10 minute read
MODIFIED CANADIAN MINI 1000
TO THE (HONEY) MOON AND BACK
Richard Crawford, of Canada, loved Minis from an early age and now his whole family can’t get enough of them...
Words: Richard Crawford. Photos: Richard Crawford and Leah Crawford.
Most kids get excited at the sight of a brightly-coloured, ultra-expensive supercar as it races past. I remember, as a boy, seeing a Mini in a grocery store parking lot and walking up to it with eyes wide open thinking, “I can see myself driving one of these!” In 1995, when I was just 15 years old, the search began for my first car.
My goal was to buy a Mini but, even back then, a good one was hard to find. After 1979 Minis were no longer sold new here in Canada. Additionally, our winter road salt causes car bodies and components to decay quickly. After about six months of searching through classified ads in magazines I came across my dream car. It was this 1979 Java Green Canadian Mini 1000. It was a bit rough around the edges but it had the original paint, the body was solid and the engine ran. I negotiated a deal with the seller and, since I did not yet have my driver’s licence, my dad drove my Mini home. I remember the hood [bonnet] did not latch properly and was bouncing as we drove along the highway. Out of concern for it flipping open, we pulled over and used straps to secure it for the remainder of the trip. Fitting hood pins was the first modification my car received. The pins permanently resolved the loose hood problem and also made working in the engine bay a dream.
I spent many hours tidying up my Mini. I removed the oversized Canadian safety bumpers, scraped off the faded window tint and then pulled out the mouldy soundproofing and carpet. After saving up a few dollars from a summer job I hired my friend John to do the bodywork. I stripped the car down and towed it to his shop. He did a stellar job of removing rust, straightening panels, deleting the Canadian side marker lights, shaving the rear bumper seam and applying a fresh coat of Java Green paint. At my request he also cut a rectangle in the lower dash rail to fit a CD player. My Mini came home still retaining all of the original panels and looking better than new. On several occasions my friends Matthew and Steve left high school shop class
The 1995 classified ad in which I found my dream car. Dad and I, with my new ride, in 1995.
Me and my bride, Sherri, in 2000. The last adventure in 2012 before it was parked for seven years.
to help me get my car back together. Finally, my Mini was finished and I had my driver’s licence. It looked and ran great. After a few young driver mishaps and trips back to the bodyshop I decided to swap the front drum brakes for discs.
My Mini served me well over the years. It got me to college and was my transportation when I dated my girlfriend, now wife, Sherri. My Mini was our wedding car and took us on the long road trip to our honeymoon destination. It got me to work, weekend getaways and car shows. A Mini attracts a lot of attention on the road and is a welcome contrast to the large American muscle cars that frequent shows here in Canada. I drove my Mini each summer and continued even after my three kids were born. I have fond memories of driving my entire family in my Mini, on the local racetrack, for a Mini 50th anniversary event.
In 2012 my Mini developed a few issues including a failing clutch, neglected brakes and it only started when it wanted to. Sherri has vivid memories of pushing my car to bump-start it and driving along the highway with the handbrake as the only option for stopping. After limping home from a camping trip, with very little clutch, it was parked up. Life got busy with raising three kids and providing for my young family. As a result of these obligations my Mini rested, safely tucked
My sons and I installing the new engine in 2021.
There's a stripped-out racer vibe inside, with no luxuries such as a heater or sound deadening. Switch panel now houses a CD head unit.
away in the garage, for several years.
My babies grew into toddlers, then teens and, in 2019, my kids took an interest in the dusty green car in our garage. That spring we rolled the Mini out and, with only a few minutes of tinkering, it fired up. We drove it around the block with hardly any clutch and still only a handbrake to stop. I was put in contact with Mike Guido at Mini Sport USA and he provided me with an abundance
OWNER PROFILE
Richard Crawford
Hobbies: Water skiing, table tennis and biking
What appeals to you about Minis?
The engaging driving experience and simple mechanics Most hated Mini task: Anything involving brake fluid Favourite Mini Supplier: Mini Sport USA
Car club membership:
Underestimated Society of Cars Current Cars: 1979 Mini 1000, 1985 Mini Mayfair, 2017 Volkswagen GTI What’s new? I recently took a 7,000km road trip for my 15-year-old son Eli to purchase his first Mini.
of technical support along with many parts. With additional help from YouTube my Mini had a new clutch plate, starter solenoid, working brakes and a tune-up.
I added some performance-inspired modifications to go with the already fitted Revolution wheels and sticky Yokohama tyres. Upgrades included adjustable trumpets, competition cones and lowered dampers. The performance theme continued to the exterior with black roundels on the doors and a sun strip. For my 40th birthday my wife treated me to a pair of Cobra Classic bucket seats and a rear seat to match. At the same time as installing the seats I removed the door cards and other unnecessary comforts to complete the stripped-out race car look. Weight reduction was also considered and I got rid of several ‘unnecessary luxuries’ including the heater, spare tyre and even »
The entire Underestimated Society of Cars crew, AKA: my family.
the passenger side windshield wiper.
I drove my underpowered, racethemed 998cc Mini for the following summer. That same summer my then 14-year-old son, Josh, purchased his first car, which was a Mini of course. He has a red Canadian Mini 1000 but the previous owner swapped the original engine for a 1275cc MG Metro unit. I had the privilege of driving him in his car until he was old enough to get his driver’s licence. That experience gave me a thirst for more power. I decided that I wanted to stick with an A-series engine so the search began for a 1275cc unit for my Mini.
After much looking I learned of a guy who had what I wanted. I drove out to his place and came home with the power plant. It is a 1275cc engine that has been bored out to just over 1300cc, a Piper 270 camshaft and big-valve head had been installed along with other go-fast components. Over the winter I tidied and painted the engine and, in the spring, my kids and I dropped it in the car. A freshly rebuilt HIF44 carburettor sucks air through a K&N cone filter. Exhaust gases exit through a Maniflow LCB manifold and a single-box, centre-exit system. An electronic distributor, aluminium radiator and other accessories finish off the package. The engine bay was tidied up and treated to new master cylinders, hoses and other bits. My son Eli dedicated hours to sanding and polishing the inlet manifold, carburettor dashpot and ignition coil. My boys and I spent an entire day tinkering with each component of the carburettor to get it just right.
My Mini is now running great and is often spotted racing around my community without the hood. My daughter Leah enjoys lively drives in the Mini with the windows down, grooving to the same 1990s pop music that I listened
Polished accessories contrast with the satin black engine.
1275cc engine has been rebored and utilises a Piper cam. My son Eli polished the shiny components.
to when I was in high school. My family spends summer weekends at the lake and we often take the scenic route to enjoy country roads in our Minis. I am always pleased to experience the connections that the Minis initiate with family, friends, neighbours and even strangers.
From the driver’s seat of my Mini, the uninsulated induction noise is excessive, the exhaust note is intense and the firm suspension is almost too much. It is surprisingly quick through the gears and incredibly nimble in the corners. The power-to-weight ratio is perfect. Overall it is a visceral driving experience that could not be replicated by even the most expensive supercar.
Yes, there are a few things I would do differently now. I would not grind and drill for hood pins, shave the bumpers or hack up the dash rail for a CD player but each of these modifications reminds me of my teenage years. Nothing about this Mini is perfect but it gets driven and holds many memories that will be treasured by my family for years to come.
