Aussie rejects. OZ actually built their own, had wind up windows long before the Poms. They were different in that they had a front quarterlight which the pommie ones didn't, or was it vice versa, I don't remember now. But here in NZ the Aussie 1275 S and the 998 were much sought after and quite prolific.

My (ex)wife also had a near new 1100 Clubman when I first met her, THAT may have coloured my better judgement!:lol:

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Tony - I know of a few cockpits as well. Maybe thats why they were renamed as Flight Decks. Puts a whole new meaning into a slow roll, followed with an Immelman and then a rapid hesitation roll and finally followed with an outside loop.
All done within the box - as well you know.....
Are we digressing a bit ?? It was Paolos thread to begin with but I sense he is a bit of a sport...........

David, re the aerobatics are you talking of yourself and the girl or the aircraft?:thumbsup:

 

[colin artus]

Also built in Italy under license by Innocenti. I remember them being pretty popular in Rome in the '70s.

 

[Steve]

I just bought my 1982 Mini Classic two months ago and am having a blast. I have a 2008 Corvette Z06 and a 2009 Dodge Challenger which are both fun cars but nothing compared to the Mini. It has RH steering so lots of people take a second look when I'm driving down the street when no one is in the passenger seat.:laugh:

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

Also built in Italy under license by Innocenti. I remember them being pretty popular in Rome in the '70s.

I was born near that place, and I well remember the many many innocenti mini coming outside the factory in Lambrate (near Milano).The look was imho a lot less nicer than the original british version.
Years later that factory was the assembly line for the Cadillac Allantè (the chassis was made in Detroit,then sent to italy with special planes and the pininfarina body was assembled in Lambrate....then resent again to Detroit..LOL,real mess eh?)and nowadays nothing survived of that factory,seems just a bombed part of Bagdad.
Only 9 workers from a little mechanic dept. are costantly on strike there inside,closed inside the factory they dont wanna leave,neither if police try to force theme to get out.
A sad end for a glorious place.

http://www.anpiortica.it/lightbox/innse/zoom/2_Innse.jpg

 

[John]

Russ honestly mate it wasnt me, i built and raced of all things a Riley Elf [ A Mini with a boot] on the dirt in 1/4 mile speedway and was fortunate enough to win the NZ saloon title with it in 1980, fantastic little rocket 1071S Jack Night alloy 8 port twin cam x flow head,self built injection running on tolueen, reduction primary gear set and modified straight cut box with only 3rd 4th and revers left in it,128hp @ fr wheels at 9500 rpm, sounded and went like a bumble be on steroids, fantastic memories of a fantastic little car, even impressed Bill Shewsbury that much on one visit he offered me a drive back in the states, but an opertunity i never took up [wife didnt agree] should have listend to bill and ditched wife] oh to have the time all over again, had also owned a quick 850 brick and a very quick 998 brick, over the years, and to answer the BIG question yes its posible, uncomortable and not easy but definitly possible, its amazing how flexible you are when your young,lol
cheers John

 

[Keith]

WRT Keiths comment about the Aussie rejects. OZ actually built their own, had wind up windows long before the Poms. They were different in that they had a front quarterlight which the pommie ones didn't, or was it vice versa, I don't remember now. But here in NZ the Aussie 1275 S and the 998 were much sought after and quite prolific.

:lol:

Hmmm, that'll account for it then... :blank:

 

[Gordo]

Great video! Just saw this thread. I too love the Mini. My Grandfather had one in 1959, which is when I first rode in one and got the bug! I had one in the mid-1960's which was lots of fun. I presently own a few, including the old Spreen car that Ed Spreen won the run offs in in 1974. I still race it occasionally. It's pretty quick at around 130 bhp.

 

[Graham T]

I too love the mini.

My first days of racing started way back in 1969 and i was in the Hepolite-Glacier Championship for two or three seasons with a very much modified 1966 based car, Essex registration number 7590 VX. Fibreglass roof, bonnet, doors, lightweight alloy drum fuel tank, perspex side and rear windows, etc,etc and boy, was there some pretty hairy racing then, not just with minis, but much modified Anglias, Escorts, Cortinas, etc, etc. I remember my first race at Snetterton going up the old Norwich straight as fast as the little old thing would go and a Ford Falcon went by very close and nearly blew me off the track with its tank like aerodynamics and i knew i would have to go V8 powered one day. Hence racing the 40 now.

Even now at the club levels the mini racing is some of the best you will ever see anywhere. I,m very tempted to take up mini racing again !!!!!

I will have to dig out the old photo albums and try to post some pictures on this thread.

Graham.

 

[Keith]

Hey Graham - long time no hear! The last I saw of you was that little 'excursion' during the whatever sprint/hillclimb event (was it last year?) when the 917 inexplicably turned right at some speed!

It was such a snap change in direction I always wondered what caused it...

Hope the car is OK now and you weren't harmed in any way.

Car looked great by the way.

 

[John Lowe]

'Ello all

More thread drift?

I recall an advert (Motor Sport I think) for a Triumph TR2 way back

"Immaculate except for stiletto heal marks in dashboard" was part of the wording.

Raised a giggle at the time.

John

ps Managed it in an MG Midget, the secret was to be inventive about the positioning for entry rather than being a contortionist.........:shocked:.

 

[Keith]

'Ello all

More thread drift?

I recall an advert (Motor Sport I think) for a Triumph TR2 way back

"Immaculate except for stiletto heal marks in dashboard" was part of the wording.

Raised a giggle at the time.

John

ps Managed it in an MG Midget, the secret was to be inventive about the positioning for entry rather than being a contortionist.........:shocked:.

Thread drift? More like a wreck. Poor Paulo's eloquent support of our very own miniature automotive icon struck rocks and sank at least 6 copulations ago... :blank:

 

[Iain]

My fist car was also a 1071 cc Cooper S. If my memory serves me it was the first engine with the additional head stud, bringing it up to 10 as opposed to 9 on the 997cc. I had to remove the badges so my long suffering father didnt realise it was the "s" . It all went well untill it went in for a yearly inspection for registration at the local garage. The owner used to share a beer in the local pub with my father.... you can guess the rest

Iain

 

[David Morton]

Nicely back on the subject Iain.
Paolo - All taken in fun I hope ? You must have expected it to go very
wrong with this bunch of guys - what is the next thread to have a go at ?

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Not sure if Iain was back on the subject at all. "Fist car"?

 

[Keith]

My fist car was also a 1071 cc Cooper S. If my memory serves me it was the first engine with the additional head stud, bringing it up to 10 as opposed to 9 on the 997cc. I had to remove the badges so my long suffering father didnt realise it was the "s" . It all went well untill it went in for a yearly inspection for registration at the local garage. The owner used to share a beer in the local pub with my father.... you can guess the rest

Iain

Beat me too it Pete. Must get up earlier. Freudian slip? Anyway Ian, one thing hard to conceal on British models was the exhaust bore size and very distinctive straight through tone and of course the wide spaced Cooper grill. I think they sat lower too, at least mine did.

I think mine was the 998cc (long time ago now 1965?) with a Downton tuned engine, and it was the quickest thing on 4 wheels in the twisty bits unless you came across an Ecurie Ecosse Imp that is!