I'm sat here on a saturday morning with a brew and a big smile on my face, what a car.

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

It has that ability to put a smile on your face :-)

That is the most beautiful mini I've seen. And makes a beautiful noise..

@PetrolPed

3 жыл бұрын

It sure does 👍

I always enjoy your videos, Pete - and I think I enjoyed this one almost as much as you did! What a gift to get to drive such a machine! I've always been fond of the Mini and have seen a vast array of engine and drive train modifications - the VTech, the Hyabusa, EV, etc., - and while I've always appreciated the creativity, nothing completely grabbed me. This is the first time I've seen an upgraded original engine with a supercharger and I am now grabbed! I loved the driving characteristics. Fabulous! Thanks to you and Mark for letting us enjoy his car vicariously.

@PetrolPed

4 күн бұрын

Thanks Mike 👍

Thank you From Capistrano Beach California. I am a member of SCMM (Southern California Mini Maniacs) and drove my first Mini in 1966. I have owned 2 AH bugeyes over the years and love the A series engines.

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Hi there. Thanks for the comment :-)

One of your best videos. Thanks Mark. Mark looked a bit on the edge, but it was great when you could get him to smile and really talk about his Mini. I was totally impressed that he had done most of the work himself. I liked the more conversational style of this video. Well done. More like this please. Best wishes from California.

@PetrolPed

7 жыл бұрын

Wow, thats great to hear. Mark was very good letting me drive his baby. Thanks for the feedback on the conversational style. Glad you enjoyed it as I've filmed another one today with a Lancia Delta HF Integrale rally car !!!

@evomark4077

7 жыл бұрын

Thank you MarkZ for your comments. I have put many , many hours into this car & it’s great to hear positive comments such as yours. Regards, Mark.

@MangoJago1984

5 жыл бұрын

evomark4077 what wheels are they? 6x10 deep dish ultralights??? Are you using spacers or is that the standard offset you get with them wheels? Awesome car by the way 👍🏻

@evomark4077

5 жыл бұрын

Hi Mango Very sorry for taking so long to reply to you. They are 6 x10 Ultralights from Huddersfield Mini Spares. No spacers as such, but running Cooper-s front hubs & Superminifin rear drums which does introduce a degree of “spacer’ in effect. @@MangoJago1984

Damn it! Gezzzus!! I’ve fallen in love with this car !!!!

Owned minis in the past including a pickup That is probably the nicest most tastefully modified one I've ever seen Thumbs up to.the owner

@PetrolPed

3 жыл бұрын

I’ll pass on your comment to Mark the owner. He will be chuffed 👍

Right. That’s me inspired to get mine back on the road for next summer. Thanks gents. Great film.

Thoroughly enjoyed watching this Pete! Your enthusiasm for your love of cars really shines through and it's so refreshing to see from a die hard petrol fan like myself. Thank you mate.

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jack. Glad you enjoyed it. This is still one of my favourite cars I have driven on the channel so far. Just full of character :-)

I haven’t owned a classic Mini since 1994 but this reminds me I really need to again. Love the footage from outside - so much room on the road and corners like a scalextric! Mark is a brave man - he did manage to smile a couple of times though!

@PetrolPed

4 жыл бұрын

He sure is. We are now great friends 👍

Absolutely fantastic mini,what dreams are made of.No gimmicks definately less is more,classics for ever.😀

Nervous smile at 8.34 😂 I’ve been round Castle Combe in that car with Mark, and I still remember it vividly. It wasn’t the car it is today, but still great fun, producing the odd “trouser moment” ! 😆

Fantastic sound for a mini, it sounds like the new TT AUDI you hear that whine from 100yards away breathtaking.

A little jewel of a car Peter! Thanks for sharing mate!

@PetrolPed

7 жыл бұрын

My pleasure Bill :-)

*Pure, unadulterated automotive **_FUN_** on four wheels!!!* - What really put the icing on this gem, is the ol' school wooden/alu 'GT' steering wheel though! - Nothing, but _nothing_ gives you the exact same feel of 'contact' with the steering mechanism and the front wheels! . . . . ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💓

great video mate. Really enjoyed watching that. It looked like huge fun. Love the originals and it must be incredible with a supercharger!

