How to race a Mini

Meet Bill Sollis, whose lifetime of Mini love transformed into restoring a 1963 Austin Mini Cooper fit for racing in the time. #gwmasters
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[@andyyork9598]

This ought to be an hour long dvd, , Bill Sollis and minis , its win , win .

[@Mrtallguy76]

Met Bill at a Brands Hatch Mini Festival years ago - have a signed Corgi model of his car as a result. The drivers in the paddocks at Mini events always appear so friendly.

[@andyfry1970]

Another video with Bill Sollis that I've really enjoyed watching, excellent stuff!

[@magnum357225]

I just got two of these lil monsters, curently bit of rust buckets but they will be all fixed up soon enough, wifes birthday present.

[@ronandloisgraham6763]

I bought my 1st Mini in 1967 in the United States, I was 17 yrs old. My whole family could get in it, Dad was 6'7" and Mom was 5'10" plus myself at 6'4" and my 4 siblings. I owned 7 Minis before joining the USAF in 1977 so I could go to England. Bought the Clive Trickey Mini in '85 during my 1st tour there (1980-86). 2nd tour (1990-94), I raced the Trickey Mini in the Miglia class in 1993 and '94. I was privileged to race with Bill and many other great people, in fact, I was ahead of Bill in nearly every race my first year until he and the other front runners lapped me. Lol. Another time I was following Chris Lewis in practicing and was feeling pretty proud of myself being able to keep up with him, and then he went into the pits. No wonder I was keeping up, he was slowing down. I finished 11th in the main series and 9th in the winter challenge in 1993. Not because I was a great driver but because I raced all but two races that year and received 2 points for finishing each race. In fact, I finished 13th in the Fastest Mini in the World race at the 1994 Mini Anniversary. Bill did a feature article on my Mini in Triple C Magazine in 1994. All in all, that was a great two years of my life. The Trickey Mini is sitting in the back of my garage and hasn't been started in nearly 20 years. It could be for sale, hint, hint. Ron Graham

[@weedaviec]

Great video. Beautiful racecar. I don't have a mini now but have owned a yellow 1275, a Mr Bean green 1000 & a white mini van which I should never have sold. The handling and seat of your pants driving experience of a classic mini is unbeatable.

[@Young_Blueberry_]

I've always wanted a mini but now I want one even more

[@shmamphul]

The fact that your profile pic is LSX makes that comment 100 times better.

[@jonathandavies7462]

you can have mine, it needs £1000's of welding work that I cant afford :(

[@christopherward5065]

Looks like a really great race series when we watch it and now we get it from the point of view of competing. Sollis lays down a beat and we all get it. Brilliant!

[@wordreet]

Haha! That "rev it with the pedal, then run round the front to catch it on the carb before it stalls is soooo familiar!!!

[@r1273m]

A really interesting video. I remember the Mini being launched in 1959. I was just 12 years old and a friend took me to Pyes of Mansfield to see them. I've had a few over the years but never raced one unfortunately.

[@stewartw.9151]

I built up a Mini for racing in 1968 from a bare bodyshell, when they were not old cars! You could get many performance parts like camshafts etc. from BMC themselves back then to hot up the engine and get more power. Also Speedwell Performance Parts were pretty good. The racing class was Clubman's Class up to 1000cc and my engine was a 998cc - there was no such thing as a 'Mini" class then and we raced against a very mixed bag as they often lumped classes together in the same race. I never forget seeing a huge Ford Galaxie looming in my rear-view about, it seemed, to simply roll over me if I did not get out of the way!

[@IDontWantAHandle101]

A mini,,,, Castle Coombe circuit damp track,,,, a recipe for valve bounce. LOVE IT !! Some of the best racing I've seen is the classic cars at CC.

[@MartysWhiteSuit]

This was great. The bloke has the right attitude. Winning is great, but taking part is just as good.

[@Rob-ze1wi]

I have a 73 reshelled 1275cc in Colorado. Started in LA on the Sunset Blvd corners!! Street legal go kart.

[@kenbuckley3294]

Gave my Mini convertible S 05 a top down run yesterday. The escape car. The best I've ever enjoyed. The '63 Mini was the first Mini I rode in with a cousin on a trip to England in '63. The sports car I had couldn't compare to this Mini I drive. 188,000 plus a few. Soars like an Eagle. I'd like to tool your '63 round the track. Great video.

[@RawTopShot]

BMW "mini" are just a really pale shadow of the original classic mini. There's no real comparison other than they share a name.

[@Dongfloppy]

I remember driving my mini fast, I used to point the front wheels where I wanted to go and hope that the rest of the car would follow.

[@ayushren]

Is it just me or does the man look like Mr bean a bit

[@jo05dk]

It's just you. He doesn't look like Mr bean a bit. He looks like Mr Bean a lot :D

[@JackLebeau666]

Fuck off

[@caroldave4037]

Mmmmmmmmm niiece👨

[@SimonCarson_Racing]

A bit? A lot !

