Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2022 i MiniWorld

I must have been about 13 when I first saw a Wolseley Hornet at a Classic Car Show. Minis had always caught my eye but I thought that this small luxury car was a little unusual. My dad explained that the Hornet, as well as the Riley Elf, were essentially Minis with an extended rear, a larger boot, finned rear wings and a posh interior. I've held a fascination for them ever since. My Elf is now in the strip-down stages of a rebuild so I'm very impressed with the fantastic restoration to which Terry Snow has treated his Hornet. His fine example is one of only 57 cars converted for Heinz by Crayford in the 60s. Find out more on pages 62-69. Other fantastic Minis featured in this issue…

Rebuilding a Mini engine is a very important part of restoration and modification; it is also something that may be necessary or desirable for a Mini that is already in good condition. An engine build can be carried out as preventive maintenance or just to improve longevity. The key thing is, where possible, to rebuild or build a replacement engine before serious wear has set in and made things more difficult and expensive. Get it right and it will be very enjoyable – which is what Mini ownership should be. In the September 2022 issue of MiniWorld we looked into block reconditioning and preparation. Here we take a look at the next stage of engine building and refurbishment and consider cranks, rods and pistons. This is a much bigger subject,…

In 2013 Terry Snow and his wife Coleen were at a car show at Battlesbridge, Essex, when they saw a convertible Wolseley Hornet. “She said that she loved it and asked to sit in it,” recalls Terry. “She sat in it and said: ‘I wouldn’t mind one of them’. I said: ‘well, you’re not gonna get one because there were only 57 ever made’.” He didn’t particularly like Minis or Wolseley Hornets at the time. “I wanted a 1969 Volvo 1800S in white, like The Saint’s car. That’s the car I love. I had a 1971 1800E, an injection model which I sold, and I was going to get an 1800S with carbs, but I didn’t tell my wife this plan. It was all in my head.” They went to…

Once again, over the August Bank Holiday weekend, organisers Terry and Linda Baker, together with PA Jazmin Milne and a whole team of enthusiastic volunteers, welcomed more than 250 Minis to North Devon for an event unlike any other. ‘The Tour’ returned to its new campsite overlooking Northam Burrows this year, with gates opening on the Wednesday for those looking to make a week of it. The Tour got underway on the Saturday evening with a welcome run around Westward Ho! and Appledore, just to let everyone know that the Minis had arrived. On Sunday it was crazy hats at the ready for the first big run of the weekend, with the Minis lining up along the prom in Westward Ho! before setting off on a beautiful route west to…

Recharged Heritage goes live 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 Mini Sport of Padiham is looking to the future of Mini ownership by partnering with MINI and ZERO EV in forming Recharged Heritage Ltd. Mini Sport’s Managing Director, Chris Harper told MiniWorld: “During early 2021 we were approached by MINI about a project all about sustainability which included converting classic Minis to electric. In September 2021 a meeting was arranged to tell us a little more and gauge our reaction. We had tenders to provide, etc., then a decision would be made in due course.” MINI came back to the Mini Sport team and…

Back in 2014, mechanic Lee Stenson collected his sixth Mini and this one was very old indeed. 1958 UN had been constructed at The Austin right near the end of 1961, a little over two years after Mini production started and the same year in which BMC had launched its innovative 997cc Cooper as well as other Mini models. This one was an Austin Seven saloon and would originally have had an 848cc engine with wandshift. It was not particularly original when he bought it in 2014 as its 12 previous owners had kept it on the road without much regard to originality. “It hadn’t been restored before but was kept on the road with lots of plating and panels over the years: floor pans, sills, wings. There was a…

On Wednesday 4 October 2000 the last-ever original Mini was driven off the Longbridge track (production line). The plan was for 1960s pop icon, and former Mini owner, Lulu to drive it but in fact it was time-served Longbridge manager Geoff Powell, asMiniWorld’s then editor, Monty Watkins recalls: “Lulu was fumbling with the alarm remote and could not really get it going so Geoff took over smoothly and she went in the passenger seat. He said to me later that he didn’t want such an important moment to be spoiled. I think he wanted to avoid a media frenzy about the last Mini not being able to start.” According to an MG Rover booklet from 2000 there were 5,387,862 Minis and official derivatives built in 41 years of production, although…

This annual event is always a calendar favourite and this year Mini owners were greeted to a different layout as the concours and Show ‘n’ Shine were both situated in front of the picturesque Stanford Hall stately home. Directly in front was an impressive display of 10 Paul Smith LE Minis. It was great to see so many together considering that only 300 were made in 1998 for the UK market. Mini club stands were situated along the banks of the River Avon, with some clubs dressing themselves and their Minis up in fancy dress. Skidmark MOC went all out with the show’s 1960s hippies theme and spread so much peace and love that they won first prize. Perhaps Malvern Mini Club missed the theme memo but their Harry Potter-themed…

Lifelong Mini fan Keith Miller runs YouTube channel Classic Mini Workshop as a hobby. In 2019 he set himself a challenge to restore a Rover Mini on a budget and document it for his viewers. He started his career as a mechanic and had welded patch repairs before but had never replaced panels. “I’ve owned lots and lots of Minis but I’d never done a full restoration. They’ve always been rolling restorations and I’ve done bits as I went along. I wanted the challenge of buying a cheap project car in need of restoration, do it up and sell it on.” He came up with a plan. “The main aim of doing the restoration was to save a Mini that was pretty much destined for the scrapyard.” He also wanted…

Many Mini owners build up their skills over decades but Sam Buswell was still a teenager when he went ahead with his first Mini project. “I’ve been into cars since I was four. On my 13th birthday I decided I wanted a Mini so started saving.” His family has strong connections with the Mini. “Dad’s first car was a 1979 850. My gran’s partner Michael, who taught me to weld on the Mini, had a ’64 or ’65 Cooper S. Grandad had Mini Vans. Nan had a ’63 850 Mk1 which was great. Also, my Grandpa had Cooper Ss back in the 70s.” Michael was very generous. “He has 50 years of welding experience so he’s passed a bit of knowledge on and he gave me a MIG welder, which…