Iain is an incredible, wonderful man. I am a pastor and academic working in South Arica, and of course, a great lover of cars. For many years (wearing my dog-collar of course) I ran a beach buggie with a 180 HP, 2180cc Beetle engine, with a counter-weighted steel crank, Scat cam (312 degrees), modded heads, Stainless steel valve, four-into-one exhaust pipe, and dual Weber 48mm IDA's (I also used a pipe to tune the 48s! But not nearly as well as Iain!). I would remove the carbs and place them onto the living room lounge table and polish them with metal polish (No, I'm not married!). My first car was a mini 1275 GTS. There is so much to love about Iain. Firstly, and obviously there is the knowledge. He is incredible; there is just nobody, I think in all of Africa who has the extensive knowledge that he has. Watching his channel is like going back to school. For Iain these classic cars are about art and culture, and he is exactly right. Goose-bump territory. But I see there is much more to Iain than just cars! I love his manner and style, and, of course his wonderful intellect and dry humour. He is just such a nice guy to listen to and not full of himself. Incredibly humble for such a boffin. And I hear he sings - isn't that wonderful! Unlike so many car people (no offence here) - he's a seriously cultured, capable guy! OK, I'll stop now.....Blessings to you, Iain from Cape Town
One of the things I noticed and enjoyed from the first videos from your workshop, on Harry´s Garage, when extracting the engine from Harry´s Countach, is the respect, appreciation and common courtesy you have for the people you work with. Craig is a master craftsman, Pete, Criaig, Alex and the others are fantastic at their jobs, and the respect you show them, and your level of knowledge and enthusiasm is what really brought me over to this channel. It´s great to see, and makes the videos a pleasure to watch. Thanks, Iain. as for Minis: We went for weekend trips, 4 up, two of us your, and my, size, and it was tight and noisy. And great!
There can't be a much better compliment, than the boss liking your car so much he makes a video about it. Well done Sir! 90km/h feels like 100mph when you're sitting that close to the ground, with that little steel around you! Biggest FWD I've driven was a 3.5 litre Toyota Aurion with 280hp. It definitely went, but I like my little 5 cylinder Volvo more. "Mini" on the back of a modern 1.6 tonne Mini is a bit like "Turbo" on an electric Porsche Taycan, it's more of a lifestyle than a technical thing...
Nice and early. Thanks again Mr Tyrrell, brightening up my sad sunday as my father passed away a couple of hours ago after a short spell in the infirmary and it was just a matter of time so not unexpected. Original mini's are always special especially with a swiftune engine and would certainly be on my bucket list of cars I would love to own. Thanks again for bringing a smile on my face on such a sad day for me.
Me and the missus bought ourselves an old Mini purely to use for our honeymoon, we did The Italian Job Rally in it. Plan was to sell it immediately afterwards, but 22 years later we still have it. I'll never own a Countach or Daytona sadly, but these are just as much of an icon, if not more.
Alex's Mini is the kind of restoration made the car better but kept the essential essence. And Iain's the kind of boss who gives you what you need to get the job done, and appreciates your skills
When the pros mention the pros. It's quite a thing hearing you got David Vizard's book on the mini. From a hot rodding and curiosity standpoint he is a wealth of knowledge and every now and then he will go on about racing minis. Now he's applying his skills to a turbo-4 Mustang. The minis are always neat and quaint to me. There's not many old school minis in Canada, but always a welcomed treat when you do spot one. Appreciate your knowledge and enthusiasm on this subject.
Brilliant episode. I must be one of the few Englishmen who never owned a Mini. The closest I got was a Sunbeam Stiletto. I only really came to appreciate the delights of the Mini when I saw the film "The Italian Job".
Note the absence of seat belts. My friends and I were well into minis and tuning them in the 70s. Howley Racing in Warrington was the go to place for tuning. I had a 1275 GT for 5 years. My friend had a full race engined 1340 Cooper S and another ran a £5 850 for a while. Happy days!
Well done Alex. My first car was a 1963 that cost me 75pds … rotted out in places. My Dad helped me fix all the issues and it ultimately took me through University and onto my 1st company car. Coincidentally exactly the same color red, but with a black roof. Ultimately my Mum drove it for decades with never a problem. I’m now 64 and still have a picture of that first car in my office surrounded by college friends watching a race at Brands Hatch. Good memories.
Good life, sir. Thank you for sharing. I remember the mini as i walked to school. They were everywhere. Always loved them. Who could forget The Italian Job. 😂
I learned to drive in my father's basic Mini. I remember grocery trips for a family of six to the Hypermarket & returning with boot & door stowage stuffed with food, the Mini was surprisingly roomy! It was the only car I've experienced where the accelerator pedal was permanently pushed to the floor & still returned 45mpg. Cheers!!
So well do I remember, some time in the early 70s, being one of seven passengers in a Cooper S, blasting around the country lanes near Yeovilton. I also remember one of the first motoring magazines I ever bought - this was a Car magazine - and they serialised the great LJK Setright bringing a Muira from the factory to England. I think it was the second episode which started with LJKS informing a border official that the Muira was really just a Cooper S turned back to front!
My dad had a mini 850 in the 60s, as a family of 4 we went on holidays to Cornwall, roof rack with all our luggage. My Dad had made an insert which turned the boot into a small camping kitchen! Seemed to take FOREVER to get to our destination, setting off very early in the morning… ….happy days!
A neighbor in the early 80s had a Mini which at the time, was quite unusual in the Midwest US as late 60s/early 70s American Big Three muscle cars were all the rage. I distinctly recall Andy ripping around our corner as if on rails. Over the years, I've grown to love and respect these cars for their sheer brilliance. Thanks for another wonderful episode Iain!
I used a Canadian Mini 1000 while living in New York. It was not imported to the US legally and I couldn’t get a state inspection approval, but drove it for over a year without a problem. It was the only Mini most New Yorkers had ever seen, and they had no idea what it was. It was hilarious. The most popular car in England and completely unknown here. The crowning achievement was when it was ticketed for parking over the time limit (mechanical meters on posts back then) and the summons read “Make and Model: unknown” Ha! Imagine that. I paid the $3 and tacked the summons to my bulletin board as a trophy.
Ian mentioning the mini filling up with water when it rained reminded me of my rot box, I stripped out the carpets and knocked out the drain plugs in the floor pan so that the rain water could drain away as fast as it came in through the bulkhead, had to drive in Willie boots to avoid wet feet!
You can tell the love that you have for the Mini, it was my first car in the early 90s, paid $500 Australian dollars for one, had a blown starter and I used to park on hills and bump start it, or if I parked on a flat I could open the door, and hang my leg out and push myself backwards and start it that way!! That car took my 17 year old self on many adventures. Thanks Mr Tyrrell, brought back beautiful memories.
I love my classic mini. Its a 1991 car and one of the last carb cars. It probably has all of 60hp but is an absolute hoot to drive. Its completely analogue and visceral. Sounds amazing, corners brilliantly, turns heads and gets compliments wherever I go. Given your used to driving some of the most expensive cars on the planet the smile on your face driving the white mini says a lot 🙂
I remember when I passed my driving test in 1980, there were literally so many reasonable mini's for so little money. I actually bought a 2.0 litre 1968 Triumph Vitesse, but I did drive several 1960's belonging to friends etc. They handled like go-karts. Of course with hindsight, I could have bought 20 mini's which would have almost been a pension fund. However, you could say that for many older cars which were numerous in times gone by.
