Minis
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Chapter President
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 272
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From: Savannah, TN
Minis
I really like these cars. I am glad they are making a comeback, I just don't know if the ones hold a candle to the originals.
Mini Footage
Mini Footage
It's my pot and I'll stir it if I want to. If you're not careful, I'll stir your's as well!
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,256
Likes: 207
From: Central Mexico.
Way, way, waaaay back I did a bit of racing with those on a proper race track. Scared myself a few times, but those little cars are great fun. The Cooper S has a lot of spunk and can lick many a bigger vehicle.
In hill climbs not many could beat them. One guy put another engine in the back and had 4 wheel drive. With both engines running I don't remember anyone beating him on a hill climb.
Ground clearance is only a hair above zero so you need to watch for small solid obstacles in the road, like rocks. I once put a nice hole in the aluminum (for these cars, that is aluminIum) transmission case. Drained the oil and welded it up from underneath. Not an easy job oxy-acetylene welding aluminum at the best of times, but try it with old hot oil dripping thru the cracks. It worked but always leaked a little.
Those were the days ........
Ah, memories
In hill climbs not many could beat them. One guy put another engine in the back and had 4 wheel drive. With both engines running I don't remember anyone beating him on a hill climb.
Ground clearance is only a hair above zero so you need to watch for small solid obstacles in the road, like rocks. I once put a nice hole in the aluminum (for these cars, that is aluminIum) transmission case. Drained the oil and welded it up from underneath. Not an easy job oxy-acetylene welding aluminum at the best of times, but try it with old hot oil dripping thru the cracks. It worked but always leaked a little.
Those were the days ........
Ah, memories
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 133
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From: Southern Illinois
I am a truck guy, I love driving my truck. But, if I wanted to "borrow" a car and "drive it like you stole it" that might be the car. I would want the windows tinted so no one would reconize me.
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 64
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From: New Port Richey, FL
Viper,
Way back in 1966, I had a new 1275 Mini-Cooper S. Quite the car. Did some racing while I was in Germany courtesy of the USAF.
Had more fun then ever. Had seen a lot of good Mini drivers, but can say that I've never seen anything as good as the video you have. Will the new BMW keep up with the original Mini? I don't know. Was not able to bring the car back to this country, because at that time, it was "too small". Thanks for sharing the video.
Alan
Way back in 1966, I had a new 1275 Mini-Cooper S. Quite the car. Did some racing while I was in Germany courtesy of the USAF.
Had more fun then ever. Had seen a lot of good Mini drivers, but can say that I've never seen anything as good as the video you have. Will the new BMW keep up with the original Mini? I don't know. Was not able to bring the car back to this country, because at that time, it was "too small". Thanks for sharing the video.
Alan
It's my pot and I'll stir it if I want to. If you're not careful, I'll stir your's as well!
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,256
Likes: 207
From: Central Mexico.
Viper, bet you wish you had that car today. I see that in the states they are asking big bucks for a restored mini.
BTW, a bit of trivia for those of you not familiar with these cars, they had no springs on the suspension. In lieu of springs, rubber cones were used. One reason was because the suspension travel was not long and with a full load of passengers the vehicle weight could double. Springs can't handle this large variation in weight and still be comfortable with a light load. The spring rate of rubber changes with compression.
The famous De Haviland Beaver used a similar idea.
FastZilla, yeah, the Tiger is still a neat car and I wouldn't mind one myself. Not that many were produced.
BTW, a bit of trivia for those of you not familiar with these cars, they had no springs on the suspension. In lieu of springs, rubber cones were used. One reason was because the suspension travel was not long and with a full load of passengers the vehicle weight could double. Springs can't handle this large variation in weight and still be comfortable with a light load. The spring rate of rubber changes with compression.
The famous De Haviland Beaver used a similar idea.
FastZilla, yeah, the Tiger is still a neat car and I wouldn't mind one myself. Not that many were produced.
Administrator
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6,522
Likes: 4
From: Sandy, Utah
My sons Karate instructor, guess you'd call him Sen-Sei,
races mini's.
He drives an "Americanized" one daily, and has a genuine "European" on in his garage,
stripped down to nothing, roll cage, 5pt harness, etc.
I thought our Mini's were small, his racing one could fit inside his daily driver.
The racecar has been in his family for years, he has pics and trophies all over his basement,
both his dad and him racing.
Road racing as opposed to oval or drag.
Funny thing, he parks them both on one side of a two car garage, and still has room for his wifes Expedition.
I can't even fit my one vehicle in my garage.
phox
races mini's.
He drives an "Americanized" one daily, and has a genuine "European" on in his garage,
stripped down to nothing, roll cage, 5pt harness, etc.
I thought our Mini's were small, his racing one could fit inside his daily driver.
The racecar has been in his family for years, he has pics and trophies all over his basement,
both his dad and him racing.
Road racing as opposed to oval or drag.
Funny thing, he parks them both on one side of a two car garage, and still has room for his wifes Expedition.
I can't even fit my one vehicle in my garage.
phox
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 64
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From: New Port Richey, FL
Mexstan,
Did you notice the typical "rear wheel Mini lift" when cornering? The suspension was called "Hydro-Lastic". Used anti-freeze to go from one wheel to the other. Very unusual concept. By the way, in '74 I purchased a new Subaru. The salesman told me, that the Subaru was the first front wheel drive car with a transverse engine. I had to explain to him that the Mini was the first (I think) some years before.
Regards,
Alan
Did you notice the typical "rear wheel Mini lift" when cornering? The suspension was called "Hydro-Lastic". Used anti-freeze to go from one wheel to the other. Very unusual concept. By the way, in '74 I purchased a new Subaru. The salesman told me, that the Subaru was the first front wheel drive car with a transverse engine. I had to explain to him that the Mini was the first (I think) some years before.
Regards,
Alan
It's my pot and I'll stir it if I want to. If you're not careful, I'll stir your's as well!
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,256
Likes: 207
From: Central Mexico.
Yes, the Mini was 'famous' for lifting one wheel. Don't remember it being a problem tho'.
The Mini may well have been the first with a FWD transverse engine, not sure about that but there was another great car that came out soon afterwards. It was the Peugeot 204 which I think came out in 1965 and was a bit bigger than the Mini. I had a 1968 station wagon and it would go anywhere. It was fast! On the highway I could pass anything. The engine was mounted opposite to the Mini. One was east-west and the other was west-east but I can't remember which was which. The engine had an overhead cam. Only problem with those cars was that they rusted out fast. Later I bought a Peugeot 304 and it was also a great car and drove it over 100 miles a day for long time.
The Mini may well have been the first with a FWD transverse engine, not sure about that but there was another great car that came out soon afterwards. It was the Peugeot 204 which I think came out in 1965 and was a bit bigger than the Mini. I had a 1968 station wagon and it would go anywhere. It was fast! On the highway I could pass anything. The engine was mounted opposite to the Mini. One was east-west and the other was west-east but I can't remember which was which. The engine had an overhead cam. Only problem with those cars was that they rusted out fast. Later I bought a Peugeot 304 and it was also a great car and drove it over 100 miles a day for long time.
