Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2017 i Mini Magazine

You need to possess a fairly deep understanding of Minis to grasp why the Japanese scene surrounding our favourite car is so revered. After all, it’s a very British car, and there’s a heck of lot of very special ones right here on these shores. But the Japanese have a long-held affection for the Mini, and there’s just something very special about their approach. It’s only now in the age of social media that many of us have been able to see what the Japanese scene has to offer, which was previously the pleasure of specialists or hardy travellers. The language barrier means that buying cars and parts can still be difficult, but as James Kelly has proven with this month’s cover star, the effort has been worth it. With…

• Mini Breakfast Club Jersey caters for Mini fans based on the largest of the Channel Islands, and can claim to be the British Isles’ most southerly classic-only Mini club. It was set-up four years ago, and as well as boasting a very active Facebook page, hosts plenty of gatherings for its members. Regular meets take place every third Sunday at 10.30am at Green Island car park, and for those who wish there’s usually breakfast at The Breakwater Cafe in St. Catherines and a run. It also stages several other events throughout the year including BBQs and a Christmas lunch, as well as attending local fayres and events to display its cars – the main one being the Jersey International Motoring Festival held in early June each year. Long haul…

British Mini Club celebrates its 25th year in 2017, and there was surely no better way to kick things off than its 18th annual Mini Fair at the Staffordshire County Showground. The event is always hotly-anticipated, and judging by the huge queues that formed outside the Bingley Hall venue despite the bitterly cold conditions, it continues to prosper. We’re not surprised. Mini Fair is a great chance to renew friendships after the winter break, check out great cars and come home with plenty of useful parts. Trade stands are this event’s forte, and with over 100 specialists and autojumblers present, there was plenty of treasure on offer. Small independents were joined by the big names, with Paddy Hopkirk making a star appearance on the Mini Sport stand. The rally legend…

“Nick’s Mini will tread a delicate path between show car and weekend toy...” PROJECT PROFILE THE OWNER NAME: Nick Whiting AGE: 42 OCCUPATION: Mechanic LOCATION: Aylesbury THE CAR: CAR: 1988 Mini Automatic START CONDITION: Rusty shell on a pallet CONDITION NOW: Fully painted, being reassembled TIME TAKEN SO FAR: Two years ESTIMATED TIME OF COMPLETION: Mini in the Park 2017 Admittedly Nick does work as a mechanic and has been playing with Minis for years, but his latest DIY project is his first full restoration at home, as it’s the first chance he’s had to rent a local garage. Given the tight confines, the results so far are incredible, and it’s all in the detail as with any build of this calibre. Check out the scuttle panel and you may…

Many a Mini owner will be familiar with the point at which that tricky decision has to be made. Your beloved car has reached the stage where it needs a proper restoration, and you have to chose between moving it on for someone else to tackle, or biting the bullet, keeping it and sorting it out. Of course, it helps if you’re able and willing to do the work required yourself, and for father and son team Geoff and Elliot Hastings, that was exactly the approach they took. The car in question was the 1993 Rover Cooper SPi you see on these pages, which Elliott had been using regularly for a couple of years. As with plenty of other Minis though, it reached a stage where major work was required,…

“It works pretty much in reverse of all other more ‘normal’ clutches...” The number of suitable components and options to uprate the Vertotype clutch and flywheel assemblies has been limited in recent years, and a constantly changing picture as components have become available, then unavailable, then sometimes available again. The consequence of this has been a surge of folk changing to the pre-Verto multi-piece clutch assembly, and with it a torrent of e-mails from folks asking what parts are best to use for their engine spec. This is fuelled in part by the staggering amount of conflicting opinions proffered by the various vendors and forum assailants alike. The greatest confusion has been over the relevant pressure plate (diaphragm) required, for possibly no other reason than such a range of options…

Anyone who’s owned more than a couple of cars will have a clear favourite. Some will still be lucky enough to own theirs, but for the rest of us it’s a case of the one that got away. For John ‘JohnO’ Oakley, that car was a Blaze 1971 1275 GT wearing Dunlop D1 alloys, owned in the late ‘70s and used to ferry a teenage JohnO and his fellow rugby playing mates all over the country. JohnO was and still is a keen biker, and spotted the GT by chance. “I went into a motorcycle shop to see my mate who was a mechanic, and in the back of the yard was a lichen-covered orange GT with Dunlop D1 wheels,” he recalls. “To cut a long story short, I bought…

