RMweb Premium Sidecar Racer Posted July 24, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 24, 2018 Thanks for that photo of a Chilean Mini , I never knew they had been built there let alonein GRP , so that got me Googling and came up with this . https://www.topgear.com/car-news/the-great-outdoors/road-trip-hunting-old-minis-chilean-desert#1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sidecar Racer Posted July 24, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 24, 2018 Well it seems they did the1100 also in GRP . https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/bmc-cars/1100-1300/11001300-international-variations/bmc-11001300-chilean-variations/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 (edited) Here's another Chilean GRP Mini similar to the white / red one I mentioned, the Dunlop D1 alloys really set it off... I had no idea the Chileans built the 1100 too! Perusing one of the Mini books in my naughty cupboard earlier I was reminded that BMC in South Africa built a limited run of Wolseley 1000s, a cross between a Mk1 Mini Saloon and a Wolseley Hornet front end, only 456 were built apparently. Coincidentally there is currently a S.African built 1962 Mk1 997 Cooper for sale on ebay, restored but with all the right bits on it (the interior is a fair bit more upmarket than the UK models were). Tonight's 6V25 Bescot - Hinksey job is caped so I'll be keeping my work phone on and watching some b&w episodes of The Saint for some old car spotting Edited July 24, 2018 by Rugd1022 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted July 24, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 24, 2018 No rust but about twice the amount of wiring Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sidecar Racer Posted July 24, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 24, 2018 It is a shame that they could not do a seamless mini as a production job , to me it looks so much nicer even without being ' sprinted ' . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sidecar Racer Posted July 24, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 24, 2018 And having read the Top Gear article it seems obvious as the why they have twin tanks , seems fuel stations are few and far between on the open road between places. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kickstart Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 So my options would appear to be:- Put in a modern tech battery; or- Try to find a higher output alternator with a similar footprint to the CX one (difficult given that Citroen cars of that age are difficult to modify); or- Fit both! If not starting, battery first. Bigger battery means it will last longer with a minor current drain. Battery with a higher cranking capacity might help starting. But if you are doing lots of short and / or slow journeys so the battery never gets a chance to recharge, or you have a load of extra electrical load then a higher power alternator might well help Katy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 Thanks for that photo of a Chilean Mini , I never knew they had been built there let alone in GRP.... Didn't know Chile had a car industry. Seems they built CXs there as well. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 It is a shame that they could not do a seamless mini as a production job , to me it looks so much nicer even without being ' sprinted ' . I half jokingly threatened to have the Cooper S deseamed when we sent it off to be restored, the other half went ballistic... ''don't you f*****g dare!!!'' was her considered reply...! Mk1s look particularly good when deseamed, either partially or fully, the rounded features of the original shaped grille and dinky little rear lights seem to make it look better somehow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 I bet someone on here will! Has it got a different colour front offside wing? I think it's just the toning on the image Keith . I can't for the life of me recall where I fond it though! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted July 24, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 24, 2018 Deseaming.........!!!! No no Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted July 24, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 24, 2018 I've seen photos of another one which has had slightly wider arches blended in to the glassfibre shell, probably quite a common mod on these cars. Some years ago there was a white one with a black vinyl roof doing the rounds at Mini shows, I think it's been repainted red since then. Here's another Mini 'find', an old Bill non Cooper Mk2 850 or 1000, no idea where it's taken... MK2 MINI 1000 Old Bill.jpg Threlfalls brewery was Salford based. The o/s wing is the same colour as the rest of the car, its the reflection of a dark building. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Speaking of grp Minis, does anyone remember the Mini Minus? It was a kit car from the early 80s, with a grp monocoque Mini shell, but about 3-4" lower, with the height taken out of the panels rather than the roof. Anyone ever seen one, or was it one of the many stillborn kit projects of the era? Also on grp Minis, when I was working for the Department of Transport about 15 years ago I met a chap who'd been an Engineer with BL at a time when they were experimenting with a plastic Mini. He related the story of the first crash test. Apparently, when the car hit the barrier the test room filled with an opaque cloud of fibreglass fragments. When the dust settled a few seconds later, all that was visible was a compact mass of two subframes and an engine in the middle of a debris field of quite small bits. That was more or less the point at which the project was called off. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Speaking of grp Minis, does anyone remember the Mini Minus? It was a kit car from the early 80s, with a grp monocoque Mini shell, but about 3-4" lower, with the height taken out of the panels rather than the roof. Anyone ever seen one, or was it one of the many stillborn kit projects of the era? Also on grp Minis, when I was working for the Department of Transport about 15 years ago I met a chap who'd been an Engineer with BL at a time when they were experimenting with a plastic Mini. He related the story of the first crash test. Apparently, when the car hit the barrier the test room filled with an opaque cloud of fibreglass fragments. When the dust settled a few seconds later, all that was visible was a compact mass of two subframes and an engine in the middle of a debris field of quite small bits. That was more or less the point at which the project was called off. www.miniminus.co.uk 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 www.miniminus.co.uk I stand amazed that so many appear to still exist. I always thought it seemed good idea but, as far as I can recall, never saw one, in spite of semi-regular visits to kit car shows c1982-83-84. