Drive Dad's Car: 1993 Mini Italian Job Special Edition!

[@Tiesproductions]

I bought a rotten 998cc mini as my first car 6 or 7 years ago now. Learned to weld on it and managed to got it trough an MOT just after I got my licence. I really love that car, and I still drive it around today!

[@Rjhs001]

Because we've seen these little rascals on our roads since the year dot, it's so easy to take their existence for granted. As you say Ian, we should be so very appreciative of this little gem of British design.

[@bigvinny333]

I had a Metro with a 1275cc A series engine. It too conked out after going through a puddle with water in the front mounted distributor. The solution was to put a Marigold rubber glove over the distributor with one lead through each finger !

[@daviemaclean61]

My son (now 32) wanted a Mini for his first car but couldn't afford one and got a Vauxhall Viva HC. He saved his pennies, sold the Viva, and bought a Mini Sidewalk with a 1.3 engine. Due to insurance I had to drive it home from near Newcastle to near Glasgow. I enjoyed every single mile - it was a hoot! Didn't enjoy working on it so much, but that's another story! ;-)

[@folkharmonica]

As an American, I got to ride in back of a Mini like that on one occasion. It was the model that had the headlights integrated with the grill , like most cars around 1970. So it was an updated front .I was amazed how fast that car could go !!

[@plym1969]

This brought back great memories. My brother's 2nd car after his MK2 Escort ended up.on it's roof after 3 weeks was a 1973 Mini in mustard. Flared wheel arches, Renault 5 seats made it a bit more funky. Terrible lights, non existent heating, bouncy ride. But what fun! We shared it for a year. Whenever I see one now I can't believe how small they are. How we got 5 people in plus cricket bags I'll never know.

[@alansimpson835]

You look very at home in a Mini I must say. When I test drove mine for the first time I was like you with Elly. I'd always wanted one, I was living a childhood ambition at the age of 27, it was so much more fun to drive than I'd ever expected and 40mph felt like 70. My face ached from smiling and watching the wipers felt like i was at a puppet show. I agree with the crustyness. Ours, a 1998 Cooper, has bubbles on the A pillars, drivers door bottom and back under the roof that I'm a little scared to poke but I do love it very much. It's a great excuse to go and gave adventures too. I must take it to Wales

[@poetryplace]

The Mini was my first car (I'm 75). I learned to drive in it, modded it and rallied it and it's the only car I've always wanted to own again. Probably the most fun car ever to drive, stuck to the road like mud to a blanket.

[@realnutteruk1]

I feel so lucky to be old enough to have used Minis, Beetles, Dyanes, AXs, 205s, 127s, Visas, Stradas, Yugo 45s.... all bought for a couple of hundred quid, and all but unobtainable now...

[@whitemoor66]

No other car before or since has put a smile on our faces as big as our 91 Cooper. We love it so much when it needed work we couldn't afford to do at the time, we put it in the shed and kept it. Been there 20 years now and we still can't part with it. Despite the fact only one of our three daughters has ever travelled in it, they all love it too. We hope one day to get it restored and back putting smiles on faces.

[@timcarpenter2441]

I had a 1978 Mini 1000. I put on a Cooper S LCB exhaust and twin SU's and replaced the cracking old Michelin for a set of Dunlops . It was a blast. The car was rock solid had no rust and the exhaust note was wonderful. It was superb and yes, tailgaters were left for dead on the twisting roads.

[@neilwalsh4058]

I think the Mini is a car that everybody (of a certain age) has a memory of. They owned one, parents owned one, a mate crashed/blew one up. They definitely deserve to have earned the tag of 'icon'. My first car was a 1973 Mini 1000, learnt to drive in it, kept it for 18 months, but then the Italian bug bit and I got a Fiat 128 3p. Great memories, feel honoured to have had one, but never wanted another.

[@stephenswift9868]

My first car was a red Mini and soon after passing my test a dog jumped out on me whilst I was going downhill! I slammed on the brakes and the car span round to point me uphill! I engaged first gear and drove away with my heart thumping! Great cars Mini’s.

[@neilfoster814]

Speaking as someone who has owned and rebuilt several Minis (including one that would do 100mph!) I can say that a Mini drives like a go kart. I read that back in the 60's they were capable of shredding the steel wheels due to the phenomenal cornering ability! I think Paddy Hopkirk broke more than one.