• Aaltonen Motorsport, the superb ice driving experience led by Mini rally legend and his son Tino, is to be offered for sale at the end of the current season. The experience offers drivers the chance to hone their driving skills on a frozen lake at the Tahkovuori winter sport resort in eastern Finland. Mini Magazine was lucky enough to take part in 2010, and it remains one of our favourite experiences. Since then, a couple of classic Minis have been added to the fleet of E30 BMW and Ford Focus rally cars to make the experience even more memorable. “I could continue, but Tino is so busy with his conference centre business that he just can’t he just can’t take the time off to go to Takho,” Rauno told…

• Mini Club Serbia’s popular Minijada event takes place every summer, but for an added twist, it added a Winter Minijada to its calendar for 2017. Participants travelled from Serbia, Slovenia and Montenegro to attend the gathering, which was held up in the Dinaric Alps at Jahorina in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a popular ski resort. Since the summer Minijada was first held in 2009, many friendships from across the former Yugoslav nations have been formed. As such this was more a social gathering, but one MINI and two classic Minis from both Montenegro and Slovenia made the trip, and made for some fun drifting antics in the snow. Sightseeing trips were also made to nearby Sarajevo, and various group activities and meals were enjoyed over the four days. The 2017…

March 19 Brooklands Mini Day Great outdoor event at the historic Brooklands Museum in Surrey. Attractions include traders, club stands and the famous Test Hill. www.brooklandsmusuem.com March 26 Cap’n Jaspers Gathering West Country Mini Scene’s spring Breakfast Gathering, taking place at Plymouth Barbican. All Minis and MINIs are welcome. www.wcminiscene.co.uk April 9 Malvern Spring Mini Show and Spares Day Part of the Malvern Classic Event, held at Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire. www.classicshows.org April 14-18 Silly Mini Weekend Easter weekender at Dawlish Warren, Devon, in aid of Children’s Hospice SW. Includes, plenty of games, entertainment and competitions. www.sillyminis.com April 16 Lincoln BIG Mini Day Taking place at Brayford Waterfront, Lincoln, this Trent Valley MOC event celebrates its 10th year in 2017. Entry is free, but cars need to be in…

Many of your average car buffs just won’t get the idea of a Japanese-style Mini. You’ve got Japanese car culture, with its drifting, unfeasibly huge power outputs and outrageous styling, and the humble Mini – traditional, utilitarian and unmistakably British. To the initiated, the two cultures are Tokyo Drift versus Countryfile; as much of a clash as putting HKS and Blitz stickers down the side of your front-wheel-drive five-door Ford Focus and pretending it’s a 500bhp RX-7... With Minis, however, it’s different. The Japanese Mini scene is where these two worlds collide, for no other overseas nation can match its affection for Issigonis’ masterpiece. And what’s more, our Far Eastern counterparts have their own unique take on how a Mini should look, which amazes and inspires in equal measure. The…

When father and son racing team Jimmy and Barry Sime set out to restore their historic Cooper S racer into an FIA-standard Appendix K race car, they knew exactly what they were getting themselves into. With a collective 75 years of racing and rallying experience between them, the family is deeply embedded in the competitive motorsport scene. And for over half a century, their Mini has been a part of it. Since 2000, Jimmy and Barry have been running Sime Racing & Engineering, concentrating on motorsport instruction and car preparation. Their recently restored S had podium finishes at every event in its ‘debut’ season, either in class or overall, and has won its class in the overall 2016 ByBox Historic Saloon Car Championship (HSCC). That’s an incredible achievement in itself,…

Our entry went in nice and early this year, thankfully PRX was still in good shape after 2016 and we opted for the fastest of the three categories again. We went for it because A, I’m a speed freak, and B, you tend to finish each stage earlier in the day with a lower start number, so you’re not hanging around all night. The Monte Historic takes on many of the routes of the modern WRC event just a few weeks before, in the spirit of the days when Minis were leading all the way. It’s a fantastic rally to be part of, and the one everyone wants to do. And although it’s a regularity rally rather than a full-speed blast, going for the faster speed class meant we could…

BEARING CHOICE Q I’m struggling to get decent ball race wheel bearing kits. Is it possible to swap the roller bearings in a drum hub for Timken taper rollers? If so, what would the torque figure be? Toby A Yes, you can simply fit the Timken-type taper roller bearings to both ends of your car, providing it isn’t a really early MkI. Up until around 1962 I think it was, the front wheel bearings were different, with a smaller bore. Consequently later ball race and Timken bearings would be somewhat baggy on the drive flange shaft. I used to do this mod years ago, using Timken taper rollers ‘retired’ from my Mini Miglia in a couple of my road Minis owned at the time. Based on no more than my…