[@fredgrove4220]

At certain times he looks like Guy Martin as well.

[@JohnBaxendale]

What a lovely bloke and a total legend.

[@jamesf7437]

What a great video, thanks so much for sharing!

[@graemebdh2172]

My first car when I was 18 in 1965 was an Australian Morris Mini Deluxe with a 1000cc engine, windup windows, executive grey paint job and deep red interior. Cost a little over $1000 as I recall. Loved that car. I was in the UK for a year in 1969 and had second hand Mini 850 which I drove to Istanbul and back. Loved them both. Wish I still had one.

[@RawTopShot]

Might cost £20,000-£40,000 UK GBP for either one of those now in mint condition.

[@graemebdh2172]

RAW TOPSHOT My memory failed me. Australia did not go to decimal currency until February 1966. That should have been £1000 Aust pounds. That would have been $2000.

[@truckatadders]

Watched this a while back, re watched today. I remember seeing Bill featuring quite regularly in Car & Car conversion mag, was a mini7 champ, then became miglia champ, and iirc, all the time he was a serving fireman 😮

[@SuperLEEEDWARDS]

Hi to anyone wondering if these engines are stock absolutely NOT just hearing that thing on cam tells me a lot , to all the younger generation you have lost out SOO MUCH with your electric power steering ,your 1000cc turboboost engines fuel injection, electric 1 touch windows, believe me there is NOTHING LIKE a properly tuned REAL MINI the smell, the frequent push starts [bumb start] no AA back then because you may have left the tiny interior light on so battery flat or the points or dizzy cap had a little build up,allways having to check radiator level but get all those things working and you cannot have more fun the way they go around roundabouts is something only the classic Mini can do. I had 7 Minis the very first when i started work in a garage and the owner let me pay weekly the car cost 500 quid. I bought how to tune an A SERIES by David Vizard and set about stripping an engine doing the usual re-bore ,pistons,rings and the all important FAST ROAD CAM . I then did my first race at Llandow Wales [im Welsh] and won, The prize was not a trophy but 10 pounds but to me all the late nights falling asleep under the car up on blocks was worth it all oh the memories are just amazing because you HAD to learn to drive back then which set me up to 13 years HGV driving then upped my game and doubled my wage by getting on the mobile cranes hope you liked this story SCOOBS UK.

[@PhatMuska]

This is the kind of stories i love to ear at the pub!

[@richarddutchholland4780]

Llandow every Sunday afternoon in the late 80s watching every local nutter flying around.... great times

[@RawTopShot]

7 minis? 🤔 You never loved mini then, because if you had, you'd only ever have had the one, the first one you ever bought. 😁 ( Barr being punted off the road, leading to an utter and total write off insurance wise, forcing you to buy another because you could no longer insure a written off car for road use ). Spares are available ( massively back then ) every single part including complete bodyshells. 😁

[@jeemay]

He is a cool guy 100%! Love MINI!

[@betacam235]

I love Minis. I've had a tartan/black Cooper type 3, a Crayford convertible, a Minivan with an 1100 engine, but the one I have now is the strangest.... it's a three-wheeler Berkeley T60 with MG Metro '1300' engine.It will be great fun when finished...

[@gseric4721]

I've been a fan of Mini Cooper since Gran Turismo 4. This vid was awesome :)

[@loripearce3942]

Had em all. 63. 65. 69 1275. My last S was a1970 with roll up windows in harvest gold

[@polenit6390]

I keep watching this video. Great stuff 🇬🇧

[@rogbrown1458]

Bought a 997 Morris mini cooper back in 1965. Wish I still had it but I guess a MK1 lotus Cortina will have to do. Rog. Pacific sunset records.

[@Tom60264]

Bill Sollis to me is king. The original racer.

[@2.fresh767]

Bill Sollis is Mr Mini.

[@sashas8168]

Love the passion!

[@autoroom21]

Great video cheers chaps! Also includes my local circuit Castle Combe!

[@gavinivers8941]

Great video.

[@johnnytenjobs]

I thought he would be older. Seems to have been around for ever!

[@evangist539]

Anyone have more info on this specific build? Has it ever been featured anywhere else for specs? Its beautiful!

[@AliasHSW]

Like the bit on race-craft mindset

[@gnarshread]

Are they alowed to do any motor work? Because I would quite like to see a build sheet.

[@johnmaccarone9407]

Love this Good show!

[@jamieobrien9216]

Love it, what BHP is that? I really want to start a project and have a race engine and gearbox in it and make it GoodWood inspired

[@alex-jq4gu]

I love it!!! 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽😘

[@Project_s14]

My first car was a 2009 mini cooper S and I gave it hell . Awesome cars , insanely fast and responsive steering rack . Overboost is a lovely feature and I miss my handbrake )): (I now have an electric rear parking brake civic si)

[@RawTopShot]

If you ever get the chance to drive a proper mini, do it. You'll rattle about, you'll grin like a fool and your arms will no doubt ache like hell later ( no power steering so you won't be used to it ) but you'll love and cherish it for the rest of your life.