[@ethelmini]

They were, but not for long. Originally, they were riveted together and the rims would part company with the centres. All the more impressive when you consider the tyres of the day.

[@Shane_Marsh]

I think everyone over 50 has been in a old mini at some point 👍. Cool video Mr Seabrook 👏

[@volvo480]

I'm over 50, have sat in many popular small cars (2CV, Renault 4, VW Beetle, Fiat 600) but never in a Mini. I've had friends with Minis but never sat in their cars, let alone driven it.

[@frglee]

And quite a few of us have owned them. I had a brown Clubman for a bit in 1985, it was fun, but sadly it wasn't very reliable, and after a couple of hefty bills, I got rid.

[@ady-uk7150]

Yep, I've never owned one but I had driving lessons in one in 1981 and past my test first time! I love the Mini Cooper.

[@ferrumignis]

My dad was a mini fanatic and me, my brother and my sister all owned a number of minis in our earlier driving years. Rebuilding A series engines with a performance cams, porting cylinder head (all hail Lord Vizard and his Bible) along with welding on new sills, replacing subframes etc..were all semi regular jobs for us.

[@ianhelyar9553]

You brought back memories. I made a Ford Cobra driver 'cry' by tailgating him though some sharp corners. Nothing he could do to get away. I, on the other hand had to brake occasionally to avoid hitting him. Nothing handles like a Mini on Michelin Steels

[@friedjohn]

I once had a 1979 1100cc Mini Special. It had precisely the same instruments, stalks, and switches. Reclining seats and airvents were standard also on Mini 1000 in the late seventies (possibly on 850, too). So not much development there. The real improvement in the 14 years between mine and this model were the front disc brakes. I retrofitted Cooper S discs back in the day (to keep the 10" wheels) and it made a huge difference. Also all Minis got 12" wheels to make them slightly less bouncy and I think most had a taller final drive ratio so they were less frenetic at motorway speeds (I think mine did about 4500 rpm at 70 Mph on the 10" wheels).

[@richardsedding8444]

We had four 1960s minis, two mini 'countrymen' with wooden battens, a grey pick up and a red saloon, which was written off by a banana lorry which rear ended us! Small cars, big fun! Thanks for this trip down memory lane Ian.

[@MrBobchat]

I've had 2 minis. Best driving experience ever. Even my 850 was nippy due to gearing or wot not.

[@williamgreer4087]

This brings back happy memories, my best mate had a 998cc Mayfair as his first car. I remember it taking about half an hour to get to 60 but then he'd just not slow down for bends, ever!

[@robsmith7435]

I owned a 1982 1000cc Mini as my first car ,absolutely loved it and would have another one . Such an iconic car.

[@nicholasstark182]

Love minis. Learned to drive in one and had one as my first car. Ian is right about the rot though. That car expired when the driver's door simply fell off when I opened it one day...

[@rumblie7447]

Between my wife and I we have had three mini's loved them all. Had a new mini once - the Exhaust fell off after 6 months and I had two sub frames in two years. The gearbox had to be rebuilt after a year and it took the garagetwo months to get it right.Electrics failed at night traveling on M1 and lossed all power while driving in fast lane of M11. Still I loved them even with the problems. Thanks for reminding me of the the driving of course we are now talking about having another one.

[@tonysplodge44]

My first ever hooning experience was on my mum's 76 Clubman - I added the reversing lights and the hazard warning light module, and hand painted on go-faster stripes (they were wonky and my dad was not pleased). I also spilled a Nescafe catering sized can in the boot (THE LID WAS LOOSE - no-one believed me), and it smelled of coffee for the next 8 years. I can confirm that we too had a rotating choke that actually held quite nicely.

