Mini Magazine September 2020

There's something about Q-Cars that really appeals to me. And a sleeper Mini is, of course, the best - as the car which is most readily identified by the general public as 'cute', 'lovable' or even 'quirky', it has the greatest potential to surprise the unsuspecting when it leaves them for dead in a swirl of tyre smoke and exhaust fumes... Nigel Death's 1966 Morris Cooper is our cover star this month and it looks every bit the perfectly restored mid-60s Mini. OK, it's on Minilites and it sits on the road just so, but beyond that - the Almond Green paintjob, the perfect chrome and trim, even the fresh Porcelain Green and Dove Grey interior - it all looks very factory. What isn't so factory is the Swiftunebuilt 1460cc motor under…

There's something about Q-Cars that really appeals to me. And a sleeper Mini is, of course, the best - as the car which is most readily identified by the general public as 'cute', 'lovable' or even 'quirky', it has the greatest potential to surprise the unsuspecting when it leaves them for dead in a swirl of tyre smoke and exhaust fumes... Nigel Death's 1966 Morris Cooper is our cover star this month and it looks every bit the perfectly restored mid-60s Mini. OK, it's on Minilites and it sits on the road just so, but beyond that - the Almond Green paintjob, the perfect chrome and trim, even the fresh Porcelain Green and Dove Grey interior - it all looks very factory. What isn't so factory is the Swiftunebuilt 1460cc…

It was just one of those things that I’ve always wanted,” says Nigel Death, standing next to the stunning Almond Green Cooper. “When I was seventeen, I learned to drive in a Mini and then I had one as a first car, but back then, a Mini Cooper or even a Cooper S wasn’t the car that everyone wanted so I moved away from them for a while.” The Death family connection with Minis is a strong one. Brother, Harvey, is a seasoned car builder and top flight racer. “He’s an engineer and what he doesn’t know about Minis isn’t worth knowing. When he was 16, he bought a Mini Cooper S, LSY 283, in boxes and a bare shell, which he rebuilt into his racing Mini.” He’s also the current…

BODY 1966 Mini Cooper in Almond Green with Old English White roof. ENGINE Swiftune built 1460cc A-series. Steel 86mm long stroke crankshaft, Swiftune steel con rods, 73.5 mm dished Omega pistons, Swiftune SW5 camshaft and roller rockers. Ported Road Rocket 36/30 cylinder head. Twin 1.25 inch SU carburettors with standard airbox. K&N engine vents. Maniflow RC40 exhaust. MED 13-row oil cooler. Three core race/road radiator. Facet silver top fuel pump, Filter King fuel filter. SUSPENSION Dry suspension with coil spring conversion. Adjustable tie bars and lower arms. Hi-Los. KAD rear camber/toe brackets. Lowered Gaz dampers. TRANSMISSION Swiftune built four-speed manual gearbox, four pin diff. 2.5:1 final drive. BRAKES Four pot calipers with steel pistons on front. Minifins on rear. KAD AP Racing 7/8 inch master cylinder. WHEELS AND TYRES 5x10 Minilites with Yokohama A-008 165/70R10…

With coronavirus ravaging the classic motoring calendar, the organisers of the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, are pulling out all the stops to do everything possible to increase the chances of the November event happening in 2020 once government gives its approval. The organisers are looking at extending the show opening times but allocating a dedicated time for entrance along with a specific hall from which to enter the show. This will reduce the amount of people arriving at the venue at the same time, with shuttle buses running with managed capacities and controlled volumes in the communal areas. Upon arrival, all visitors and exhibitors will undergo mandatory temperature checks, and there will be isolation rooms available for anyone showing cause for concern. There will be a queuing system to…

• Each year, Atwell Motor Museum run a raffle to help keep the museum going. The prize is always a classic car, and this year’s offering was a beautiful 1983 Austin Mini Mayfair 998cc. Every year, Aidy Brown, from Radford in Somerset, is convinced to buy a ticket by his eleven year old son, Baden, who is a real Mini fanatic. They were hopeful last year, but sadly went home empty handed… except for a ticket for this year’s draw on 12th July. The year’s wait was worth it for the Brown family, as they joyfully went home with this year’s prize! Aidy has kindly donated the car to Baden, who is absolutely delighted. “We had a very exciting weekend after a quiet few months with all that’s been going on. I…