@PetrolPed

7 жыл бұрын

Mate...it was bonkers ! Such fun to drive and I really didn't tap into it's full potential. Mark car drive this car like you wouldn't believe !!

@justin6378

6 жыл бұрын

I'm glad he didn't go the turbo route!

this is my sort of thing 😍😍dreams build !!

@PetrolPed

7 жыл бұрын

Mine too James !

❤ fantastic engineering and attention to detail. Rocket in sheeps clothing and nothing to give away the super level of engineering that's in the mini and so well disguised and shown off on the video.😮

Love it, car to be proud of, and that steering wheel should be in an art gallery.

@PetrolPed

7 жыл бұрын

Beautiful isn't it :-)

Love the build so much 😍😍😍😍

Lovely job & Mark's face at 11.45 when you took both hands off the wheel hahaha.. Never do that in a fast classic mini.

My first two cars, in the mid/late 1980s were minis. The second one had a 1275 engine bored to approx 1400cc with nearly 100bhp. That felt like a rocket then. 150bhp supercharged one must be spectacular. Got me looking at the classifieds again.

@PetrolPed

4 жыл бұрын

Be quick prices are going up 😜

After you mentioned this video on the recent Jaguar review we looked it up to watch as this was before we followed you. Love this stunning Mini, she’s a beauty and a fun drive ! Really wish I could have kept my first car which was an original red Mini and would now have had her for 32 years from new - if only !

@PetrolPed

3 жыл бұрын

I love this car 😍

Awesome car. Saw it today at the Kenley car show. What an example...

That supercharger scream is priceless. Definitely the original MINI they always should have made. And I daily give thanks for the supercharger in my 2006 Neo MINI John Cooper Works which makes me smile each time I floor it on a freeway ramp.

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

A very addictive noise !

DREAM project

@PetrolPed

7 жыл бұрын

I know...it was a very special car :-)

I know the owner and he very kindly took me out for a spin in the mini as I like fast cars. What a fantastic car, so smooth but fast, it looks like a puppy but it's really a lion that roars very loudly. You can see it g as been lovingly looked after. Loved it

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

Great to hear Beverley. Mark is such a top bloke and his car is VERY special :-)

Owner's expression priceless!

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

He was very trusting :-)

What a fantastic car! Great video PP, and thanks to Mark for allowing access to your very precious masterpiece. I think you may have created the perfect Mini. I loved my 70's 750 mini. It consumed petrol, oil and water in approximately equal quantities but somehow kept going and it was always a hoot to drive. Of all the cars I've parted with, it remains the one I'd love to have back.

@evomark4077

7 жыл бұрын

If only mine would consume petrol at the same rate that it consumes oil & water. Slurps at about 16MPG when really going for it! Regards, Mark.

Glorious little gem. Lovely colour choice too.

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

It's a little corker :-)

That was great...brilliant mini!....Very kind of Mark to let you drive his baby....he did have a slightly 'don't blow it up' look at times! Steve

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

It's a proper pocket rocket and Mark is indeed very kind :-)

I realize this video is 5 months old but I have to say that I want one! I want a classic mini so damn bad! Especially a right hand drive one. I absolutely love my 2004 Cooper S, it's red with white wheels, white mirrors, white hood stripes, and white roof with a full moonroof. Supercharged 1.6L I4 with a 6 speed manual transmission. One of my dream cars since I watched The Italian Job (2003) for the first time. So happy to have it, and it makes me smile.

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Sounds like a nice ride. I hope you have watch the original Italian Job too ? ;-)

Loved my mini in my youth, just wish I’d got it now.

I think I may have fallen in love with it. This has got to be my dream first car, a lovely little mini like this, with all the interior trim, looks and power haha! Really intriguing video

@evomark4077

7 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your comment Finlay. I love owning it & it is wonderful to discover that others like it too.

What an awesome mini

15:20 This is something a lot of younger Mini owners don't realise - that cast iron block is pretty heavy for its size (especially when compared to the weight of the rest of the car), and that imbalance in weight distribution actually helps with the handling. There's plenty of people making more power with Honda or Hayabusa engines, and they look and sound great blasting along in a straight line, but they generally don't handle quite as well (or at least, as well to my liking) as this more original setup. And it's an relatively old-school engine setup - I remember a few supercharged Minis with carbs when I was a kid in Sydney, back in the late 80s. :-)

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Cheers Mate. Great point and glad you enjoyed the vid :-)

That had to feel like a true privilege. I could see the joy in your face and the beaming pride in the owner’s face. Incredible.