The Japanese reverse engineered the mini. And found out that the cars were built and sold at a loss. Founded by the taxpayer it worked. I don’t think that the British need something like that again!
My first car was a 1990 Mini Cooper RSP, I learned how to do many jobs on it, rebuilding brakes, running fuel lines, body repairs and many more. I loved it and it handled like a go kart, it was ridiculous tbh, flying into roundabouts at crazy speeds and blasting down country lanes
I had an 1100 cooper - lovely thing. At an auction, I noticed a Morris Minor woody - with disc brakes. I went to see the owner, and asked if it was over kill - he opened the bonnet and he had a cooper S motor in it. I asked if he put it in, he said it is an original - they put them into the commercial vans before the mini came out, to make sure they were workable. Twin SU's and he has it worked to produce 150 HP - yes, he needed the disc brakes! lol
Nice to bring back those times and memories ❤ I bought this beautiful Mini in 1990 when I was 20 yo. The car (looks like the red in your video / with wooden steering wheel like the white one) was about my age that time. A beauty. I had many troubles and technical issues honestly but amazing 2 years of my life - in a small northern German town with just 5 of those cars around. Never got more love (car was a young lady catcher) and thumbs up with any car in my life ❤ Forever love
The infection continues: Iain Tyrrell strikes again on a lazy Sunday afternoon; no cure, the bug has completely taken hold and the patient in state of utter bliss...again! Fabulous video- yes, I'm a former Mini owner x 3; 850, 1000 & 1275GT, in my youth and early 20's. Had a nasty biff in the 1000 and realised the sardine effect as my old man and I trapped in the wreckage...so I replaced it with the 1275, which was by the late 70's, a well sorted street machine and could see off the bigger lads in their Cortina's, Escorts, Capris and Dollie Sprints, albeit with a few tweaks. Please keep up the diversity of the video's, as we plebs do love the exotics and the minutiae of the content, but we can truly relate to the sense of engagement when you feature the everyman motors like this 10x4x4.
Took me back to my youth. I had a clubman estate in 1974 I basically rebuilt it and resprayed it. I never used a garage again except for tyres and exhausts. Great cars
I particularly enjoy the videos featuring more affordable cars, those that many of us had when we were very much younger. Alex is a great asset to have on your team, his passion for classics mirrors your own.
Absolutely superb, fantastic addition meeting another one of the team and even better we learn about his own car. Loved you both chatting about Alex’s Mini. Daytona or Mini it’s the content not always the cars, plus your wonderful presentation of all the information. Please never stop bringing us motoring joy Iain. 🏆🥇
When I was a teenager here in northern Canada in the early '70s, one of my friends had an old 850 Mini that we'd bomb around in and have great fun with - it looked tiny compared to the huge Detroit boats that were still prevalent in those days and it took quite a beating on the rough roads of the day but he managed to keep it going; I tried driving it once and had a difficult time with my big, wide feet on those tiny pedals, and trying to shift that gearbox as well - still, I'd give anything to try it again today.
We have to remember that in the 1950s most UK vehicles were very much smaller inside than modern cars, even those that were bigger than a mini. My point is that rather than thinking the mini was small ... which it is externally ... people were always amazed at the space inside! The packaging was so good that it didn't feel any smaller inside than many of the other cars of its day. It was routinely used as family car with all that entails. Not just for city use but for driving from one end of the country to the other ... and going on holidays ... and moving house! I know this because I've done all those things!
I am a 67 year old man who once owned a Karmann Ghia. Inexpensive if not primitive automobile. Now they have become less available in excellent condition due to the ravinges of time, rust,wrecks, over use or driven to their deaths. These days like the original minies they have become somewhat of a rare item. Faded into the past those basic and inexpensive cars.
Great video. Really enjoyed seeing the old Minis, so many childhood memories. My Dad drove all 6 of us in a Traveller between Hull and St Helens before the M62 was built. The back seat was down and us 4 children were posted in across the vehicle on top of two trunks. I was last in and spent the journey looking out of the back windows at the lorries. Amazing really just before Christmas too! Thanks again, top job.
Those were the days when the name Paddy Hopkirk anywhere on the car was worth 10 pub horsepower. That smile is a giveaway Iain, we are still kids at heart. Thank you to all.
Beautiful pair (As the vicar.. etc..) I've owned three Minis. They are, if you are that way inclined (Able to put up with the negatives keeping a smile).. The most fun you could ever have on 4 wheels. But it's more than fun, you become connected. I remember driving my first one and being blown away at how beautiful the controls were to operate.. Then the dynamics and instant response and handling. Nothing much would knock it off my No.1 most loved vehicle. I've owned many classics and many moderns too. Love the channel - Of course!
Two very different Minis and nice to hear your back story about your involvement with the Mini. You are training these young guys well and i always enjoy seeing younger people taking an interest in working on cars made long before they were born.
Great video and a delight to see these 2 lovely Minis.I have myself a ' 61 Austin Seven Mini which had remained unused since 1974 until the late summer and took 3 years to recomission but not restore .The joy of driving this modestly powered ' go-kart ' and the smiles it raises is beyond my wildest dreams !.
This episode of the Mini brings back a lot of memories and nostalgia. The Mini was also assembled in Chile from 1967 to 1975, the body was made of fiberglass with ill-fitting problems like the doors, hood and other parts, but it was fun to drive. I had one for a few months and sold it because I emigrated to another country. What times those were... thank you Mr. Tyrrel.
My mother had a Mini in the 60’s. Sliding windows, a cable to open the doors and a wand gear lever. It just felt so fast 😮. My sister inherited it. By my early 20’s I had already owned an Interceptor FF, an AC Cobra and a V12 E Type yet when my sister visited I’d still take the Mini out for a thrash and come back with a smile on my face😁
Aaah @ 13.52 in "David Vizard" tickled my memory also dug out Gordon Jennings (the two-stroke tuners handbook) L.J.K Setright ,Cook Neilson... I could go on and then I realised I was really missing reading, but your elegant production is about as close as it gets, thanks for sharing.
What a couple of lovelies. I wouldn't have expected to see them in the workshop - but I'm so glad they showed up. What a brilliant design it was. Good-show!
I also have a soft spot for the original Mini. I passed my driving test in a 1000 version and as youngsters we all yearned for the 1275 Cooper S with twin fuel tanks.
I am grateful of this fantastic report. Both are fantastic in shape, great restored. For me as a longtime Mini driver, it is an absolute highlight to see both sitting on the right level (not the low front end), with fresh suspensions. Every 6-8 Years, I change them, and the ride and look is then, like fresh from the production line!😊 Congratulations.