[@bombakdik]

Lovely cars. My mom used as a daily for 5 years or so a real Mini 40th anniversary. Yes it had all the specials bits and commemorative badges as well as the aluminium checkered dashboars fascia with extra gauges. One of the true last Mini’s and it had the 1275 injected engine. It already had the same head unit as to be found on contemporary e39 and e46 BMW cars. No joke at all! we should have kept that car. It marked the znd of a wonderful era. I remember very well the ride of the rubber cones. It was very crashy. I was 11 years old and sat at the back while my father was driving around. We kind off went over a bridge passing that wasn’t very flat and up I went with my head against the roof. It hurt a lot. I really hated that crashy and bouncy ride, especially present at the rear. Not comfortable in any means! My father also has had several Coopers and also the Mk1 Cooper S with the mustache bumpers and two filler necks for gasoline. Overheating problems on the S were severe and real. Lovely video.

[@realnutteruk1]

The Mini stories I could tell!!! I ran 5 or 6 of them in the late 80's and early 90's... all sorts of fun, and all sorts of problems, from wiring issues, to snapping crankshafts!

[@philseager1255]

1st car was a mini 850 with a 1000 engine fitted. Cost £250 umpteen years ago. Hand painted maroon with extra spot lights n reversing lights. Great car if very unreliable. But I loved it 🙂

[@lrs3]

It's a shame we don't see more old Minis on the road, so cool.

[@keithwilson1554]

My 1975 Semi-Auto Honda Civic (bought in 1975) would do the same thing. I was chased by a Valiant Pacer V8 1969 model in Kangaroo Valley NSW. a series of winding roads that went up then down and as you said Tailgate or Pass on the Straights once the windy bits came never saw them again.

[@keithbagshaw3146]

Done that trip many times, lovely drive!!

[@nigelh4617]

That's going to be top of my drive list, when I visit the museum. Must be 30 years since I drove a Mini.

[@bernddoerper5667]

Driifting with the Mini in the snow makes lot of fun too. Those days one of my friends had a Mini. And allways when the first snow fell, we went to a carpark next to a forest. Me with my pastwheeldrive Opel Kadett C, another friend with a Passat Mark one and the one with his Mini. Because of the frontwheeldrive my friends had to use allways the handbrake for drifting round the corners. I could do all this only with my gaspedal. So thanks a lot for taking us again in a Mini. It was a great experience. Unfortunately my friends Mini rusted away only in a few years. And the hydrolastic was always a trouble shooter because of leaking.

[@grahamejohn6847]

Aah yes, memories, my wife had a minivan as delivery for her business it was a really horrible choc brown and I gave her heaps over it as my work vehicle at the time was a 351 v8 falcon pursuit. haha but I still stole it at every opportunity to take for a quick drive through some very nice twisty bits near my place. Brilliant!

[@williamtether6462]

Always wanted an old mini because of their legendary status and go-kart like handling. The BMW minis are nice but don’t have the same charm as the original ones. Great video Ian.

[@michaelsanderson5023]

The 998 Clubman I had definately wasn't the fastest or most comfortable car I've ever owned but it certainly was the most fun.

[@michaelsanderson5023]

And I definitely used to be able to spell.

[@nell527OldSkool]

My Grandad had 2 Minis and my Mum had one as well. My Dad bought me a 1989 Mini City when I passed my Driving test in 1996 which I had until 2000. Then I bought a 1995 Mini Cooper which I still have today. She just puts a big smile on my face every time I drive her 😊

[@aria_aradhea]

I have a 1990 Mini Mayfair II, Japanese spec with a later 1275cc engine and Aircon as standard. It's my daily car. Love the car to bits, drives unlike any other cars on the market!

[@richh7872]

My mum had a mini when I was a little kid. It was white (apart from the scrapyard doors and boot lid) white furry seats, parcel tape on the dash due to dog chewing damage and a sticker of Murdock from the A team on the back window where I sat. Loved that car

[@dougfurniss734]

Love an old mini, haven't owned one but I have driven a couple, great fun 😀

[@andrewfarrow4699]

My friends and I all had 1275GTs with various states of engine tweekage. 1400cc with twin carbs and big bore exhaust was not super fast even by the standards of the day but felt like a pocket rocket street hooligan.

[@yellowbird8690]

Yes! My first car was a 1988 Mini. Recently found the invoice for it. £1900 in 1994 on my birthday. That's more than I paid for Scotty.

[@steelcity791]

My mum had a poo brown one in the early 90s , bags of character but cut out every time it rained and you could feel every bump and stone you drove over in the road through your back side. Rose tinted glasses .