@PetrolPed

3 жыл бұрын

The beginning of a great friendship 👍

Nice to see Mark wore a shirt matching Petrol Ped's logo :) Pure enjoyment in an original Mini.

@PetrolPed

4 жыл бұрын

Indeed 👍

That's a supercharged video too ! Great channel and mini my favourite car :)

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Cheers Robert, this is a supercharged comment and I'm glad you enjoyed it :-)

A tuned Mini is always something special!

Great little car I can remember driving a mini25.

I love all the MINI

Beautiful Mini!. A Mini should be for life, not just.... Mine will be on the road again soon.

@PetrolPed

7 жыл бұрын

Agreed !

Wow...stunning car,proper sleeper.The engine bay looks great..

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

I love this car !

Stunning classic mini and Ruby looking great 👍🏻

@PetrolPed

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you 🙏

@evomark4077

4 жыл бұрын

Many thanks for your comment.

If I had a Mini with 160hp I would look that serious/worried. Fabulous Mini, glad it's got the A series and not a bike engine. That makes it proper.

@evomark4077

6 жыл бұрын

Hi Mike Thank you for your interest & your comments. I do enjoy the fact that it still has an A-series engine & I believe that they only handle like Mini’s with the original engine. I enjoy driving it very much & I am pleased that you enjoyed the video. Best Wishes.

@sbludba

5 жыл бұрын

You needs bigger brakes at the front. Spring suspension instead of rubber. But beautiful. Having the original engine. And 160 horses. Double the cooper s power.

@markellis4229

5 жыл бұрын

Evomark 4077 I Love your mini I’m looking into doing the same thing to my mini 1275 any advice to give me Please if you do not mind

I’m pleased to say that I will be taking the car to the PetrolPed meet in December.

@PetrolPed

3 жыл бұрын

Or the meet in October 😂

Real mini most fun you can have with your trousers on . !!!!

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

LOL...they are fab little things !

Many years ago I owned a 1965 Mini Cooper S, white with a black roof. Wide wheels, covered arches, custom dash and a very small leather steering wheel. It wasn't tuned like this one in the video, but it went like a rocket.

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

I bet you wish you still had it ? It would be worth a fortune now !

His expression when you revved her out was hilarious. Great video and amazing car.

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Mark is a VERY cool guy for letting me drive his car and he was egging me on to go quicker !!

Wow the colonel does gravy ,cars nice too.

in one word.. beautiful!! It spurs me on to finish my mini because driving it is more than half the fun and seeing this video just makes me miss it more.. so thnx for a fantastic video and and a great push into working more on my on project! i hope to see it on next years imm in england!

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Good luck with the project. Get cracking and let me know when it's done :-)

@tante0leen

6 жыл бұрын

Petrol Ped. I might even do that. ;)

Great vid as always and a very special car.

@PetrolPed

7 жыл бұрын

It is indeed very special !

Another brilliant video ,I owned a 998cc Cooper and a 1275cc Cooper S,,whats not to love ?!! I admire your genuine enthusiasm it makes watching your videos so enjoyable....Cheers Richard

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Richard. Glad you enjoyed it :-)

@evomark4077

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your kind comment Richard

Cute review , cute mini ..original cutey beast

@evomark4077

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your comment Abdullah.

Great vid mate..keep up the good work.

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

Cheers, will do 👍

My dad worked on the minis used by the italian job ...in fact it was my dad who pointed the drains under coventry to the producers

@ivancarter7564

3 жыл бұрын

@Jax Teller ok you clearly know far better ... I must regurgitate that dinner they took us to at the allysley hotel

@ivancarter7564

3 жыл бұрын

@Jax Teller you obviously know better

@ivancarter7564

3 жыл бұрын

@Jax Teller come on tell us your version

I love the Mini. I had a 1969 gold seal 850 as my first car. absolutely loved it. wish i could have another one.