Iain, I'm a Yank & have never been in a Mini yet I've noticed they are popular here in the U.S. I saw an early model in a parking lot with a funny decal on the back window: "Actual Size". :)
What a Jewel, both the video and the Mini! Thanks for all the detail on this car. Congratulations to Alex on the work he has done with his very very special Mini. Delightful as always
Alex knows his stuff, the work he has accomplished on both his minis, is absolutely incredible to see. I've followed both his restorations, which he completes in his spare time on an evening or weekend and to see the paint finish he can achieve from such a small dusty garage is incredible. Well done Alex 👏 Interested to see what the next machine will be, to come out of the Beech Boys shed 😎
From about 50 years ago when I lived in London during the youthful irresponsibility phase... I still remember driving a friend's Mini into the West End as a favor. What I hadn't realized was that he'd put bias ply tires on it, so not much in the way of grip. This turned out to be absolutely huge fun - scooting round Belgrave Square & then Grosvenor Crescent into Hyde Park Corner in its pre-traffic light days. Nice controllable slides.
I found my dream car, a 95bhp Alfasud Ti, and thought about a 118bhp, or 137bhp engine! But when I was younger 95bhp became 105bhp, next owner put a 118bhp in, and I had a drive. I was very polite, but it was far too much. Nice to hear how you started Iain and great to see a young member of staff, in many ways following in your tracks
Loved my minis. I started with an old moke serving in Cyprus in 1984 then 4 Coopers between 1992 and 2010 , Black ,Purple Amaranth ,Volcano Orange and Tahiti Blue you dodnt drive minis you wore them and grinned 😀 for every mile you were in them. I always said if i won the lottery big, I'd start building them again and they would go like hotcakes. Lovely tribute to my favourite car ever Sir.✌️🇬🇧✌️
My love was A Mini Van that someone had coated the walls & ceiling with sheepskins + lush carpet in the Late 60’s ( which I course replaced straight away) it was in your Green colour ❤️ It was magic quiet and brilliantly cute 😡!!! Had it throughout the 70’s Loved it some much miss it all these day but have the memories 😍 VAN LIFE you need to have been there !!!
This episode is such a delight! Shoutout to Alex and his beautiful red 850. As it just so happens, I am running a Mini as well with an LBG registration ;-) @Ian, I thoroughly enjoyed the engineering insight into the construction of the original Mini, the parallels to the Miura design and the descriptions and references to its power and torque increases and needed mechanical measures to keep the beast tame. Mine has currently a bit shy of 300 PS and a modest 400Nm all through the front wheels via a 6speed manual and yes Ian, it’s almost exactly double the weight of the original 620kg yet it shares all the delightful quirks and characteristics you describe so beautifully about driving the “worked on” example which in power to weight comes amazingly close to the modern Mini interpretations. I absolutely love sleeper Minis for their everyday practicality, their amazing driving fun and the occasional surprised Pikachu face of the odd driver of much bigger cars that are surprisingly so much slower then quick little Minis ;-) Please keep going with these wonderful insights. The more technical with historical references, the better.
Just looking at the wonderful paintwork on the red Austin Mini and even on camera I can tell it is far superior to what BMC turned out back in the day. i.e. it hasn't got the standard orange peel effect paintwork which was pretty standard back in the early days of the mini and of course the rest of the BMC range.
My first car was an 850 Mini as was was driving it in 76 when i got my license done all the teenager stuff to it big bore exhaust silencer coming out at the center of the rear, covered the door pockets over with lights in them center console put in for my 8 track tapes and a roof console and spacers on the hubs with extended wheel studs to make it look sporty those where the days :)
That’s amazing, I stripped a mini engine in my Dad’s garage, white double bed sheet, taking everything off and laying in down in sequence, cleaned and reassembled, I did have two screws left over? Bled the brakes, a real task on your own, but amazingly it fired up and then I rallied it for two months, until a family friend Saab overtook me on a farm track!!! Leaving me in the dust 😅
Great video - your youth, the mini history lessons, taking both out for a spin More minis ! Closest I got to the little mini was my 128 Fiat - white 4 door, 4 speed Fun to drive Every so often she would sputter and I’d pull over and pull the carb needle , blow clean , back in and take off - 4 adults - no problem. My buddy had one and took it camping on forest state park dirt / gravel roads with two couples and camping gear!
Dear Mr. Iain, Another fine video. Your videos are not only entertaining but very educational. Interesting to know that two of my favorites, the Mini and the Miura has similar engineering designs! Thank you.
Thankyou!! Great stories about a couple of lovely early minis. My first car was a minivan (522HOL) and I progressed to a souped up 1275GT. Such a lot of fun driving a mini.
Thanks for making a 30 min video Sir👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 So addicted to your channel, I wait all week just to see what's going on in the shop, reminds me of my childhood😍😍😍 Love your work, Thanks for sharing Sir IAIN👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Stay Blessed🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thank you for this video, it helps put the high performers in perspective and interesting that designers pinched ideas and learned. As someone once said, "steal with pride".
A lovely informative video Iain; thank you! Mine was a P plate 1275 GT that I managed to 'park' on a Policeman's wall on a snowy night in Gayton near Parkgate in 1983. The wall was only slightly damage but the car was a write off as the front subframe had 'trespassed' into the footwell after a collision with a tree. The wall was re-built for a mere £15. I managed to save the long centre branched manifold and other stuff for a future project. Those were the days!
Those two Minis look like jewellery to me. The Italian exotics remind me of Miss World contestants. They're all dazzle, long legs and gleaming smiles but the Mini is like the pretty girl next door who you really want to take out.
My first car was a 1965 mini 850 which I bought when I was 14 and learnt to drive in a field owned by the gardener I worked for. It was black with red seats, cooper arch extensions with wide wheels but completely standard engine. I remember the sliding windows and specifically the weird long gear lever that came out of the bulkhead and had the high beam switch on the floor. I’d love another but I live in the USA so that are harder to find
Being a fellow Wallaseyan, although not having lived there for 43 years, I know Sandy Lane well. The way home after a pint at the Farmers Arms! Had a few minis back then and transported a couple over to the states where I currently live. Absolutely love your videos. Thank you.
Very nice!!! Always one of my favorites. Was born in the early/mid 70's. I remember we we able to enjoy these here in Canada up until late 70's. Then they disappeared. What beauties those two are.
Wonderful memories, I used to drive around in a Mini Pick-Up and my girlfriend had a Clubman Estate, happy days. Another fabulous episode, thanks for sharing.
When I passed my test I talked my dad into getting a mini pickup for the farm,they were really cool,I saw one for sale on ebay recently for £15,000😮.When I met my wife I offered her a lift home in my 2 seater with a canvas top (mini pickup not an MG),funny how the push start has gone full circle
No mention of its designer? I had a Mini, 1380cc , 731 cam , 12G 940 , 11 stud head , twin SU cooper S carbs , straight through exhaust with 4-2-1 manifold, went like hell ! Acceleration was incredible, especially as it was low geared on , albeit wider 10 inch wheels . Spin wheels in 3rd ! Happy days . P.s in the 1960s before the abundance of motorways and dual carriageway networks, the Cooper S and the Lotus Europa were often cited as being the fastest things from A- B in this country, in real world driving conditions
we all had a mini or two in the 60's fun fun fun cheap affordable motoring[under a hundred quid in the mid 60's ] my preference I had a few 1275cc Cooper Inocentti's made in Italy imported back into the UK changed to RHD a simple fix great fun on every level ✌ I would have another one tomorrow
I learned to drive in the '70s in a Mini, like many thousands of other Brits. Not a lot of power, but with little weight and miraculous steering, who cares? Thanks for a tremendous video!