[@pauljeffries]

Great video,the Italian job minis were also available in british racing green (for some odd reason) I had a blue one. I still have a classic mini, it's very much modified though....1380cc engine etc, it's a proper weapon.

[@kenbakie4590]

Great video Ian. It takes me back to when I learned to drive in a 998cc mini and passed my test back in 1973. The one I drove also had wind up windows as opposed to the early sliding ones, but I do remember it having a huge speedo bang in the middle of the dashboard with fuel and temperature gauges on either side of it. I did like driving it even though I couldn't explore the handling too much as a learner.

[@scottlp2323]

My mate had a 1100 Clubman. Metallic silver with a black, vinyl roof. He bought it from his sister when she 'upgraded' to a Nova. ;) We went everywhere in it. Every journey was like a bank heist getaway. :) He was an apprentice woodworker so remade the dash and binnacle in varnished 5-ply. Hilarious. :O He drove like a tool so, inevitably, he drove into a shop front when he lost control on a bend. It was quite a low speed impact and the shop had a concrete lower part which he hit. Minor damage occurred and the chrome bumper was bent in such a way to make the car look depressed. :( Great days indeed. lol. :)

[@dorsetoctaviaman]

I'd hope every viewer of this video has a grin as wide as yours, Ian. In between formal lessons learning on the driving school Mk1 Ford Escort late in 1970, Dad would take me out for extra practice in my Mum's 1960 848cc Mini-Minor. Such huge fun... A chalk-and-cheese difference that I still remember 51 years on! At 2:03 I think our 'Min' was one of the earliest fitted with the "plastic raincoat", to stop her stalling in a rain shower. The lights and wiper switches were both stick-out not smooth rocker-faced, the ignition (only) lock was between them in the middle of the low dash panel and you next started the engine by pressing a push-button on the floor between the front seats, about in line with the handbrake button. The gear lever was just like a hockey stick down to the in-sump transmission, no synchomesh on 1st, and at nearly eleven years old the synchromesh on the other forward speeds was pretty worn, so I was very good indeed at double-declutching as a learner driver. The speedo and fuel gauge was a black figures-on-white affair in a kind of pod angled out of the full-width parcel shelf. The front windows slid back and forth, the rubber on the inside door-handle cables split before long (so, in just a few years, we upgraded to posh J-shape chromed solid handles above the door pockets), the demisting was absolutely pathetic - but, for all her numerous faults, I loved Min because of her HUGE active safety fun factor and the amazing space inside 3m,05 (10ft). I believe Dante Giocosa the legendary Fiat designer took one of the Press-launch cars just for a short drive, and on getting out at the end said quite simply "This is the future... " Of course it did take Fiat about seven or eight years to run out their rear-engine rear-drive model launches and to start their own take on the transverse front-wheel-drive format; but that's a whole other story. Thanks for this wonderful trip down Memory Lane. Minis, we love you!

[@ShedTV]

The first car I drove, aged about 10 on Southport beach, was my dad's perpetually patched up K-reg (K on the other end!) Mini 850. By the time I was learning to drive in 1989 in a BSM Metro my dad had an S-reg Clubman 1100, which I used to practice in. Both had the same crocodile clip from an old battery charger on the choke knob.

[@tinplategeek1058]

I owned a Mini back in the early 80's but much preferred the driving experience and handling of the Austin 1300. That extra foot or so of wheelbase made it feel much more stable in corrners.

[@johnwaga3702]

What a fantastic car, it brings a huge smile to my face.

[@shanehnorman]

I lived in London in late-'60s and through the '70s - the Mini era. At various times, I owned a 998 Cooper (Hydrolastic), a Moke, a Minisprint 1275S, and drove almost every variant. It was the first truly classless British car, driven by mums, dads, daughters, and sons, but also by Peter Sellers and the occasional Beatle, royalty, Chelsea girls, etc.

[@robertallen3441]

Never owned a Mini, but learnt to drive and passed my test in one in 1974. Real Hubnut spec, bog standard 850cc.

[@darrenwilson8042]

I had a pimped up 1966 Mk1 - sprayed white with a black vinyl roof black wheel arch extensions to accommodate Weller 8 spokes in white with a black leather interior from an Elf - fantastic little car

[@Fubar_The_WEF]

I used to own a 1984 Nissan Cherry 1.3. Nissan didn't learn from Austin's experience with the distributer it was positioned directly in line with the spray coming through the radiator grill and, yes, it stopped every time it rained.