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

I wish I could have this one that’s for sure 😍

I almost had the identical same car with same mods. Mine was dark blue with a whit roof and white 10" wide offset rims and Yoko tires. Central 50mm exhaust from end to end; tuned cylinder head, bigger bore double coil valves, lightened flywheel, etc, etc.... I ended up to have to seriously reinforce the front half chassis cse it ripped through my "A"panels like if it was nothing... too much torque. It has been the most fun to drive car I ever had, and I've had my bunch of tuned classics. This one topped them all !!! The only car I really miss. It had a real personnality of its own with some electrical quirks. Some time it was in a bad mood, sometimes everything worked fine, with no apparent reason... like if it was possessed, I'm not kidding. You are right about the smell. I still clearly remember it, it was unique.

Love that mini!

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

So did I :-)

@evomark4077

5 жыл бұрын

Many thanks for your comment Dale.

Gorgeous! What a cracking Mini!

@evomark4077

7 жыл бұрын

Thank you Andrew.

@andrewmoorhouse687

7 жыл бұрын

I love it Mark. I agree with your comment in the video - I don't see anything wrong with restoring and updating the car as you've done, especially as it started life as a fairly ordinary Mini 1000, not a Mk1 Cooper or something that's in short supply. You've made it relevant to current road conditions and I think updated it sympathetically. The supercharger installation looks very neat and the exterior colour of the orange with the black roof looks great to my eyes. I think if memory serves some of the racing Minis had a 5 speed gearbox, so there must be room for it to fit. Sounds like you have plans underway already! Having had it 30 years (amazing in itself) no doubt you'll never sell it, so I hope you continue enjoying and no doubt improving your car for many years to come!

oh wow.... love it!!!

Loved the video - very professional. I've know Mark for over 30 years and only ever been a passenger... I once sat in the driver's seat but the keys were nowhere to be found!

@PetrolPed

4 жыл бұрын

I was very lucky to get behind the wheel 🙏🏻

Wonderful sympathetic build. Alec Issigonis would approve of marks attitude I'm sure. I had a lovely Mayfair as my first car that I modded about and learnt about handling in. Mark is so correct when he talks about the weight distribution and how that ties into driving an original mini. Lifting off and timing gear changes is life and death with them and a turbo charged engine can just be too inconsistent in its delivery. I put a metro turbo in mine and it made it so hard to keep in the sweet spot and quite lethal leaving corners if the turbo wasnt playing the game. I eventually returned it to 1000cc with an Austin 1100 cam and big exhaust ports as per the vizard book and it went back to being a much more precise and pilotable fun drive. A five speed would certainly make for an easier time at cruising speeds but its so hard to get the ratios right. Thanks for showing us this both of you.

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it :-) Thanks for sharing your Mini story too. Such great little cars.

Great video. Great mini

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks, and yes she is :-)

I want my Mini to sound like this one!! ... :D

Wow, really good ride

So frustrating! I was waiting the whole vid for one of you to wring it out :) still, awesome little car and well presented vid, thanks for sharing!

@evomark4077

6 жыл бұрын

Hi elm Thanks for your positive comment, if you could let me know what you mean by ‘wring it out’ I’ll be happy to answer you further. Best Regards, Mark

@edm418

6 жыл бұрын

evomark4077 haha! It’s a colloquial term meaning hit the redline in every gear :) if you’re ever in New Zealand, hit me up and have a play in my Suzuki...

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Oh I did that :-)

Awesome little Mini haha love it, last time I was in one of these - it hit a lamp post lmao. Great video Pete :D

@PetrolPed

7 жыл бұрын

LOL...I bet the lamp post won !

@colinl9018

6 жыл бұрын

I think Marc Bolan was in the same situation....Different ending though.

I had the good fortune to be taken for a spin in this little beauty recently and couldn't believe the power it had for such a small car. The experience was exhilarating if a little scary at times! It is its owner's pride and joy and is immaculate. He always seems to be doing something on it to make it even faster, more responsive or more manouverable, and it looks gorgeous with its metallic orange/bronze coloured body and black roof. I was told that it could corner on three wheels, so look forward to another spin to see for myself!

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

It's a fab little car isn't it :-) So full of character !

@evomark4077

6 жыл бұрын

Hi Jackie. I’m glad you enjoyed the experience, but if you were only a “little scared”, then I’ll have to try harder next time!

Super cool car, thanks for sharing

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

My pleasure Colin, such a great little car :-)

@evomark4077

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for appreciation Colin.