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 I stand amazed that so many appear to still exist. I always thought it seemed good idea but, as far as I can recall, never saw one, in spite of semi-regular visits to kit car shows c1982-83-84. Given the crash test story, maybe that's not a surprise.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 (edited) Anyone with a penchant for GRP (and metal) based Mini offshoots should have a look at the 'Maximim Minis' series of books by Jeroen Booij, there were enough variations to fill three books... https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1787111180/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_2?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1 More Mini based oddities... Always fancied a Mini Marcos, back in the '70s a neighbour had one with a fur headlining and corduroy covered bucket seats. Remarkably, a Marcos won its class in the '67 Le Mans 24hours! This one appeared by accident in a 1967 episode of 'The Saint'... Edited July 25, 2018 by Rugd1022 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sidecar Racer Posted July 25, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2018 Like the 6 wheeler pick up , not sure about the strange front end on the others though . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 (edited) On the topic of glassfibre body panels? back in the 1970's,I went to see the maker of the Jeffrey J4 [ http://www.classic-kitcars.com/classic-kitcar-details.php?43 ] A real ex-MoD shed workshop.....the fella ...who produced cars/chassis for 750mc racing, was keen to explain to me the advantages, and differences, between the types of glass fiber used for bodywork. It appeared the difference was in the way the glass fibre & resin were laid up on, or in, the moulds.....? Large scale producers, such as Reliant, apparently used sprays to lay up the stuff...as distinct from one-man bands who hand laid the various layers in the moulds. The differences being, if the sprayed glass fibre suffered a severe impact, it shattered......the hand-laid glass didn't. I recall that, to emphasise his point, he took one of his G/F nosecones, and proceeded to beat it alarmingly with a sledge hammer......the glassfibre nose cone deformed, but sprang back into shape...He hit a Reliant 3 wheeler front wing, with the same force, and it shattered. Sadly, at that stage he was no longer in production of the J4...he had one there which was his own, and I drove it around......it had a 1300cc crossflow, and I recall he emphasized that the car didn't 'need' a bigger engine....he was probably right too. I very nearly bought a chassis.....with the intention of putting one together...he would still make chassis to order...very cheap for the time too.....but I 'lost' the use of the garage at my bedsit [brockley Rise, SE 8]....so nowt came of it. Edited July 25, 2018 by alastairq 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Near Brent Cross this morning: Almost the same shade of brown and pinstriping as my old NSU Ro80.... 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 On the topic of glassfibre body panels? back in the 1970's,I went to see the maker of the Jeffrey J4 [ http://www.classic-kitcars.com/classic-kitcar-details.php?43 ] A real ex-MoD shed workshop.....the fella ...who produced cars/chassis for 750mc racing, was keen to explain to me the advantages, and differences, between the types of glass fiber used for bodywork. It appeared the difference was in the way the glass fibre & resin were laid up on, or in, the moulds.....? Large scale producers, such as Reliant, apparently used sprays to lay up the stuff...as distinct from one-man bands who hand laid the various layers in the moulds. The differences being, if the sprayed glass fibre suffered a severe impact, it shattered......the hand-laid glass didn't. I recall that, to emphasise his point, he took one of his G/F nosecones, and proceeded to beat it alarmingly with a sledge hammer......the glassfibre nose cone deformed, but sprang back into shape...He hit a Reliant 3 wheeler front wing, with the same force, and it shattered. Sadly, at that stage he was no longer in production of the J4...he had one there which was his own, and I drove it around......it had a 1300cc crossflow, and I recall he emphasized that the car didn't 'need' a bigger engine....he was probably right too. I very nearly bought a chassis.....with the intention of putting one together...he would still make chassis to order...very cheap for the time too.....but I 'lost' the use of the garage at my bedsit [brockley Rise, SE 8]....so nowt came of it. Might explain why the Leyland plastic Mini allegedly exploded in a manner that doesn't seem to occur with competently made cottage industry grp. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 .....when I was working for the Department of Transport about 15 years ago I met a chap who'd been an Engineer with BL at a time when they were experimenting with a plastic Mini. He related the story of the first crash test. Apparently, when the car hit the barrier the test room filled with an opaque cloud of fibreglass fragments. When the dust settled a few seconds later, …. Glassfibre's nasty stuff. I wonder what respiratory protection standards were in force in those days? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 There was also the GRP Mini Cord built in Venezuela in the 90's Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 (edited) Near Brent Cross this morning: IMG_20180725_093832.jpg Almost the same shade of brown and pinstriping as my old NSU Ro80.... Spot of the week, definitely.... RMWeb requires a 'fab' button Apologies for banging on about Minis but here's another one which tickles my (biased!) fancy - Bee Gees drummer Colin Peterson with his Broadspeed Minisprint in 1969... And this one c/o Getty images... The Benelite grille and magnesium Minilites would have cost a pretty penny at the time, quite apart from the Broadspeed conversion. The Mk3 Cosmics currently on my Mk2 S came from a mate who's got a whole stash of such items, it took me nearly fifteen years to persuade him to let me have them, he's also got several Benelite grilles tucked away, the sneaky blighter! Edit : the 'mirrorline' reflective plates on the Minisprint were still a novelty in '69, they first appeared in '68 on Jensen Interceptors and Silver Shadows etc. Edited July 25, 2018 by Rugd1022 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porcy Mane Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 (edited) As we're on about celebs Minis, here's Mr Tippex and his 67 Radford. Apparently it was the most expensive Mini produced up till then. Benelite grill complete with Lucas 5 inchers. The full cockpit complement of Smiths Gauges and the Mota-Lita. And some period Philips radios. I still have a Carmaster 240T (Btm Left) stashed away in good working order. Edited July 25, 2018 by Porcy Mane 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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