[@waynetetley584]

Floor mounted start button in 64 mini 😊

[@RWBHere]

They are truly fun to be in. I've never owned one, although Mrs.RWBHere had one as her first car. Had a ride as a passenger in a Todd tuned Cooper S once, on its way to compete at Cadwell Park. It had also been rallied. The driver took it up to an indicated 125+ mph on the A46 (Just a smidgen above the speed limit. Ahem!). The Mini did it with no sweat, and handled as flat as a pancake, but this passenger was wishing that he had a helmet and ear defenders! Truly a memorable experience. Thanks for spreading the word, Ian. 🙂👍

[@billybill6604]

gorgeous little car!

[@willswheels283]

What a brilliant grin inducing little car, always been a favourite car of mine. I did wonder if we’d see a classic Mini on the channel Ian and that day finally arrived! Looking forwards to when you can find one to take on a road test.😀 Sadly due to the high prices of good Minis out there this is the reason I’ve never owned one, but I’ll always want one. Thanks again Ian, glad you enjoyed yourself in this British icon.👍

[@Car_and_classic_lover]

Great video! Always loved the Mini, my favourite car of all time, nice to see a review!👍

[@lilchris26]

I used to have a Austin Seven mini in green, my Mum and dad bought it me for my 21st birthday, they thought I would sell my Triumph Bonneville motorcyle. The mini had sliding windows and string inside the doors to open them, I managed to buy some handles for the inside to replace the string. I also wired a switch hidden under the dash linked to the coil which stopped it being stolen on more than one occasion.

[@RGChandler]

My Dad had a Mini. A 1071cc Cooper S. When I was born my mum decided they needed more space, so he traded it in for a brand new Morris Marina. I dont think he ever forgave me.

[@ihaveacoolhat1]

I remember a relative having one of these and I remember there being a huge amount of space in the back despite its size. Also that first gear whine!

[@christopherbennell5983]

Interesting. Takes me back - I had a 1966 Mini-Cooper with Hydrolastic Suspension, bought new for £590 ! The ride in that was extremely smooth as I remember - not nearly as bouncy as the rubber suspension ones. The twin SU carbs tended to need careful setup - I was always topping up the carb dampers, which improved the low speed pick up. Had it's own oil pressure gauge, which after 2 years was showing a significant drop -so I traded it in for a mark 1 Escort GT!

[@icba4907]

Wife has a Mayfair and a Cooper which is her daily driver. I had one back in the 90s and left a 911 for dead on the twisty road from Studland to Corfe Castle back in the day, we were stood outside the car by the time he arrived.

[@gotham61]

My dad actually did have a Mini. A mustard yellow Clubman in 1970. In a pinch, our whole family of five, with kids aged 13, 11 and 9 could squeeze in.

[@caw25sha]

How does a boot full of gold bars affect the handling and performance?

[@luviskol]

About the same as having two large rugby players on the back seat. If you have slightly wider than standard tyres they do rub the bodywork a bit Yep been there done that

[@North49191]

the high prices are killing the classic car hobby here.rip

[@petersargeant1555]

Might stop it from landing squarely on it's nose when you get it airborne.

[@EliteRock]

Handling? I guess it depends on how much, but possibly for the better. My dad owned Coopers and Cooper S's until 1971, I remember that for a while in the first S (a 1089) he kept a 100lb bag of sand in the boot to (literally) balance the car, standard practice for rally cars apparently.

[@josefradisz2133]

about " The Italian Job " ? kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIHTmJprp9yrpqM

[@popstars4444]

My first car was a harvest gold mini 1000 for 100 quid, awesome car, I drove it like a nutter and it never lost grip or broke down, many happy memories.