I've owned an original 850, and the best fun is had using it's nippy-ness to keep any, and all momentum that huge 30hp could deliver. Also loved to drive into parallel parks head on; non of that backing in stuff !!

@arkhsm

3 жыл бұрын

P.s., love tha the whole Mini character is retained by keeping it A series-ed, as they are torquey little things !!

I once had a 1982 Mayfair that had been re-engined a few times. The guy before me swapped in a 998cc for me as an L driver - but what he didn't tell me was it was a Cooper engine. With the 12 inch wheel conversion, front discs, and a small donut of a steering wheel it was a dream to drive - with all the sound deadening and the carpet stripped out new valves, head skim and a slight lift to the compression, 'nose' tuned (on the rocker cover) it was good for 105mph on an airfield speed-trap. I loved it but sadly it was more rust than car and had to be taken off the road permanently. I miss her :(

I love love minis they are growing on me

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Great cars :-)

If this could be my first car it would. Hopefully my first car will be a classic mini, if I can get one for a reasonable price that is good enough to work on. But this is different. Brilliant little car! What an owner and what a car!

@cuppatea9117

6 жыл бұрын

Finlay Downham-White I'm hoping to get enough to mod my mrk 4 golf (not rice)

@roycesmart8019

6 жыл бұрын

Finlay Downham-White i have one for my first car just have t9 figure out try to find 1275 3000. Or bike or honda diahtsu

Great car! My Dad rebuilt a mini 1275GT many years ago. It took him 7 years of hard work nights weekends the car was superb new alloys total engine rebuild completely resprayed. The 1st week after he put it through its MOT and started driving it on the roads he shot through a junction on a dark night and hit a black cab which wrote the mini off. Luckily he was fine and no one injured. All that work gone in an instant ☹

@PetrolPed

4 жыл бұрын

Oh no 🤦‍♂️

Great video !!!. My first Mini was a 1071S that I had while stationed in the USAir Force at Alconbury, back in the 60"s, wish I had kept it. I now drive a 05S and love the wine of the supercharger, had it since new and it has 170k miles on it and I will be keeping it. I would love to have a Mini like Marks as a sister car. Again, great video

@evomark4077

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your positive comment Larry. I’m glad you enjoyed the video. I sooooo know why you wish you’d kept your 1071 (bank balance!!!!). :-)

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Larry. This is still one of my favourite cars so far on Petrol Ped :-)

Damn, Damn,DAMN! I GOTTA GET ONE NOW!

@PetrolPed

7 жыл бұрын

Join the queue !

Definitely worth waiting for Peter. A really well thought out Mini & the colour a tip of the hat to the original 'Orange Crate'. Supercharger fits in like it's a factory unit ( is it a Shorrocks ?), it has a very low line & capped off with the Weber carburettor = perfection. Handling was really good, brakes seem to do their job well & the icing on the cake - huge smile from ear to ear. Congratulations to Mark for building a really well engineered Mini of which I'm 💯-% sure he's as proud as punch. Peter you were right, I was definitely not disappointed. Thanks to you both for sharing this video. 10/10 & a gold star ⭐️ to Mark for building his dream. All the best guys from the depths of paradise................Gloucestershire.

@PetrolPed

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks Geof. I thought you would like this one !

@evomark4077

7 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your generous comments Geof. I am very proud of the car & appreciate feedback such as yours. Best Regards.

@geofo60

7 жыл бұрын

evomark4077 You are very welcome Mark. Took me back to a time in my life when Mini's were everything. I passed my driving test in one back in 1971 (in the snow) & owned several afterwards. Now I'm a fan of the 'new' MINI, on my 7th, but never forget those wonderful times. All the very best, Geof.

Fantastic car!! I was lucky to be taken out for a spin in it today. A total piece of art!!

@PetrolPed

Жыл бұрын

Right on!

Great vid

@PetrolPed

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks 👍

one of the very best videos I've seen on YT !!! :O

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

WOW...I'll take that :-)

@donraggo77

5 жыл бұрын

@@PetrolPed truly awesome, I absolutely love your fanaticism, I like to see a happy face when regarding cars that should never have seen such expectations tbf, subbed all day, only wish I could have done it sooner ;)

@evomark4077

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your kind comment Don

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the Sub Don. Welcome to the channel :-)

wow, awesome little mini. sounds like a dream! wish i had my mini still, thats what i wished i done to mind! #minipower #classicmini

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

Sounded like a Spitfire ;-)

very nice classic

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

She's lovely isn't she !

