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LOOKING BACK
on
Time:warp 1963
Born not long before the Mini was launched, Martin Bell recalls his memories of growing up in the world alongside the Mini.
T
10
love:mini
Mak in
The Mini had much better traction in the snow than most cars of the time
16 At Home with... John Rhodes, legendary Mini driver.
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How things were back in 1963.
and would perhaps be sent to our bedroom, where there was of course no TV or heating apart from maybe a hot water bottle at bedtime! If it got really cold then there was an extra paraffin heater for the hallway which ran on esso Blue or Pink Paraffin which were always advertised with a catchy tune on TV in the winter months. 1963 is also about when my own early memories of the Mini begin. At this time the Mini was just about the only front wheel drive car available, so even though my dad didn’t like them much, to my delight he borrowed one from his garage and car sales business to get to work in the snow a little easier — as Minis, with the engine weight over the front driven wheels, had much better traction in the snow than most of the rear wheel drive cars of the time, unless a heavy weight was placed in the boot and snow chains fitted to their wheels. The only 4x4 vehicles then were
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8 Timewarp
he recent snowy weather knitted by their mums to got me thinking back to keep out the cold, but I also the really bad winter & remember we still had to wear snow of 1963 which started short trousers despite the cold on Boxing Day 1962 and weather! lasted until March ‘63 in many places... back then we FeW luxurIeS still had to go to school each At home few had central day, staying home and playing heating, very often there would out in the snow would have be ice on the inside of my been considered skiving. For a bedroom window when you youngster, of course, snow is an woke up on a freezing cold adventure and I can remember morning! There were only two walking through the deep snow warm rooms in our house; the to school in Wellington boots kitchen, due to heat from the and climbing to the top of cooker and the coal-fired boiler tall snow piles at the sides of for heating the water, which the roads and driveways that had to be lit each morning with had been cleared. The school a dangerous-looking gas poker playground quickly became by my mum. One of my pocket an ice palace with one slide money stretching almost the length jobs of the playground. The bigger was to boys would run up and launch fetch the themselves on it, hurtling along buckets at high speed and unable to of coal stop for anyone in the way. It needed would give today’s health & from the coal bunker out in the safety conscious school staff a back garden. The other warm heart attack! room was the living room where Today it seems many schools we mainly watched TV and stop children going out to play which had a gas fire. However, in the snow even if they opened if any of us left the door to — much too dangerous… this room open and let all the Many boys used to wear dark expensive heat out into the cold woollen SAS-style balaclavas hallway we were in big trouble
r e st
22 Memory Lane
Your classic Mini photos pre-2000.
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24 Storytime
A handful of your short stories.
UP TO SPEED 26 Club Profile
Getting a closer look at Manchester Minis.
30 Event Reports
This issue, some of the shows we have attended.
48 Motorsport
MINI Challenge, Miglias, Minicross and more...
MINI 2011 Facelift
Overhaul ing the MINI’s look and two new models.
makeover
@ The se @ @@ @ @ @ @@ @ @@ @@ @@ @ @ @ In-depth news on @ @ @ the @ @ @ @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ biggest issues. @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @ @ @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @ What @really gets our goat @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @ @@ @@ @ @ @ @ @ POTH @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @@ @ @ OLes @ @@ @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @ @@ it’s@@ @@ @@ @ @ Don’t @ @ @ @ @ back, @ @ get @ it @ @ @ hold @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @ your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and @ off chest tell us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @@ @@ @@ @ @ @ @@ @@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @how @ @ @ @ @ you @ really @ @ feel. @ @ @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @ @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @@ @ Your@@Minis. @ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @
68 On the Pulse
cond refresh to the MINI’s appearance has been revealed, along with an new announcement of two diesel models for 2011. all From September 2010, and MINI saloon, Clubman subject Cabrio models will be we to the update, although expect newer models to new feature elements of the look. The subtle changes follow on from 2006’s refresh, MINI which again moved the look away from it’s child-like serious. to something more been Overall, the cars have out touched up inside and set and there is also a new range new a of colours and wheels to tie-in with the restyling.