Really enjoyed your review of the Mini, that red one ticks all the boxes for me a real credit to Alec's, I just bought a little Austin A35 if it turns out even 1/2 as good as that Mini I will be very happy, cheers.
Delightful! Growing up in Canada and being a car enthusiast, I was a big Mini fan. Started with a 849cc, then a 998, onto a 1071 and then three 1275 Cooper S in succession. Love them. Many years later my wife and I have bought 7 contemporary Minis since they came out in 2003. Three Cooper S, a JCW Cooper S Cab, 2 GPs and a GP2.
I had a mini wagon in Munich and it was not new. Immediately it got a blue racing stripe and then a set of wide wheels with nice wide tires and 2 racing rear-view mirrors. I soon learned about the inboard universal joints and changed both of them in a wet parking lot. The engine was the small one with the magic wand gearshift and since I actually wanted a 1275, the poor engine had to perform like a 1275. Huge fun to drive.
Like most commenting here I had several minis. My first was a fairly new T reg Leyland 1275GT. David Vizard in one hand and some money in the other I started to modify. First was an Oscelli Inlet with Maniflow exhaust manifolds into a Cooper exhaust system. Then came the Oscelli Stage II head and 281 camshaft. I oversized the bore to 1293 & tuftrided the crankshaft, fitted a central oil pickup pipe. Changed from Simplex to Duplex timing chain, electric fan, electric fuel pump, oil cooler & lightened steel flywheel. Found some Cooper S disk brakes so I could fit 10" wheels with Goodyear 165x70x10 tyres. Spent some time fitting sound deadening rubberised sheets under carpets and roof lining. Had to have Halle spots on the front. Mine was red and a friend had blue. On several occasions we had camping trips to France. Loved roaring through tunnels and French villages making absurdly childish noises with our blaring exhausts. Couldn't leave it there, went on to buy a Howley Engine Kit (Warrington) 1380cc, with gas flowed head and 544 camshaft, etc. Acquired forged rockers, on and on, difficult to stop when having fun.
Seeing the wide grin of Sir Iain when driving the more modest Mini was a blast! Size cubic inches rarity etc doesn't have anything to do with sheer Driving Pleasure. Once again; Great Vid, highligt of me TH-cam week 🎬🤩
Absolutely loved that video Iain. Both cars are cracking examples, and obviously both loved and cared for by two very dedicated and caring owners. I have a Mk2 '68 Cooper and I would love to try one with that bigger engine, it seemed to pull so well from low down. My car was restored from a shell, not something I would ever sign up to do again though 🙄😬 The paint job on Alex's car, looks like a mirror. I don't know why, but looking at you driving the S, it didn't seem all that bad for noise and general harshness. I've hit a few bumps in my car and its literally thrown the car into the air!!😂😂 I don't believe the standard Cooper had that Cooper S remote control aluminium part fitted? It probably makes a notable difference to the feel of the powertrain, compared to the Cooper.
Iain ! The one thing you didn't tell us was what year was that white mini ! 😅 That extended gear change first appeared on the 997cc Mini Cooper . My father reputedly had the first privately owned Morris Mini Cooper in October 1961 . I well recall as an 8 year old , my mother laughing hysterically as we overtook MG's ,Austin Healey's Rileys and even the odd Jaguar ! I still remember that wonderful exhaust note sitting in the back seat as mum drove that Cooper with such gusto ! Of course father had to be one step ahead so blasted the mini up Oddicombe Hill climb to clinch the record in the same year . The only modification being a hand grip bolted to the steering wheel ! Halcyon days Iain ! Many thanks ❤
The '67 SAAB 99 had a set of transfer gears to drive the gearbox beneath the engine, sans shared oil. So did the Ferrari BBI and the Testarossa. We used to have competition in my shop as to how quickly a clutch disc could be exchanged. Think is was less than 40 minutes. Unfortunately, the splines on the clutch output shaft had a tendency to be wiped away. Changed on on the road!
That was an utter delight to watch and hear your colleague take his mini out! I must tell you of an event my dad and my Godfather had! As they worked together! they were given for a job thy had to do! the mini vans/estates! What my dad and my godfather did not Know, was that someone had back then over tightened the wheel nuts and that cause cracks that were emanating from the nuts on there wheels! Let's just say that my dad and my god father loved a spirited drive! 🤣🤣🤣🤣! What thy did not know! Was the police had been alerted to the problem they had and were trying to catch them! They could not as the wheels would d have just shattered! My dad and godfather only found out once they arrived at there destination! ! R.I.P my godfather and my dad! that was such a joy for me as I remember the way you used to open the door with those wire cords/cables to open the doors! That was just an utter delight! thank you to both of you!
Iain is an incredible, wonderful man. I am a pastor and academic working in South Arica, and of course, a great lover of cars. For many years (wearing my dog-collar of course) I ran a beach buggie with a 180 HP, 2180cc Beetle engine, with a counter-weighted steel crank, Scat cam (312 degrees), modded heads, Stainless steel valve, four-into-one exhaust pipe, and dual Weber 48mm IDA's (I also used a pipe to tune the 48s! But not nearly as well as Iain!). I would remove the carbs and place them onto the living room lounge table and polish them with metal polish (No, I'm not married!). My first car was a mini 1275 GTS. There is so much to love about Iain. Firstly, and obviously there is the knowledge. He is incredible; there is just nobody, I think in all of Africa who has the extensive knowledge that he has. Watching his channel is like going back to school. For Iain these classic cars are about art and culture, and he is exactly right. Goose-bump territory. But I see there is much more to Iain than just cars! I love his manner and style, and, of course his wonderful intellect and dry humour. He is just such a nice guy to listen to and not full of himself. Incredibly humble for such a boffin. And I hear he sings - isn't that wonderful! Unlike so many car people (no offence here) - he's a seriously cultured, capable guy! OK, I'll stop now.....Blessings to you, Iain from Cape Town
Thank you very much for that. Most kind. Bless you.
One of the things I noticed and enjoyed from the first videos from your workshop, on Harry´s Garage, when extracting the engine from Harry´s Countach, is the respect, appreciation and common courtesy you have for the people you work with. Craig is a master craftsman, Pete, Criaig, Alex and the others are fantastic at their jobs, and the respect you show them, and your level of knowledge and enthusiasm is what really brought me over to this channel. It´s great to see, and makes the videos a pleasure to watch. Thanks, Iain. as for Minis: We went for weekend trips, 4 up, two of us your, and my, size, and it was tight and noisy. And great!
Thank you for those kind words
TALKING AND DOING ,IAN IS THE BEST ONE IN THE WORLD,FANTASTIC,WITH THE MOST HANDS ON EXPERIENCE,PERFECTION PERSONIFIED.