Fantastic car

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

She sure is :-)

“Everything I’ve done to this car I’ve done as that’s what I wanted to do to it”. 👍🏻

Ha ha trigger’s broom I p*ssed myself when I saw that sketch the first time. Btw that sc whine is terrific!

@PetrolPed

3 жыл бұрын

Cheers 👍

In the 60s my mate had a F1 Mini Cooper, it used to produce sparks when he went down the undulating road surfaces.

@PetrolPed

4 жыл бұрын

👏👏👏

Currently rebuilding a 1988 mini with a 1275, long process with lots of welding to come but will be a great first car🙂

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

You will love it when it's done :-)

Very nice Mini The Old one,s are much better looks like alot of time,s gone into this one Love Engine Bay & DASH Clocks

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

This car is VERY loved !

Absolutely spiffing.

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Indeed 👌

Great job by the owner, great vid also....a safe bet will be that you will be the first and last person he lets drive it! It almost killed him being in the passenger seat, not that there was anything done wrong....it’s just a true enthusiast thing, it’s just too painful. Well done gents!

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Peter. I was a very lucky boy being able to drive this brilliant little car :-)

Nice Rokee dash! And I love the little bracket that lowers the steering column - those are hard to come by (or they used to be). Very enjoyable video! I once owned a heavily-modified 1966 Morris (like this one) Cooper S, and, if there was an audience, I'd drive the car into a parallel parking space at an angle, nose in and tail out, and then get out of the car and walk around to the corner sticking out, put my back against the rear corner and pick the car up by the wheel well, and slide the whole back end in to the curb! My favorite car out of many!

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

LOL...love this !

@evomark4077

6 жыл бұрын

Hi Clark, you’re clearly a very knowledgeable man regarding old Mini’s. Very few people recognise the dash as being a Rokee & even fewer would notice the column lowering bracket! I’ll award you 100 points out of 10 if you can tell me where the rear-view mirror came from!!!!

@lclarkwells

6 жыл бұрын

You've got me there, because I'm only really familiar with British cars of long ago. I'm in the USA and minis weren't imported after 1967 or so. But one thing I did notice was that a bit of the music early on was taken from The Italian Job movie (1969), and you, as owner of the car, must be a big fan, too! "Croker/Bridger" on the sticker on the back of the car were the names of the characters played by Michael Caine and Noel Coward in the movie! To get back to this car - the one feature that I think would make a world of difference, and of course improve driving pleasure, would be to swap out the gearbox with a close ratio Cooper S one. Jack Knight and KAD make gearboxes that have not only the 4 close-ratio gears that the Cooper S had, but also a 5th (overdrive) gear, but of course these boxes are quite expensive. Your excellent video brought back many great memories. I can just imagine the sense of accomplishment in keeping such a treasure operating as if new. The mini did so much for the economy that the designer, Alec Issigonis, was knighted. When Soichiro Honda, stepped down from running his company, he mentioned that a large part of Honda's success should be given to Alec Issigonis's, who's venerable mini design ushered in a new class of car - with front-wheel-drive and a transversely mounted motor. Your classic car is a little piece of history.

@evomark4077

6 жыл бұрын

You are spot-on regarding the gearbox. A close-ratio 5-speed is one of the few things left that I plan to do to the car, hopefully over the winter of 2018/19. You are correct regarding the ‘ItalianJob’ references & of course I’m a fan of the film, what Mini owner wouldn’t be? :-) The rear view mirror btw was from a De-Tomaso Pantera & features indicator repeaters in the mirror glass itself. One other item that is now very rare is the centre console, it was standard equipment in the 1979 Mini Special, but they are as rare as hens teeth these days. Many thanks for your interest in my car & the Petrol Ped channel, your enthusiasm & knowledge are impressive.

