Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2023 i MiniWorld

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Cooper S – an event significant enough to warrant a special tribute via MiniWorld. So, here we are with our Summer 2023 issue, featuring an extra 16 pages and an entire section dedicated to the iconic S. It all kicks off on page 42 with an in-depth look at the history of the Cooper S, from its pre-launch days through to its motorsport successes. And of course, we have some rather special feature cars for you to enjoy – all restored to an extremely high standard. Whatever your preferences when it comes to the Cooper S, there’s plenty here to keep you entertained. It’s not just the S that we’re focusing on this month, though, as we also get up close with…

The afternoon of May 21 saw various cars from the Cornish Mini Club set off on an adventure that followed a route along the Helford Creeks (including Frenchman’s Creek, made famous by Daphne du Maurier), taking in as much spectacular scenery as possible – with the narrow lanes being perfect Mini territory. To add to the challenge, the directions sheet had a set of observational questions specifically designed to be answerable from the car. The run was designed to take about two hours, ending up at The Fat Apples cafe near St Keverne. The team that got the most questions right won the coveted Cornish Mini Club’s ‘Grand Day Out 3’ Helford Creeks Mug. In the end, it was Ben French and his family who came out on top, with…

Almost three decades on from its inaugural event at Silverstone in 1994, the Mini Spares Fastest Mini in the World race is set to take place on the first Sunday in August – and MiniWorld is delighted to be involved, supporting the race with editorial coverage and bringing interviews with some of its top drivers in the months ahead. This all-action race has seen many great drivers on the grid, including Peter Baldwin, Bill Sollis, Martin Short and Bill Richards, adding further to the rich history of an event that delivers unrivalled excitement for competitors and spectators alike. In recent years, the Fastest Mini in the World has become one of the feature attractions of the Mini Festival at Brands Hatch, which for 2023 takes place on Sunday, August 6.…

When you’ve been involved in the classic car scene for a number of decades, certain events tend to stick in your memory as stand-out moments. For me, one of those was the announcement by British Motor Heritage (BMH) that it was to commence production of complete MGB bodyshells, with the first customer example being built in 1988. It would be another 13 years, however, before Mini owners would similarly benefit from the availability of new shells. It’s all too easy to take for granted the fact that brand new bodyshells for some of the UK’s most popular classics can now be bought. But back in 1988, just eight years on from the MGB ceasing production and MG’s historic Abingdon plant closing, this was revolutionary stuff. We’d obviously been used to…

Minis of all types and specs gathered at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, on June 11 for the Mini Cooper Register’s annual National Mini Day. A rainy start may have deterred a few, but soon the picturesque showground began to fill up; and although there were more showers later, visitors also got to enjoy bursts of sunshine. The concours area was filled with stunning Minis, and the MkI class in particular featured some very fine examples. The concours competition at this event is rather prestigious, as there are many prizes to compete for, including the legendary Beaulieu Cup. Those taking part had to keep wiping the rain from their Minis until they’d been judged. As this year marks the 60th anniversary of the Cooper S, the Mini Cooper Register arranged…

Contact us Send club, trade, motorsport and all other Mini news to: Email: mw.ed@kelsey.co.uk Post: Mini Scene, MiniWorld, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL UK No L2B for 2024 The London & Surrey Mini Owners’ Club (LSMOC) has officially announced that, as feared, the London to Brighton Mini Run won’t be going ahead next year. The end of this hugely popular event, which has been running for 36 years, was confirmed in a statement by the club on social media. The LSMOC committee said: “Putting on this event has become increasingly challenging, with spiralling costs, red tape, reduced parking at Brighton and numerous other restrictions, before we even get to the possible impact of ULEZ in both London and Brighton. After the post-event…

Former racing driver John Rhodes, famed for his antics with the Cooper Car Company’s Formula Junior racers in the early ’60s and numerous victories behind the wheel of the Mini Cooper S, is starring in a new episode of the Mini Life Podcast (MLP) series. Better known as Smokin’ John Rhodes thanks to his trademark drifting technique, the charismatic 96-year-old spends over an hour in the company of MLP’s Mike Vaccaro, explaining how he created this unique driving style as well as his rise from a driver of home-built race cars through to competing in the 1965 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. MLP listeners get to hear an array of John’s racing memories, as he tells rarely heard stories detailing his history-making career. At the start of the podcast, John…

02-reg Cooper rarity If you like the idea of being seen at the wheel of a particularly late-registered Mini, this 02-reg Cooper could be of real interest. Although built in 1998, the car was sent to Gibraltar and, according to the DVLA website, was first registered as late as 2002. When the Mini returned to the UK in 2020, it was therefore given an ‘02’ registration number, making it a real head-turner among Mini fans. Finished in its original colour scheme of metallic Anthracite Black with a contrasting white roof and bonnet stripes, the car has covered just 12,000 miles from new (most of them in the sunny climes of Gibraltar) and is described as “totally original throughout” by the Mini specialist selling it. It’s said to drive “like it’s…