82 Shout/Rant
84 The lock-up
RANT
Starting at the front you can see the most noticeable is in the change in appearance rear, lower bumpers, front and which have been extended to downwards to conform those new pedestrian safety injury regs and prevent knee This collision. a of event the in a in turn has given the MINI
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on the which to join the foglight more aggressive stance, lower rear bumper. most its may be to the liking of The Clubman has had male drivers. own tweaks with the rear who more For Cooper S owners brake light cluster confoming chrome have been crying out for to other models with a cooling vents - their prayers surround, while the Cooper have been answered negating a wide opening has model S front the need to remove the between the two exhaust foglights for a similar effect. replicates the which pipes is Optional xenon headlights form of an air outlet and can be ordered with either bordered by chrome edging. black reflectors or adaptive Inside the central facia the lighting which turns the has been darkened from the black, headlights as you turn contrasting light grey to sits steering wheel - essentially and a new LED display The enabling you to see round within the basic speedo. corners better. premium speedo now optional indicator From the side the comes with a colour screen repeaters have been visually which can be used to watch enhanced, looking less external device. a glass videos via an plasticky and featuring More chrome has also circles. cover with concentric been added to the interior to S owners are again treated airvents and surrounding flashy. more Trim something a little on the steering wheel. At the rear all MINI models colours have been revamped from now feature dynamic LED and claim to be made rear lights that shine brighter better materials than before. is the harder you brake. Under Optional ambient lighting particularly hard braking now also available, covering warn and the they will even flash to 756 shades of colours, are following cars that you interior and exterior mirrors Additionally sharply. braking are available with automoved the reversing light has Bitesize dimming. cluster position from the light
THis issue:
been months since the crux residential streets, and of the harsh winter weather those on the popular back-routes? These, hit the uK, freezing, cracking for the and time being, seem to be eroding our roads, but subject to still, today, neglect. At this rate, they driving around town there might just are be fixed in time for next countless potholes that winter. i am forced it’s easy to point at road to keep my eyes peeled tax (and for. And many other uK taxes) these aren’t tiny bumps and say that that are the councils and government occassional, these should are regular, wheelbe doing more, but swallowing canyons could there be more that can cause to this? Do these untold damage on people care? There’s the Mini, and even no arguing that uK the MiNi. what the drivers pay more than hell is going on? their fair share in taxes, one way or another, so Doing some errands today i had why don’t these plums to visit my local have some foresight council offices, and to realise that a bad low and behold winter — again where the worst road i councils were illhad come across led staright equipped with road salt to — will lead to more road the council building. Fortunately, damage and hence more repairs and someone had obviously resurfacing? pulled their sure the inconsistent weather thumb out of their ass doesn’t as there was help, but i’ve seen on Tv a massive resurfacing new truck and machines that can fill about six or seven people a pothole in working 20 minutes, a job that on this one 100m stretch would take a of road. i’m manual worker a lot longer. sure it would have taken them at As usual it seems the least all day to fix this beauracrats section, but are willing to take our what about all the odd money and potholes on offer very little in return. Thanks!
YOur views from the digital world
love:mini
The Trend
chunks from the scene
love:mini
“We had 40 at the top of our road! I had to drive a mile out of my way to get to the Post Office! They have very roughly filled them now, but they have done it so badly that it’s now like
KNOWLEDGEBASE
40 little speed humps ”
Sonia Bowmar-scothern
“Yeah we have a pothole at a mini roundabout about 5-inches deep.”
Marcel Parkinson
“I think they made
Minty’s exhaust fall off!”
Rebekah Louise Johnstone
“I’ve been through three tyres and one wheel in two months and last month my mate’s car had £2000
HOT 3000 miles and the love:mini Mini is still going strong. MiNi Countryman open day at MiNi OXFOrD gives us a good look. Meeting new friends in Australia.
108 The Business
Finding out about Bill Richards Racing.
weather in the uK finally hits 25C. Aluminium billet alloy cylinder heads hit the market. Panic: two days before L2B and the Mini’s damper bolt snaps off. inconsistent weather is playing havoc with our Mini maintenance plans. Not all of us have heat, light and space in our garages, you know.
Bits to buy for your Mini.
Potholes still not filled wrecking out suspension. Queuing for hours up to leave Crystal Palace on L2B.
NOT love:mini
110 GEAR
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