HISTORIC RACER STYLE. • There’s something very cool about an Appendix K historic racer, but not everyone can afford a full-on race car. In all honestly, the price of a pre-’66 Mini of any kind can rule many out nowadays! So why not take inspiration from something like Jimmy Sime’s racer, and restyle a later car perhaps. The best thing about this look is that it’s so simple, so with a MkI grille and rear lights, some duo-tone paint and Rose Petal wheels, you’ll be well on your way. P700 HEADLAMPS • Originally designed by Lucas, The P700 tripod lamp unit was fitted to many British cars from 1945 to 1963. In contrast to regular lamps, they had a second reflector mounted on a three-legged pod and a modified glass…

British Motor Heritage’s long-awaited MkI bodyshell is finally set to go into production. Following the unveiling of a prototype version at the Classic Motor Show last November, manufacture of the first batch of 15 shells will commence next month, with deliveries occurring through May and June. Since creating the prototype body, BMH says it has commissioned additional tooling to refine the finish and improve the build quality. Previously, it has offered ‘76-on shells in round-nose and Clubman form, but the new arrival is markedly different. There are smaller door apertures and different step profiles, sliding window doors with external hinges, different rear quarter panels and MkI rear light mountings. The shells also include the earlier A-panels and hinge reinforcements, cant rails, front and rear parcel shelves, switch panel, boot panel,…

• Anticipation is growing ahead of the second annual National Metro and Mini Show at the British Motor Museum on Sunday June 4. There’s a great opportunity to make a weekender of it, with camping available from 3pm on the Saturday, a special run-out early that evening and music until late. The run will tour around Warwick, Stratford on Avon and the Cotswolds, and is organised by Mini Run UK. It will leave the campsite at 6pm, returning around 9pm. Book your tickets for the camping and show day at britishmotormuseum.co.uk, then join the Mini Run UK event page on Facebook so that numbers can be managed. Substantial savings can be made by pre-booking; camping is £10 per person in advance (£15 on the day), while advance show tickets are…

• Minis on the Prom will take place for the 11th time on April 29-May 1, featuring a convoy through the stunning Welsh countryside ahead of the main event in Aberaeron. The Minis will gather at B&Q Cardiff Gate on Saturday, travelling along the narrow twisty roads of Brecon Beacons before a picnic stop at the Elan Valley Visitor Centre. Then the convoy will head to Aberystwyth, with participants checking into local hotels before meeting up later in the evening for food and drinks. The main event takes place on Aberaeron’s pretty harbour side, which will include a show and shine, charity raffle, club events and plenty more. Over 70 Minis were present last year, making then event a great success. Monday’s route back takes in some of the best…

Mini Sport’s ever popular Mini Cup gets underway this month with the AGBO Stages at Weston Park in Shropshire on March 19. It’s thought to be the biggest one-make rally series anywhere in the world, and runs alongside the HRCR 2017 ‘old Stager’ Historic Asphalt Stage Rally Championship. Right is the 2017 calendar in full. For more info see www.hrcr.co.uk 2017 MINI CUP DATES: March 19 – AGBO Stages – Weston Park April 30 – Dixies Historic Challenge – Epynt June 18 – Mid-Summer Stages – Caerwent August 6 – Solway Coast – Scottish Borders September – 14-16 Rally Isle of Man (two rounds) October 22 – Cheviot Stages – Otterburn November 25 – Hall Trophy – Blyton Park (reserve event)…

Fashions come and go faster than British summertime, not that we know anything about clothing trends here. Regardless, when it comes to Minis, fashions last for decades. Looking at Oli Graves’ customised Mini, it’s easy to see why ‘60s styling cues have stood the test of time, even with younger enthusiasts. If something works so well, why change the recipe? “I first bought the Mini when I was 10,” says Oli, who paid just £50 to the previous owner – a farmer who’d modified it for his kids to trundle about in. “He’d welded box section right through where the back seat panel once was, hooked up to a tow bar to tug a trailer around the fields with. It was pretty bad and had already been rebuilt years ago…

As a production run progresses, many manufacturers add new features to their cars to keep things fresh. Not British Leyland though; having fitted a nice boot board to its Cooper models and 1275 GT, the company bean counters canned the Cooper altogether and deleted the boot board from the GT after only a few years. Subsequent models were bequeathed with a bit of scrappy-looking carpet if you were lucky, and though aftermarket boot liner kits can provide a neat solution, we’re suckers for the OE look. Fortunately, the bits to retrofit a factory-style boot board are available from Newton Commercial, complete with the necessary metal support brackets. Different boards are available to suit single or twin fuel tanks, and there’s a version for the larger 7.5 gallon tanks fitted to…