There can't be a much better compliment, than the boss liking your car so much he makes a video about it. Well done Sir!
90km/h feels like 100mph when you're sitting that close to the ground, with that little steel around you!
Biggest FWD I've driven was a 3.5 litre Toyota Aurion with 280hp. It definitely went, but I like my little 5 cylinder Volvo more.
"Mini" on the back of a modern 1.6 tonne Mini is a bit like "Turbo" on an electric Porsche Taycan, it's more of a lifestyle than a technical thing...
Your Dad made the right move Iain. You might have become a great designer, but you have become a top class mechanic.
Thank you!
Alex's Mini was born in same year as me. Alex is a great asset to you. A truly lovely lad.
Nice and early.
Thanks again Mr Tyrrell, brightening up my sad sunday as my father passed away a couple of hours ago after a short spell in the infirmary and it was just a matter of time so not unexpected.
Original mini's are always special especially with a swiftune engine and would certainly be on my bucket list of cars I would love to own.
Thanks again for bringing a smile on my face on such a sad day for me.
I’m sure I’m not alone to pass on my condolences
@martinclapton2724 thank you.
Sending kind thoughts to you Colin
Bless your heart I lost my mum in March They're in a better place
Sorry for your loss.
Me and the missus bought ourselves an old Mini purely to use for our honeymoon, we did The Italian Job Rally in it. Plan was to sell it immediately afterwards, but 22 years later we still have it. I'll never own a Countach or Daytona sadly, but these are just as much of an icon, if not more.
Lovely story!
Alex's Mini is the kind of restoration made the car better but kept the essential essence. And Iain's the kind of boss who gives you what you need to get the job done, and appreciates your skills
😁 What a treat! I didn't expect to see Classic Minis on Tyrrell's Classic Workshop. Awesome, Thank you.
When the pros mention the pros. It's quite a thing hearing you got David Vizard's book on the mini. From a hot rodding and curiosity standpoint he is a wealth of knowledge and every now and then he will go on about racing minis. Now he's applying his skills to a turbo-4 Mustang.
The minis are always neat and quaint to me. There's not many old school minis in Canada, but always a welcomed treat when you do spot one. Appreciate your knowledge and enthusiasm on this subject.
Thank you
Brilliant episode. I must be one of the few Englishmen who never owned a Mini. The closest I got was a Sunbeam Stiletto. I only really came to appreciate the delights of the Mini when I saw the film "The Italian Job".
Just to pay some tribute to the person who designed this beauty, it was Sir Alec Issigonis who came up with this legendary car.
Note the absence of seat belts. My friends and I were well into minis and tuning them in the 70s. Howley Racing in Warrington was the go to place for tuning. I had a 1275 GT for 5 years. My friend had a full race engined 1340 Cooper S and another ran a £5 850 for a while. Happy days!
Well done Alex. My first car was a 1963 that cost me 75pds … rotted out in places. My Dad helped me fix all the issues and it ultimately took me through University and onto my 1st company car. Coincidentally exactly the same color red, but with a black roof. Ultimately my Mum drove it for decades with never a problem. I’m now 64 and still have a picture of that first car in my office surrounded by college friends watching a race at Brands Hatch. Good memories.
How could you do a Mini program and not mention Alec Issigonis!
Good life, sir. Thank you for sharing. I remember the mini as i walked to school. They were everywhere. Always loved them. Who could forget The Italian Job. 😂
Your last sentence brought a smile.
I learned to drive in my father's basic Mini. I remember grocery trips for a family of six to the Hypermarket & returning with boot & door stowage stuffed with food, the Mini was surprisingly roomy! It was the only car I've experienced where the accelerator pedal was permanently pushed to the floor & still returned 45mpg. Cheers!!
So well do I remember, some time in the early 70s, being one of seven passengers in a Cooper S, blasting around the country lanes near Yeovilton.
I also remember one of the first motoring magazines I ever bought - this was a Car magazine - and they serialised the great LJK Setright bringing a Muira from the factory to England. I think it was the second episode which started with LJKS informing a border official that the Muira was really just a Cooper S turned back to front!
My dad had a mini 850 in the 60s, as a family of 4 we went on holidays to Cornwall, roof rack with all our luggage. My Dad had made an insert which turned the boot into a small camping kitchen!
Seemed to take FOREVER to get to our destination, setting off very early in the morning…
….happy days!
A neighbor in the early 80s had a Mini which at the time, was quite unusual in the Midwest US as late 60s/early 70s American Big Three muscle cars were all the rage. I distinctly recall Andy ripping around our corner as if on rails. Over the years, I've grown to love and respect these cars for their sheer brilliance. Thanks for another wonderful episode Iain!
Thank you!
I used a Canadian Mini 1000 while living in New York. It was not imported to the US legally and I couldn’t get a state inspection approval, but drove it for over a year without a problem. It was the only Mini most New Yorkers had ever seen, and they had no idea what it was. It was hilarious. The most popular car in England and completely unknown here. The crowning achievement was when it was ticketed for parking over the time limit (mechanical meters on posts back then) and the summons read “Make and Model: unknown” Ha! Imagine that. I paid the $3 and tacked the summons to my bulletin board as a trophy.
65 years old now the original Mini, thanks for another great video Iain
Ian mentioning the mini filling up with water when it rained reminded me of my rot box, I stripped out the carpets and knocked out the drain plugs in the floor pan so that the rain water could drain away as fast as it came in through the bulkhead, had to drive in Willie boots to avoid wet feet!
You can tell the love that you have for the Mini, it was my first car in the early 90s, paid $500 Australian dollars for one, had a blown starter and I used to park on hills and bump start it, or if I parked on a flat I could open the door, and hang my leg out and push myself backwards and start it that way!! That car took my 17 year old self on many adventures. Thanks Mr Tyrrell, brought back beautiful memories.
I love my classic mini. Its a 1991 car and one of the last carb cars. It probably has all of 60hp but is an absolute hoot to drive. Its completely analogue and visceral. Sounds amazing, corners brilliantly, turns heads and gets compliments wherever I go. Given your used to driving some of the most expensive cars on the planet the smile on your face driving the white mini says a lot 🙂
The cream car is nice, but Alex's red baby is a gem and, imho of course, more true to the spirit of the original. Beautiful work.
I remember when I passed my driving test in 1980, there were literally so many reasonable mini's for so little money. I actually bought a 2.0 litre 1968 Triumph Vitesse, but I did drive several 1960's belonging to friends etc. They handled like go-karts. Of course with hindsight, I could have bought 20 mini's which would have almost been a pension fund. However, you could say that for many older cars which were numerous in times gone by.
My first car at 16, a new 1977 Mini. So many smiles per mile! Great reporting Ian & hats off to Alex. Cheers Guys!
It is great to see the boss being nice and praising an employee. Thank you.
The UK needs an automobile industry again. A mass produced small, affordable car would be a good start.
Im here in the US wishing we could go back to cheap, homemade, practical basics again...
In 2024, what is one of those??? One with no electronics and a simple internal combustion engine?
The Japanese reverse engineered the mini.
And found out that the cars were built and sold at a loss.
Founded by the taxpayer it worked.
I don’t think that the British need something like that again!