Prices include VAT Traders To get your products on these pages email: mw.ed@kelsey.co.uk. Post: MiniWorld, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL, UK. (Prices include VAT). Exhaust offers At the time of writing, Mini Sport is offering great deals on its extensive line-up of rear silencers, as well as complete exhaust systems and performance exhausts. There are savings of 10-12 per cent across the range as this issue of MiniWorld goes to print, with standard-spec and uprated exhausts and part-systems available, as well as stainless steel. Check out the website for the latest offers for your particular Mini. Rear silencers from £55.97 +44 (0)1282 778731 minisport.com Handy all-rounder New in at Machine Mart is the Clarke RI150LI Rechargeable Tyre Inflator & Power Bank, a…

I have acquired a trailer to tow my Mini during visits to the restoration workshop; I will be towing with a BMW 3 Series Touring. The trailer has Metro wheels and tyres, fitted to what I believe are Mini hubs. The tyres are both quite badly perished and need immediate replacement, but I’ve been unable to get any tyres in the correct size – they’re a metric size and no longer available. Do you know if any other tyres will fit these wheels? Andrew Young There are no tyres that fit the Metro metricsize wheels, and this is a big problem for Metro restorers. If you have Mini hubs and want to retain similar-size wheel on the trailer, the easiest option would be to fit a set of steel wheels…

For anyone who’s been working on Minis since the age of 10, developing their passion into a successful and long established business has to be the ultimate achievement. And that’s certainly the case for Dan Budd, a familiar name in the world of racing Minis and the owner of The Real Mini Company, the Oxfordshire-based firm that he founded around 16 years ago. These days, The Real Mini Company comprises a team of seven, with many decades of Mini-specific experience between them. The company prides itself on employing experts in their field, which helps explain the impressively high standards of restoration on offer. But in the early days, Dan’s efforts to get the business off the ground saw him working solo on a part-time basis: “While working for Lex on…

By the time this issue of MiniWorld is published, a pair of identical Minis that travelled the world in 1980/81 to raise funds for polio research will have gone to auction with Bonhams at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Minis were offered as one lot, with a pre-sale guide price of £40,000-£45,000. The idea for the Mini trek came from adventurer Tony Clarke, who recruited 19-year-old mechanic Tim Ferris as second driver. The cars were donated by British Leyland dealership, Mumfords of Truro, with the BBC’s current affairs programme, Nationwide, covering the trip. The two Minis left the BBC’s Lime Grove studios in 1980 and went on to cover 60,000 miles on an epic adventure that tested both drivers and their machines in some of the world’s most inhospitable…

To help the British Motor Museum celebrate its 30th anniversary this summer, it’s holding a special online raffle giving entrants a chance to ride in some of the venue’s best-known exhibits – including 621 AOK, the first Morris Mini-Minor off the production line. Other vehicle rides available in the raffle include the first ever Land Rover, a Ford Anglia 105E, a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow and a Rover 20HP. The winners’ rides in 621 AOK will take place on Wednesday, August 16. Tickets cost £5 each, with all proceeds going to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust. Two winners will be chosen at random for each raffle draw. Each winner and one guest will receive free entry to the museum, a souvenir guide and keyring, and a ride aboard their chosen…

2023 July 30 Cotswold Classic Mini Tour A run of around 50 miles through some of the finest Cotswold countryside, open to all classic Minis and their derivatives. The cost is £12 per car to include a plaque and route notes. For more details, search Facebook for Cotswold Classic Mini Tour or send an email. gary.haynes0509@hotmail.co.uk August 3 Mod 'n' Mini Meet At London’s Ace Café on the first Thursday of every month. Good food and a great atmosphere. london.acecafe.com 6 Brands Hatch Mini Festival A day of racing action courtesy of classic Mini Miglias, Dunlop Mini Se7ens, Mighty Minis, Mini Se7en S Class and the Fastest Mini in the World race, plus Mini parade laps, vehicle displays, trade stands and more. brandshatch.co.uk/2023/august/mini-fest 8 Gaydon Gathering An informal get-together at…

Much of the Cooper S’s enviable reputation comes from its many motorsport achievements during the 1960s. Among its laurels were the 1969 British Saloon Car Championship, 1970 British Rally Championship, 1965 and ’66 European Rally Championships, and the European Touring Car Championships of 1964 and ’68. They were successful in rallies, on circuits and in endurance events throughout Europe, Australia and even the USA. There, what they lacked in power against the massive homegrown V8 leviathans, they more than made up for in balletic cornering ability. Inevitably, however, the model will always be most closely associated with the Monte Carlo Rally. The 1071cc Cooper S of Paddy Hopkirk and Henry Liddon romped to outright victory during the 1964 staging, with the car of Timo Mäkinen and Patrick Vanson coming fourth.…

Every year, Rhonnie and I take a trip from Florida to the International Mini Meeting (IMM) in whichever country is hosting it. I fly to England to pick up our SPI or MPI Mini from Mini Sport in Padiham (yes, running Mini Sport USA has its perks), but this year I came a couple of weeks early so that I could attend one of my favourite UK Mini events: Cornwall’s Riviera Run. I stayed in the beautiful and peaceful Mevagissey area for a week. Afterwards, I headed to the Midlands for the National Mini Day at Himley Hall, before making my way back to Padiham to pack and get ready for the three-week adventure to IMM Italy. I took a few easy days to drive from northern England to the…