[@johnlaws5231]

I drove the Mini in Malta when I was in the RAF - OH WHAT FUN! and in 1976 my own car was a Singer Chamois (a fancy Imp)

[@itsmephil2255]

Been there....was at silverstone for the 40th birthday .....the proper mini is the kind of car everyone should drive to know how good driving is

[@lukevibertuk]

I miss my every Mini I’ve owned - Austin Mini Park Lane, RSP Mini Cooper and 1.3 Cooper Si. Each had their own unique issues but that is what for me is their charm. I’d have another one given the chance👍🏼

[@martinquinn9767]

I have an Italian Job mini in the same colour, nice to see one bringing someone else a smile too

[@Oh-Jay52]

Red White and Blue ? Plus my rare Metallic Racing Green one ( the lesser known and made Italian Job) K626 BBM ...@HubNut ! ❤

[@dougowt]

If it was going to be my kids driving dad’s car, then my minis always had the steering column drop bracket and the seat brackets that gave you another 2 or 3 inches leg room. It also meant you couldn’t sit behind the driver but it was a much better driving position. My youngest wanted a mini as his first car and so the aforementioned brackets were fitted before he drove it. I’m told fitting coilovers to the mini improves the ride, but I’ve never tried them. I did usually fit hi-los though.

[@LarryBees]

my first car was mini 1000.. 1972 loved it !! it failed mot with rear sub frame .. managed to fit a new one Put her on her side on mattresses

[@johnalees99]

When I came along my dad had to sell his Jawa 350 motorbike and go up to a Mini 850. Nearly 50 years later and he still complains about what a bugger of a job it was changing the bottom radiator hose. We eventually after a very rusty Corolla returned to an A series powered car, albeit a Datsun A series in a 120Y, which was a right little trooper of a car.

[@davidking9707]

I had 3 Minis, they are a hoot to drive, I was once told that I was too tall and fat to drive one. I proved them wrong. I have a BMW MINI now and I love it.

[@nigelrudd670]

Self preservation society, had a mk1 1275s syb 661 f and a mini 1100 special 🤓👍

[@rogerlee6599]

1st Car I was a passenger in was a Mk. 1 Morris Mini Minor of 1961 vintage when I was a baby / young child in the mid-late 1960s !

[@billy2rivers1]

My dad had a mini clubman 11 special. In the late 70s or very early 80s he wasn't a car bloke just got it to get to work and back it was bright yellow with deep dish wolfrace wheels I was just starting to drive so I obviously loved it , to this day its the only mini I've ever driven but when I talk to people I always say it was the dogs nuts bloody fantastic.

[@bentullett6068]

Another stunning limited edition Mini was the Paul Smith edition as this had the lovely purple colour with chrome and black alloy mini light wheels

[@HubNut]

They have one in the museum.

[@bentullett6068]

@@HubNut nice

[@roverboy01]

I'm lucky enough to own a Paul Smith.

[@royjacques5650]

My first four wheel car was a mini van great for taking my mates out on Friday night just open the back doors and pile them in that was before rear seat belts i had no seats in the back it was just good old fun.

[@micheltebraake7915]

As a child our neighbors had a Mini, I often drove in the back seat. And in my time as a mechanic I only worked on a Mini once and drove it, the Mini virus has never stuck with me.

[@schon74]

My 1st car when I passed my test in 1993 was a 1972 mini 1000. The mini was 2 years older than me lol I did 12k miles in it in my 1st year of driving lol

[@dannyhtheretrogamingmaster9548]

This is definitely is a tribute to one famous mini, the other one is light green with a side padlock locking system and a boot that opens by whacking the offside rear pillar next to the rear window. And may have some dried toothpaste on the dashboard. I've always loved Mini's but never owned one.

[@paultaylor9652]

I remember mine well, a 1973 in green it was 11 years old total rot box and full of filler, but I loved it. Thanks for bringing back some memories Mr HubNut.

[@andrewentwistle515]

Wahoo, I love the British Mini!! I certainly did enjoy the short review on the car & especially the handling section of the test as well. Here's to seeing a full review of the British Mini!!!

[@Endfloat]

I miss my mini 1000! Phenomenally good cars, and so much fun! Oh, and if you find yourself chasing electrical gremlins with one, change the hazard light switch! They always give trouble and are a distribution point for a good few systems.

[@Witheredgoogie]

Old Alex gave me the impression of an eccentric, school teacher " no ! you are not having a radio in the Mini as it will distract you from driving" LOL

[@Sd1v8v]

My dad worked for Austin rover dealership in the 80s and he said it was easy to sell minis as people love them as well cheap then a Nova, fiesta and metro.