I would love to see something like the sprite/midget again. A sports car cheap enough for the masses to own. Lightweight, simple and raw
Absolutely agree. Something we can work on at home again.
My first car was a 1990 Mini Cooper RSP, I learned how to do many jobs on it, rebuilding brakes, running fuel lines, body repairs and many more. I loved it and it handled like a go kart, it was ridiculous tbh, flying into roundabouts at crazy speeds and blasting down country lanes
I had an 1100 cooper - lovely thing. At an auction, I noticed a Morris Minor woody - with disc brakes. I went to see the owner, and asked if it was over kill - he opened the bonnet and he had a cooper S motor in it. I asked if he put it in, he said it is an original - they put them into the commercial vans before the mini came out, to make sure they were workable. Twin SU's and he has it worked to produce 150 HP - yes, he needed the disc brakes! lol
Nice to bring back those times and memories ❤
I bought this beautiful Mini in 1990 when I was 20 yo. The car (looks like the red in your video / with wooden steering wheel like the white one) was about my age that time. A beauty.
I had many troubles and technical issues honestly but amazing 2 years of my life - in a small northern German town with just 5 of those cars around.
Never got more love (car was a young lady catcher) and thumbs up with any car in my life ❤ Forever love
The infection continues: Iain Tyrrell strikes again on a lazy Sunday afternoon; no cure, the bug has completely taken hold and the patient in state of utter bliss...again! Fabulous video- yes, I'm a former Mini owner x 3; 850, 1000 & 1275GT, in my youth and early 20's. Had a nasty biff in the 1000 and realised the sardine effect as my old man and I trapped in the wreckage...so I replaced it with the 1275, which was by the late 70's, a well sorted street machine and could see off the bigger lads in their Cortina's, Escorts, Capris and Dollie Sprints, albeit with a few tweaks. Please keep up the diversity of the video's, as we plebs do love the exotics and the minutiae of the content, but we can truly relate to the sense of engagement when you feature the everyman motors like this 10x4x4.
Took me back to my youth. I had a clubman estate in 1974 I basically rebuilt it and resprayed it. I never used a garage again except for tyres and exhausts. Great cars
Ian - thank you. Two lovely cars! I love my 1340 and can’t imagine life without a classic Mini.
Pleasure- thank you
I particularly enjoy the videos featuring more affordable cars, those that many of us had when we were very much younger.
Alex is a great asset to have on your team, his passion for classics mirrors your own.
Absolutely superb, fantastic addition meeting another one of the team and even better we learn about his own car. Loved you both chatting about Alex’s Mini.
Daytona or Mini it’s the content not always the cars, plus your wonderful presentation of all the information. Please never stop bringing us motoring joy Iain. 🏆🥇
Thank you!
When I was a teenager here in northern Canada in the early '70s, one of my friends had an old 850 Mini that we'd bomb around in and have great fun with - it looked tiny compared to the huge Detroit boats that were still prevalent in those days and it took quite a beating on the rough roads of the day but he managed to keep it going; I tried driving it once and had a difficult time with my big, wide feet on those tiny pedals, and trying to shift that gearbox as well - still, I'd give anything to try it again today.
We have to remember that in the 1950s most UK vehicles were very much smaller inside than modern cars, even those that were bigger than a mini. My point is that rather than thinking the mini was small ... which it is externally ... people were always amazed at the space inside! The packaging was so good that it didn't feel any smaller inside than many of the other cars of its day. It was routinely used as family car with all that entails. Not just for city use but for driving from one end of the country to the other ... and going on holidays ... and moving house! I know this because I've done all those things!
I am a 67 year old man who once owned a Karmann Ghia.
Inexpensive if not primitive automobile. Now they have become less available in excellent condition due to the ravinges of time, rust,wrecks, over use or driven to their deaths. These days like the original minies they have become somewhat of a rare item. Faded into the past those basic and inexpensive cars.
An appreciation for all classics. Well done lads. What a treat to listen to you both appreciating an amazing little car, the star of the ItalianJob. ❤
Great video. Really enjoyed seeing the old Minis, so many childhood memories. My Dad drove all 6 of us in a Traveller between Hull and St Helens before the M62 was built. The back seat was down and us 4 children were posted in across the vehicle on top of two trunks. I was last in and spent the journey looking out of the back windows at the lorries. Amazing really just before Christmas too! Thanks again, top job.
Pleasure- thanks for your story!
Those were the days when the name Paddy Hopkirk anywhere on the car was worth 10 pub horsepower. That smile is a giveaway Iain, we are still kids at heart. Thank you to all.
Beautiful pair (As the vicar.. etc..) I've owned three Minis. They are, if you are that way inclined (Able to put up with the negatives keeping a smile).. The most fun you could ever have on 4 wheels. But it's more than fun, you become connected. I remember driving my first one and being blown away at how beautiful the controls were to operate.. Then the dynamics and instant response and handling. Nothing much would knock it off my No.1 most loved vehicle. I've owned many classics and many moderns too.
Love the channel - Of course!
Thank you!
@@iain_tyrrell 🤠🤠🤠
Two very different Minis and nice to hear your back story about your involvement with the Mini. You are training these young guys well and i always enjoy seeing younger people taking an interest in working on cars made long before they were born.
Great video and a delight to see these 2 lovely Minis.I have myself a ' 61 Austin Seven Mini which had remained unused since 1974 until the late summer and took 3 years to recomission but not restore .The joy of driving this modestly powered ' go-kart ' and the smiles it raises is beyond my wildest dreams !.
Proving once again its far more fun to drive an underpowered car at it's limit than cruising around with 500 unusable HP 😊
@@markalbert9011 So right Mark , that's been proved to me !
This episode of the Mini brings back a lot of memories and nostalgia. The Mini was also assembled in Chile from 1967 to 1975, the body was made of fiberglass with ill-fitting problems like the doors, hood and other parts, but it was fun to drive. I had one for a few months and sold it because I emigrated to another country.
What times those were... thank you Mr. Tyrrel.
Thank you!
My mother had a Mini in the 60’s. Sliding windows, a cable to open the doors and a wand gear lever. It just felt so fast 😮. My sister inherited it. By my early 20’s I had already owned an Interceptor FF, an AC Cobra and a V12 E Type yet when my sister visited I’d still take the Mini out for a thrash and come back with a smile on my face😁
You had some interesting cars!
@ Until Black Monday ‘87 ☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️
Alex's mini is mint, he's done a fantastic job on that car. The Beech boys are very clever 👏 😎 🏎💨💨💨
Aaah @ 13.52 in "David Vizard" tickled my memory also dug out Gordon Jennings (the two-stroke tuners handbook) L.J.K Setright ,Cook Neilson... I could go on and then I realised I was really missing reading, but your elegant production is about as close as it gets, thanks for sharing.
What a couple of lovelies. I wouldn't have expected to see them in the workshop - but I'm so glad they showed up. What a brilliant design it was. Good-show!
I also have a soft spot for the original Mini. I passed my driving test in a 1000 version and as youngsters we all yearned for the 1275 Cooper S with twin fuel tanks.
I am grateful of this fantastic report.