[@MikeKeller]

Great video, but why is Mr. Sollis's audio so distorted?

[@rolandalfonso6954]

Time to watch the original Italian Job movie.

[@RobS32]

Weare all learning amigo 👍 well done great vid 👌🏁

[@taratatabo]

Could anybody tell me how many HP does these engines have? I am wondering if they run stock engines.

[@antonio20180]

I believe that they should have from 130 to 145 depending on engine size. They normally modify the engines from 1275cc to 1380cc!

[@Automotion_Images]

Around 130 is common in the app K classes nowadays, from a mildly overbored 1275 lump to 1293cc

[@taratatabo]

@@Automotion_Images Thanks for the answer! 130hp in these cars is mental!

[@taratatabo]

@@antonio20180 Thank you for the answer, Antonio!

[@andyfry1970]

Just to add to my last comment about a good Bill Sollis vid, was an engine rebuild vid with the guy who done some ultimate mini videos, it's title is: moteur mini motors, refaire rubuild. Posted by alexandredu41000 It's a 4hr + vid if anyone hasn't seen it, but a must to watch!

[@shovelrickshovelhead8713]

Track walks is vital ,, Risk Rick..

[@53duchessa]

I Bill fan you tel me paint codes of this mini? Thanks

[@RawTopShot]

BMC Leyland Almond Green

[@sarahmicallef7741]

im a mini fan and racer too,,something true that bill looks alot like mr bean,both miniatics

[@Markycarandbikestuff]

Lamborghini copied the gearbox in the sump design with the Miura in 67 which had a transverse V12 behind the seats, they later changed to dry sump for the engine though.

[@paperchain1239]

Anyone knows who had one for sale? Any good mini?

[@svoctopus4888]

Since, these vehicles road race (turning right and left). Why wouldn't the drivers want to place their seat in the, middle to help balance the car? Is it a racing rule that the driver must drive from the right or left seat, not from the middle? Safety?

[@RawTopShot]

That's a substantial change to the cars layout, so it would need to be a new class of vehicle.

[@KarczekWieprzowy]

Just buy a green one, green can do anything

[@piroslada5336]

8:56 You didn't tightened the right windshield wiper bolt :DDDD

[@joe125ful]

Fun weekend cheap race car:)

[@arne_mh]

"cheap"

[@steveduffy1800]

£25,000.00 for a top spec engine. Then the build of the car 😉

[@RawTopShot]

@@steveduffy1800 £12,500 for a mk1 shell from British Heritage, then all the other parts 😁 A factory standard fresh built mk1 race mini is now around £45,000 to £55,000 ready to go.

[@loripearce3942]

Ive owned the new R56 turbo S and they are garbage compared to the original

[@themightydash1714]

Holyshit his mum is Moe from Eastenders :o

[@Elmany22]

Sadly, You cant rally a mini no more. Every part now is made to brake or leak. Love mini. Own one myself.

[@JoakimGarde]

Great feature. Too bad the sound track is so dull. I couldn’t understand half of what he was saying.

[@2Truth2you]

What's with the bloody music? Seems like everything must be accompanied by a fucking fanfare of noise.

[@csjrogerson2377]

How to race a mini. Drive it very fast, but certainly faster then the other guys and dont crash. Next.

[@a.m.a.b147]

Mr Bill Bean-Sollis 🤣

[@Vmaxporsch]

Here's the Mk1 look without the cost : kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIamoYSVf5tjr7s

[@大西鐵構株式会社]

カッコイイ！

[@paulbolus9399]

Great video but the voice sound quality is horrible, as a non native half the time I just can't hear the man.

[@38skippers]

Teddy

[@shovelrickshovelhead8713]

You can have a under power engine and still win because you lost brakes due to brake fluid boiling..Rick

[@terryg45674]

You are right ,I boiled my brake fluid at Brands Gp and got a new lap record before overeving and damaging the engine.

[@tomasdelafuentediaz9641]

Mrs been?

[@ИгорьКоптев-х7ш]

❤💣

[@muhammadhishamudin4933]

Now i know what mr bean do of camera

[@Mr.Saephan503]

My mom's brother🤔 His uncle🤔🤓

[@loripearce3942]

997cc or 1071cc

[@lanmastersassistant659]

1293cc pal

[@elyeli6250]

Just do a drivetrain swap.

[@lindulindu9007]

好像豆豆先生

[@wida2775]

Hes look like mr bean, no offence

[@davidorama6690]

England and Minis are beautiful. The people not so much.

[@johnnytenjobs]

@@JackLebeau666 That'll change his mind!

[@theglumrant9477]

What on earth...??

[@garylewis7729]

There’s good and bad all over the world. You are probably one of the bad

[@Ruylopez778]

Anyone with common sense would know that there are people to like and dislike in every country

[@douglasgreen437]

Green houses & stones come to mind.....Let's see a picture of your ugly mug...