@lclarkwells

6 жыл бұрын

I have driven many cars in my 50+ years of driving, and the most satisfyingly FUN driving has been behind the little thick black foam (11"?) steering wheel that I had installed on my Morris Cooper S (selecting the MGA spline). Driving it felt like driving a go-kart, with only 1 7/8 complete turns of the wheel from all the way right to all the way left. It's all about power and weight, and my mini was pretty evenly-matched to the V8 powered Mustangs and Camaros I would drag race from stoplights. The mini had a bit under 1/2 the power of the small V8s, but the mini also weighed less than 1/2 of these American "pony" cars. And, as I mentioned earlier, it was more fun to drive than any of the other cars I have owned, including: an Austin-Healey 3000 BJ8, Sunbeam Tiger, English Ford Anglia, 2 MG 1100s, an Austin America, 9 or 10 Morris Minor sedans and Travellers, a Jaguar XJ6, a 1966 Buick GS400 convertible, a 1971 BMW 2002 Alpina with 2 2-barrel Weber carbs, a ZF close-ratio 5-speed, etc., and many others cars. I love my 18 year old Saturn wagon with it's 128 hp DOHC engine, MacPherson strut front suspension, front and rear ant-sway bars, close ratio (automatic) gears, and plastic body panels. But what I love about it is it's light weight! It actually weighs less than a new, tiny, Fiat 500! But when I dream? I dream MINI COOPER Ss!

Bloody good effort...

@PetrolPed

6 жыл бұрын

Cheers Ross :-)

Love ❤️

smile soon left his face when they swapped drivers lol

@evomark4077

6 жыл бұрын

Hi Oldskool I realise that I came across as somewhat serious after the driver change, but please understand that handing over control of a car in which you have invested £30,000 over 30 years to someone you have met once is quite nerve-wracking. No offence to Peter - he is an extremely competent driver, but I know he understood my nervousness.

@theartofwanderlust

5 жыл бұрын

evomark4077 I would be the same way, beautiful car thanks for letting us all see it

@LarryKippings

4 жыл бұрын

evomark4077 The one handed casual driving made me a bit nervous at times just watching! Lovely car Sir.

Lovely mini

@PetrolPed

5 жыл бұрын

It is indeed 👌

@evomark4077

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much.

Currently on a Garret T-3 turbo, new T-25 included.and front mont rad included. It’s running a 4 core now. Spax adjustable shocks. High, lows. Deep sump. Well sorted car. Just don’t have the time / space to ship to the US

Its sovery ponggalong pop manah mate...

I love the original Mini!!! I remember a time my mate took me out in his 1.0ltr Mini (lowered, fat 10" alloys) We came off an A road sliproad that went steeply downhill to a small roundabout. My mate barely slowed down, and we flew round that roundabout at an incredible speed with the tyres screeching in protest. I thought my mate was just showing off the Minis incredible cornering ability. No, the look on his face said it all, the brakes (that had been worked on that same day) had failed!!! If we had been in any other car, we would definitely skidded and crashed or even rolled!!! Only a Mini could have taken that roundabout at that speed, after that I had a new found respect for the Mini. The car featured must be incredible fun, I've been out in tuned up 1380 Minis with better suspension, fat alloys, sports exhausts etc. But a fairly stock looking Mini with 160 bhp must be awesome. I love it!!!

@PetrolPed

4 жыл бұрын

Oh wow...scary !

@davidkennedy1077

4 жыл бұрын

@@PetrolPed like I said, I thought he was just going for it, as we were proper Boy Racers back in the day. I dont think hed slowed much from the 60/70mph he was doing along the A road, so we were doing 50+mph round the roundabout!!! It was only after we'd shot round the roundabout that he stammered out "the @#$%in brakes don't work!", face all pale haha!!!

@evomark4077

4 жыл бұрын

Hi David, that’s a great story - fairly similar to many of mine back in the day! :-)

@davidkennedy1077

4 жыл бұрын

@@evomark4077 I actually saw my mate, the driver of the Mini, a couple of days back. He mentioned another scary aspect to the tale. As we came up to the roundabout, he had realised the brakes had failed and that another car was on the roundabout heading straight for us. He just had to shoot out straight in front of it and round the roundabout!!! It really couldn't have been much worse haha!!! That Mini (although it tried to kill us!) definitely saved our bacon that day!!! Great little motors!!!

@evomark4077

4 жыл бұрын

@@davidkennedy1077 I definitely got up to stuff in a Mini in the 80’s that I wouldn’t try (or admit to) these days! :-)