Both are fantastic in shape, great restored. For me as a longtime Mini driver, it is an absolute highlight to see both sitting on the right level (not the low front end), with fresh suspensions.
Every 6-8 Years, I change them, and the ride and look is then, like fresh from the production line!😊
Congratulations.
Iain, I'm a Yank & have never been in a Mini yet I've noticed they are popular here in the U.S. I saw an early model in a parking lot with a funny decal on the back window: "Actual Size". :)
That has made me grin!
Love it!
Excellent Iain.
Like you, that takes me back to the various iterations of 'Mini's I have owned - back in the day! 🥰
What a Jewel, both the video and the Mini! Thanks for all the detail on this car. Congratulations to Alex on the work he has done with his very very special Mini. Delightful as always
Alex knows his stuff, the work he has accomplished on both his minis, is absolutely incredible to see. I've followed both his restorations, which he completes in his spare time on an evening or weekend and to see the paint finish he can achieve from such a small dusty garage is incredible. Well done Alex 👏 Interested to see what the next machine will be, to come out of the Beech Boys shed 😎
What a love letter to the Mini! Thank you for this. As you say, others have spoken on it, but Mr. Tyrrell's view is of particular delight.
From about 50 years ago when I lived in London during the youthful irresponsibility phase... I still remember driving a friend's Mini into the West End as a favor. What I hadn't realized was that he'd put bias ply tires on it, so not much in the way of grip. This turned out to be absolutely huge fun - scooting round Belgrave Square & then Grosvenor Crescent into Hyde Park Corner in its pre-traffic light days. Nice controllable slides.
I found my dream car, a 95bhp Alfasud Ti, and thought about a 118bhp, or 137bhp engine! But when I was younger 95bhp became 105bhp, next owner put a 118bhp in, and I had a drive. I was very polite, but it was far too much. Nice to hear how you started Iain and great to see a young member of staff, in many ways following in your tracks
Thank you
Loved my minis. I started with an old moke serving in Cyprus in 1984 then 4 Coopers between 1992 and 2010 , Black ,Purple Amaranth ,Volcano Orange and Tahiti Blue you dodnt drive minis you wore them and grinned 😀 for every mile you were in them. I always said if i won the lottery big, I'd start building them again and they would go like hotcakes. Lovely tribute to my favourite car ever Sir.✌️🇬🇧✌️
My love was A Mini Van that someone had coated the walls & ceiling with sheepskins + lush carpet in the Late 60’s ( which I course replaced straight away) it was in your Green colour ❤️ It was magic quiet and brilliantly cute 😡!!! Had it throughout the 70’s Loved it some much miss it all these day but have the memories 😍 VAN LIFE you need to have been there !!!
This episode is such a delight!
Shoutout to Alex and his beautiful red 850. As it just so happens, I am running a Mini as well with an LBG registration ;-)
@Ian, I thoroughly enjoyed the engineering insight into the construction of the original Mini, the parallels to the Miura design and the descriptions and references to its power and torque increases and needed mechanical measures to keep the beast tame.
Mine has currently a bit shy of 300 PS and a modest 400Nm all through the front wheels via a 6speed manual and yes Ian, it’s almost exactly double the weight of the original 620kg yet it shares all the delightful quirks and characteristics you describe so beautifully about driving the “worked on” example which in power to weight comes amazingly close to the modern Mini interpretations.
I absolutely love sleeper Minis for their everyday practicality, their amazing driving fun and the occasional surprised Pikachu face of the odd driver of much bigger cars that are surprisingly so much slower then quick little Minis ;-)
Please keep going with these wonderful insights. The more technical with historical references, the better.
Thank you!
I don’t know much about cars but I love watching and listening to these videos. Ian is such a fabulous presenter.
Thank you!
Just looking at the wonderful paintwork on the red Austin Mini and even on camera I can tell it is far superior to what BMC turned out back in the day. i.e. it hasn't got the standard orange peel effect paintwork which was pretty standard back in the early days of the mini and of course the rest of the BMC range.
My first car was an 850 Mini as was was driving it in 76 when i got my license done all the teenager stuff to it big bore exhaust silencer coming out at the center of the rear, covered the door pockets over with lights in them center console put in for my 8 track tapes and a roof console and spacers on the hubs with extended wheel studs to make it look sporty those where the days :)
Awesome...your channel helps my mental health etc...continued success Ian
That’s amazing, I stripped a mini engine in my Dad’s garage, white double bed sheet, taking everything off and laying in down in sequence, cleaned and reassembled, I did have two screws left over? Bled the brakes, a real task on your own, but amazingly it fired up and then I rallied it for two months, until a family friend Saab overtook me on a farm track!!! Leaving me in the dust 😅
Great story- thanks for sharing!
Great video - your youth, the mini history lessons, taking both out for a spin
More minis !
Closest I got to the little mini was my 128 Fiat - white 4 door, 4 speed
Fun to drive
Every so often she would sputter and I’d pull over and pull the carb needle , blow clean , back in and take off - 4 adults - no problem. My buddy had one and took it camping on forest state park dirt / gravel roads with two couples and camping gear!
Dear Mr. Iain, Another fine video. Your videos are not only entertaining but very educational. Interesting to know that two of my favorites, the Mini and the Miura has similar engineering designs! Thank you.
Thankyou!! Great stories about a couple of lovely early minis. My first car was a minivan (522HOL) and I progressed to a souped up 1275GT. Such a lot of fun driving a mini.
Pleasure- thank you
Thanks for making a 30 min video Sir👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
So addicted to your channel, I wait all week just to see what's going on in the shop, reminds me of my childhood😍😍😍
Love your work, Thanks for sharing Sir IAIN👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Stay Blessed🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thank you too- bless you
Thank you for this video, it helps put the high performers in perspective and interesting that designers pinched ideas and learned. As someone once said, "steal with pride".
A lovely informative video Iain; thank you! Mine was a P plate 1275 GT that I managed to 'park' on a Policeman's wall on a snowy night in Gayton near Parkgate in 1983. The wall was only slightly damage but the car was a write off as the front subframe had 'trespassed' into the footwell after a collision with a tree. The wall was re-built for a mere £15. I managed to save the long centre branched manifold and other stuff for a future project. Those were the days!
Great story!
Thanks Iain, great to have such an interesting video on Classic Minis. Alex has done fantastic work on his Austin Seven.
Those two Minis look like jewellery to me. The Italian exotics remind me of Miss World contestants. They're all dazzle, long legs and gleaming smiles but the Mini is like the pretty girl next door who you really want to take out.
My first car was a 1965 mini 850 which I bought when I was 14 and learnt to drive in a field owned by the gardener I worked for. It was black with red seats, cooper arch extensions with wide wheels but completely standard engine. I remember the sliding windows and specifically the weird long gear lever that came out of the bulkhead and had the high beam switch on the floor. I’d love another but I live in the USA so that are harder to find
Being a fellow Wallaseyan, although not having lived there for 43 years, I know Sandy Lane well. The way home after a pint at the Farmers Arms! Had a few minis back then and transported a couple over to the states where I currently live. Absolutely love your videos. Thank you.
