The Mini shortly after purchase.Why a Mini?
Since having the use of a company car, I have always retained a car of my own. Several years ago I built a Caterham 7 - what must be one of the ultimate driving machines! We did a number of exciting drives with the car for instance; going to Le Mans with at least 60 other Caterhams and Lotus', spending almost the entire day driving round Goodwood race track. Then due to an unexpected increase in the family size the Caterham had to go.
The Caterham excelled in being fun to drive as well as being open topped. - but what to replace it with? Well we opted to buy a Rover 216 cabriolet - all the benefits of open topped motoring but lacked the fun to drive element.
Having in the past owned a 998 Cooper, 1275 GT clubman and a 1275s Cooper and found them great fun I thought here was a possibility of the next car a new Cooper. I visited a number of local dealers all of whom were not particularly interested in selling me a car, even for cash! So I went and visited John Cooper Garages in Ferring - they were interested in selling me a car and I had a test drive which convinced me this was the way to go. So I ordered one. Cooper's would take the Rover in part exchange, as the Rover was worth more than a new Mini so the surplus was ploughed back into the car plus some more.
The car was delivered from the factory in red, fitted with a walnut dash and radio upgrade. Before being delivered to me it was fitted with an Si plus pack (oil cooler, polished head with larger inlet valves, hi lift valve rocker assemblies, revised exhaust system and other parts), a handling kit (wider tyres, adjustable shock absorbers and spacers on the rear wheels) and a sump guard. Also ordered were halogen headlights for me to fit later. Soon afterwards it was fitted with a Mota-lita steering wheel and alloy door furniture. Since then the following items have been added, vented front discs combined with four-pot callipers, heavy duty tie bars, quick shift gear change, alloy top mounts, hi-lo's and gearbox stabilisers. I have also fitted an electronic trip meter - accurate to 1/100th of a mile!
Since buying the car at the beginning of 1994, it has just done 9000 miles (at the time of writing) but that does not mean it has lead a sheltered life.
It has taken part in a number of production car trials, in one run by Guildford Motor Club we took overall victory and first in class. Taken part in a number of twelve car rallies and navigational scatters also in London to Brighton Mini run on a couple of occasions.
The Mini shortly after purchase.
The more significant events which we have taken part in are detailed as part of this web page, a trip to Northern France with CAR magazine on their first Tour de France, a 200 mile charity drive for the Stroke Association and going to Monte Carlo taking part in the Mini Monte.
Update for 1997!
This year we have been to a number of Mini events most notable the Mini Cooper Register Day at Beaulieu, Mini in the Park several major motor sport events Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Coy's Historic Festival at Silverstone. But the major event has been the Mini Cooper Register Circuit of Ireland Mini Run, which can be read about elsewhere on this site. The final event for the year is likely to be the All Car Run for the Stroke Association , this will be the third year we have taken part. Here's to more in the future- hopefully the Mini Monte again and maybe the Italian Job or a real adventure from the Nordkapp (the northern most point in Europe) to the southern coast of Spain. - We can but live in hope!
After the Ireland event a revised Brantz trip meter has been fitted to the car. It gives total distance, intermediate distance, speed and average speed.
Update for 1998!
For 1998 , so far we have taken part in the Mini Monte 2. In this event we finished fourth. More about this can be found by following this link. Other things of note during the year - took part in a track test day at Goodwood prior to its reopening, the car was on the Mini Cooper Register stands at Ascot in September and at Sandown at the end of November.
Update for 1999!
Well for 1999 there were no trips to the continent this year, but trips to both Northern and Southern Ireland. For Northern Ireland it was for the Minis In Northern Ireland 40th Anniversary Rally and superb event which can be read about here. In September it was Mini Cooper Register Circuit of Ireland Mini Run another excellent event. The car has been on display at several events, not least Brooklands Motor Sport Day on Guildford Motor Club's stand. Its amazing just how much interest the car creates.
The car now has a Safety Devices rear roll cage and four point harness belts, also fitted is a rally clock.