Mini Magazine January 2021
Mini Magazine: the perfect magazine for anyone who wants to get the best out of their classic Mini. Rammed with technical features, advice, inspirational feature cars and plenty of reader involvement. Please note: This digital version of the magazine does not currently include the covermount items or content you would find on printed newsstand copies
in this issue
welcome
It may say January on the cover - blame the world of publishing - but this is, in fact, the last issue of Mini Magazine for 2020. And with another year passed, we thought we might take a moment to reflect. No-one would argue that 2020 is going to go down as one of the strangest years in living memory. There has been a lot of serious stuff to cope with, but thanks to the good sense of most people, life has continued albeit in a new way. One thing that has really surprised us is the number of project cars which have been brought to completion over the summer. The Mini specialists managed to keep their mail order services running throughout, and as a result, time on furlough for many…
stepping back
Jack Ward’s daily is a modern Mini; a John Cooper Works. It’s a cracking car. Fun too. But the car that stirs his soul the most, his real passion, is the 1962 Austin Seven he bought in 2018. It was a purchase that actually came about thanks to the ever-active and friendly Mini Cooper Register. “When I bought my first modern Mini, I joined the Mini Cooper Register,” explains Jack. “I like to be involved in things and I currently hold the post of Youth Co-ordinator.” “Going on the regularity runs, and to shows and events with the Register, piqued my interest in the classic Mini. Yes, the runs were enjoyable in the modern, but people seemed to be having more fun in the older cars. I felt I was missing out,…
tech spec
BODY 1962 Austin Mini Seven ENGINE 1293cc, fully-balanced and lightened, Stage 3 unleaded head, roller rockers, SW5 camshaft, LCB manifold and RC40 system, twin HS2 carburettors. Fletcher aluminium radiator. SUSPENSION Rubber cone. Hi-Los. TRANSMISSION Original casing with Magic Wand change modified to accept foursynchro internals. 3.1 diff ratio. BRAKES Cooper S 7.5 inch discs and callipers, Superfin drums, braided hoses, servo. WHEELS AND TYRES Reverse rim steels with 165/70R10 tyres. INTERIOR Cobra front seats, original rear seat, new carpets, STR 5-point harnesses, Custom Cages 6-point rollcage, Brantz International Pro 3 Tripmeter, Helphos spotlight.…
dormant mini fetches high price
Along neglected 1965 Mini Cooper S has been sold by Charterhouse in Sherborne for £28,600. The Cooper S, which had lain in a Derbyshire garage for nearly 50 years, sold at the Charterhouse auction of classic cars on 23rd September. “Everyone loves a project, especially one which has been squirreled away for decades,” commented Richard Bromell of Charterhouse. The S is the latest in an increasingly long line of 'discovered' Minis, being offered at auction in an untouched state. Bidding is always fierce and estimates are usually long surpassed before the hammer falls. It is, though, rare to see Coopers finding the way across the auction block as demand is now so high for the sporting models. Incredibly, the Mini Cooper S was last on the road in 1973 when it was driven…
med’s project 63
Hinckley-based A-series tuning specialist MED has planned a new project Mini to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2021. Having built an Appendix K historic race Mini in 2015, before supporting several drivers in the Mini Miglia and Mini Se7en series, MED now turns its attention to a fast road car build. The car of choice is a tidy Speedwell Blue MkI Morris, which started life in Rhodesia as a Complete Knock Down export. The 1963 Mini had been sat quietly waiting for attention in Scotland since 2014 at The Mini Works. The original Rhodesian-made tyres are still fitted, while the original 850 engine and Magic Wand gearchange look to be the correct matching-numbers pairing. “When we started looking for a new project, we fancied an external-hinge car of some description,” says Steve…
electrification for any classic mini
Customers can now order Swindon Powertrain’s ready-to-fit electric Classic Mini Kit and explore optional EV upgrades, including a 12 kWhr battery pack, motor controller, onboard charger and DC-DC converter. Swindon Powertrain is now offering a stand-alone electric 80kW continuous (120 kW peak) Classic Mini Kit, which can be used in isolation or in addition to a range of aftermarket Swindon Powertrain EV components such as 12 kWhr battery pack, motor controller, onboard charger and DC-DC converter. Suitable for classic Mini enthusiasts, specialists or EV conversion businesses that want to electrify a classic Mini, order books are now open with prices for the Classic Mini Kit starting at £8,850 + VAT and deliveries commencing from December 2020. Created in response to growing customer demand to electrify classic cars and original Minis in particular,…