Great to hear! Thank you
Well, it really put a smile on your dial Ian.
I've always loved the Mini but never owned one.
Very nice!!! Always one of my favorites. Was born in the early/mid 70's. I remember we we able to enjoy these here in Canada up until late 70's. Then they disappeared. What beauties those two are.
Wonderful memories, I used to drive around in a Mini Pick-Up and my girlfriend had a Clubman Estate, happy days. Another fabulous episode, thanks for sharing.
When I passed my test I talked my dad into getting a mini pickup for the farm,they were really cool,I saw one for sale on ebay recently for £15,000😮.When I met my wife I offered her a lift home in my 2 seater with a canvas top (mini pickup not an MG),funny how the push start has gone full circle
No mention of its designer? I had a Mini, 1380cc , 731 cam , 12G 940 , 11 stud head , twin SU cooper S carbs , straight through exhaust with 4-2-1 manifold, went like hell ! Acceleration was incredible, especially as it was low geared on , albeit wider 10 inch wheels . Spin wheels in 3rd ! Happy days . P.s in the 1960s before the abundance of motorways and dual carriageway networks, the Cooper S and the Lotus Europa were often cited as being the fastest things from A- B in this country, in real world driving conditions
we all had a mini or two in the 60's
fun fun fun
cheap affordable motoring[under a hundred quid in the mid 60's ]
my preference
I had a few 1275cc Cooper Inocentti's made in Italy
imported back into the UK changed to RHD a simple fix
great fun on every level ✌
I would have another one tomorrow
Thank you for this video with not one, but two Minis! I loved my 1983 Mayfair. It was a perfect car to start with a fresh driving license.
I learned to drive in the '70s in a Mini, like many thousands of other Brits. Not a lot of power, but with little weight and miraculous steering, who cares? Thanks for a tremendous video!
Thank you!
I've still got a Almond Green Morris Mini Minor and a 65 Cooper, now with Swiftune internals. Always had Mini's . Just wonderful
Very happy the Mini won! Lovely video Iain.
That straight cut gear noise in the red one - so unmistakable 😊
Really enjoyed your review of the Mini, that red one ticks all the boxes for me a real credit to Alec's, I just bought a little Austin A35 if it turns out even 1/2 as good as that Mini I will be very happy, cheers.
Delightful! Growing up in Canada and being a car enthusiast, I was a big Mini fan. Started with a 849cc, then a 998, onto a 1071 and then three 1275 Cooper S in succession. Love them. Many years later my wife and I have bought 7 contemporary Minis since they came out in 2003. Three Cooper S, a JCW Cooper S Cab, 2 GPs and a GP2.
What a history- fantastic
@@iain_tyrrell I really look forward to you videos Iain. The level of skill you and your craftsmen have is extraordinary.
I had a mini wagon in Munich and it was not new. Immediately it got a blue racing stripe and then a set of wide wheels with nice wide tires and 2 racing rear-view mirrors. I soon learned about the inboard universal joints and changed both of them in a wet parking lot. The engine was the small one with the magic wand gearshift and since I actually wanted a 1275, the poor engine had to perform like a 1275. Huge fun to drive.
Like most commenting here I had several minis. My first was a fairly new T reg Leyland 1275GT. David Vizard in one hand and some money in the other I started to modify. First was an Oscelli Inlet with Maniflow exhaust manifolds into a Cooper exhaust system. Then came the Oscelli Stage II head and 281 camshaft. I oversized the bore to 1293 & tuftrided the crankshaft, fitted a central oil pickup pipe. Changed from Simplex to Duplex timing chain, electric fan, electric fuel pump, oil cooler & lightened steel flywheel. Found some Cooper S disk brakes so I could fit 10" wheels with Goodyear 165x70x10 tyres. Spent some time fitting sound deadening rubberised sheets under carpets and roof lining. Had to have Halle spots on the front. Mine was red and a friend had blue. On several occasions we had camping trips to France. Loved roaring through tunnels and French villages making absurdly childish noises with our blaring exhausts. Couldn't leave it there, went on to buy a Howley Engine Kit (Warrington) 1380cc, with gas flowed head and 544 camshaft, etc. Acquired forged rockers, on and on, difficult to stop when having fun.
Keep on going- you know you want to
So many happy memories and funny stories of driving minis
Seeing the wide grin of Sir Iain when driving the more modest Mini was a blast! Size cubic inches rarity etc doesn't have anything to do with sheer Driving Pleasure. Once again; Great Vid, highligt of me TH-cam week 🎬🤩
Thank you!
Absolutely loved that video Iain.
Both cars are cracking examples, and obviously both loved and cared for by two
very dedicated and caring owners.
I have a Mk2 '68 Cooper and I would love to try one with that bigger engine, it seemed
to pull so well from low down.
My car was restored from a shell, not something I would ever sign up to do again though 🙄😬
The paint job on Alex's car, looks like a mirror.
I don't know why, but looking at you driving the S, it didn't seem all that bad for noise and
general harshness. I've hit a few bumps in my car and its literally thrown the car into the air!!😂😂
I don't believe the standard Cooper had that Cooper S remote control aluminium part fitted?
It probably makes a notable difference to the feel of the powertrain, compared to the Cooper.
Thanks for your comments
Iain ! The one thing you didn't tell us was what year was that white mini ! 😅 That extended gear change first appeared on the 997cc Mini Cooper . My father reputedly had the first privately owned Morris Mini Cooper in October 1961 . I well recall as an 8 year old , my mother laughing hysterically as we overtook MG's ,Austin Healey's Rileys and even the odd Jaguar ! I still remember that wonderful exhaust note sitting in the back seat as mum drove that Cooper with such gusto ! Of course father had to be one step ahead so blasted the mini up Oddicombe Hill climb to clinch the record in the same year . The only modification being a hand grip bolted to the steering wheel ! Halcyon days Iain ! Many thanks ❤
Lovely stories- thank you!
My first car was a Mini Special 1100 in black with John Player Special livery and a vinyl roof. Loved the video, brought back some great memories.
Glad to hear that. Thank you
The '67 SAAB 99 had a set of transfer gears to drive the gearbox beneath the engine, sans shared oil. So did the Ferrari BBI and the Testarossa.
We used to have competition in my shop as to how quickly a clutch disc could be exchanged. Think is was less than 40 minutes.
Unfortunately, the splines on the clutch output shaft had a tendency to be wiped away. Changed on on the road!
That was an utter delight to watch and hear your colleague take his mini out! I must tell you of an event my dad and my Godfather had! As they worked together! they were given for a job thy had to do! the mini vans/estates! What my dad and my godfather did not Know, was that someone had back then over tightened the wheel nuts and that cause cracks that were emanating from the nuts on there wheels! Let's just say that my dad and my god father loved a spirited drive! 🤣🤣🤣🤣! What thy did not know! Was the police had been alerted to the problem they had and were trying to catch them! They could not as the wheels would d have just shattered! My dad and godfather only found out once they arrived at there destination! ! R.I.P my godfather and my dad! that was such a joy for me as I remember the way you used to open the door with those wire cords/cables to open the doors! That was just an utter delight! thank you to both of you!