[@ferrumignis]

My first car after passing my test was an 850cc Mini that dad picked up for £100. That was cheap even 30 odd years ago, but was a veritable bargain when I found it had Cooper S front disc brakes fitted. It was rather rusty however, and once the MOT ran out we decided it wasn't worth the time and effort, so took the discs off and replaced with drums and sold it for I think £90 to some enormous Hells Angel type biker. Had the police contact me a couple of months afterwards and asked all sorts of questions, turns out it had been used as a getaway after an armed robbery!

[@peterriggall8409]

Closest I had was a 1970 Morris 1100 S. It was Aussie built and the S meant a 1275 engine. I would like to still have it. Looking forward to the Roller video.

[@AndrewLohmannKent]

I owned two minis - 1967 850 which was enough power, would start instantly like turn on a switch with hydroelastic suspension, which made it very comfortable and a remote gear lever like the one you demonstrated. 1971 1,000cc which was good. There must have been ideas crossing between bicycle makers because my 1946 Lenton sports bike also has very good road holding - the same feeling that if you corner too fast well it did it easily, and you could have gone faster. The bike's frame is very springy, so the bumps are softened compared to a modern bike, and I guess the wheels track the road so the bike stick to the road very well similarly to the mini.

[@AndrewLohmannKent]

In the 1970s a second had mini was the most desirable car you could have, and it would cost a lot more consequently than any other old car.

[@reglard]

My beige mini City E was a hoot, complete with the old rubber glove trick over the distributor to keep the rain out, and an aftermarket Wood & Pickett dashboard panel.

[@alextoft9199]

Just awesome, love the 1st gear whine! This is why I love cars. The ride's bouncy and it will rust, but when you drive or look at it, you feel special. We have lost this is car design today. The cars are technically a lot better but I don't care about most of them!

[@volvo480]

If I ever buy an old car again, it HAS to have first gear whine!

[@Roger.Coleman1949]

So right Alex.I have owned 5 in my time and loved them all and modified one or two .Recently and unexpectedly, had the chance to buy a ' 61 Austin Seven with 37,000 miles and stored quite well since 1974 !.It was too big a chance to miss and doing a recomission only rather than over-restore it and hope to have her roadworthy again in the Spring after 48 years hibernation - cannot wait .A friend after seeing it just had to go out and buy one and bought a Mk1Austin Cooper .No other car has this effect !.

[@itsmephil2255]

The mini was the kind of car you could thrash the hell out of it.... And it would say....."is that all you got"???

[@MrSteamywindows]

Superb stuff sir once again. I had a tour of Longbridge when they were building these and saw some green ones which, I was told, were for the Italian market.

[@caw25sha]

The colour of the police cars?

[@rjft7003]

My father got the 'Mini bug' in 1968, traded a Toyota Corona (yes, I also do not get it) for a white Austin Mini 1000 brand new from the saloon. This Mini was later sold and changed for a Fiat 128 Sport Coupe 1300 SL in 1973.

[@danieleregoli812]

You'd be a super-cool dad in that Mini!!!

[@ady-uk7150]

Great video Ian. Where I live, I'm lucky enough to see a couple of Minis knocking around from time to time.

[@RetroRatz]

We had a K reg Mayfair for 10 years, missed it so much, we just purchased a 96 Sidewalk! I'm gonna get the Estate ready for you to come drive In new year 👍🖖👌❤🚘

[@tinniswood2577]

Lovely example. Saturday afternoon, Grandstand, rallycross watching a Mini take on a Porsche 911 those were the days.

[@adamwadey4123]

Minis have always been a favorite of mine was lucky enough to be able to get a 1987 austine mini Mayfair 998cc about a year ago. Ian if your interested in using it in a review video your more then welcome. Located in Warwickshire, West Midlands.

[@brianiswrong]

Being 6ft 5" tall at 17 , unfortunately a mini was never on my radar 😭 I did try a Mayfair, but I just couldn't fit behind the wheel. I went rover SD1 instead 👍

[@ianhelyar9553]

I'm only 5'11" and I fitted some dodgy lifters to the seat mounts. Worked fine for me, but my 5'3" mate had problems.