Ridiculously large chap doing 3000+ miles in a classic Mini
Discussion
Morning all...
Back in 2009, myself and a female friend of mine took part in a charity rally for Minis, called the Italian Job.
If you haven't heard of it, it's a great giggle! You pay to enter as a team, drive around Europe, visit film locations such as the rooftop test track on the Fiat car factory, get a guided escort through Turin by the Italian police, and do other fun things like visit the Ferrari factory, and other tracks. Off the back of doing it, you raise sponsorship, which all goes to kids charities, since it started in 1990 they've raised over £2.5million for children's charities.
So... Back in 2009 we did it in my 2006 Cooper S, which was relatively new. We had a great time, made lots of friends, and I've always hankered to return, but to do it in a classic Mini.
I might have owned a few small cars, the 1973 Beetle is probably the smallest, but the Mini is another step into hilarity. I'm 6ft5, and at time of writing 121.5kg (19st 2lb in old money), I'm not a small chap.
Undeterred, In November last year, I purchased this little lady at auction from Blackbushe.
A 1998 late model Mini Cooper Sport LE - one of 100 LE's made, 50 in brooklands green (like mine) and 50 in black. They feature the sportspack wheels and arches, stripes with BMC roundels, and the mota-vita style yellow flash on the front wings. Inside there's green carpets, green leather seats steering wheel and handbrake. Luxuries include a 2-speed fan, intermittent wipers, and pop out rear windows.
Although she had an MOT until June 2017, it soon became apparent there was a fair amount of rot in the floors, which needed addressing. So into the workshop we went.
As with all these projects, once you get into them, there's more work that you first think. What started out as new front floors turned into floors, sills, a-panels, new front wings, new front panel, repairs to near side door, repairs to rear quarters, a new rear subframe, new front wheel bearings, new discs, pads and calipers... And finally, a fresh coat of brooklands green paint.
Here she is at Brands Hatch Mini Festival in July....
Then decals back on...
...and them decals for the Italian Job... Including a custom roof graphic, and some sponsor logos.
There are still things to do... There are some engine oil leaks which are being addressed next week, and then just a fair amount of running to ensure everything is okay before we set sail in two months time on 23rd October.
I've got a set of modified seat brackets in there, but still, completing over 3000 miles between 23rd October and 4th November will be a challenge. I might need some knee therapy after!
I'll update this thread with progress when I can, but you should also be able to find Italian Job Team 69 on facebook...
Oh, and if anyone happens to be in the area of the Nuerburgring on the evening of the 23rd October, that's our first stop!
Cheers all for reading,
Jon
Back in 2009, myself and a female friend of mine took part in a charity rally for Minis, called the Italian Job.
If you haven't heard of it, it's a great giggle! You pay to enter as a team, drive around Europe, visit film locations such as the rooftop test track on the Fiat car factory, get a guided escort through Turin by the Italian police, and do other fun things like visit the Ferrari factory, and other tracks. Off the back of doing it, you raise sponsorship, which all goes to kids charities, since it started in 1990 they've raised over £2.5million for children's charities.
So... Back in 2009 we did it in my 2006 Cooper S, which was relatively new. We had a great time, made lots of friends, and I've always hankered to return, but to do it in a classic Mini.
I might have owned a few small cars, the 1973 Beetle is probably the smallest, but the Mini is another step into hilarity. I'm 6ft5, and at time of writing 121.5kg (19st 2lb in old money), I'm not a small chap.
Undeterred, In November last year, I purchased this little lady at auction from Blackbushe.
A 1998 late model Mini Cooper Sport LE - one of 100 LE's made, 50 in brooklands green (like mine) and 50 in black. They feature the sportspack wheels and arches, stripes with BMC roundels, and the mota-vita style yellow flash on the front wings. Inside there's green carpets, green leather seats steering wheel and handbrake. Luxuries include a 2-speed fan, intermittent wipers, and pop out rear windows.
Although she had an MOT until June 2017, it soon became apparent there was a fair amount of rot in the floors, which needed addressing. So into the workshop we went.
As with all these projects, once you get into them, there's more work that you first think. What started out as new front floors turned into floors, sills, a-panels, new front wings, new front panel, repairs to near side door, repairs to rear quarters, a new rear subframe, new front wheel bearings, new discs, pads and calipers... And finally, a fresh coat of brooklands green paint.
Here she is at Brands Hatch Mini Festival in July....
Then decals back on...
...and them decals for the Italian Job... Including a custom roof graphic, and some sponsor logos.
There are still things to do... There are some engine oil leaks which are being addressed next week, and then just a fair amount of running to ensure everything is okay before we set sail in two months time on 23rd October.
I've got a set of modified seat brackets in there, but still, completing over 3000 miles between 23rd October and 4th November will be a challenge. I might need some knee therapy after!
I'll update this thread with progress when I can, but you should also be able to find Italian Job Team 69 on facebook...
Oh, and if anyone happens to be in the area of the Nuerburgring on the evening of the 23rd October, that's our first stop!
Cheers all for reading,
Jon
Edited by Dr Interceptor on Wednesday 23 August 12:16
ADENAUER! 'Ring visitors!
D4MJT said:
I think everyone will agree
This thread is worthless without a photo of you standing next to the car for reference
Also good luck!
My friend (and co pilot) Liz is up tomorrow as we're heading to Carfest South, so we'll get a team photo This thread is worthless without a photo of you standing next to the car for reference
Also good luck!
lucido grigio said:
As a man of many stickers ,I really like your roof design......thumbup
Thank you 
Took many hours on photo shop!
So today the little Mini is in having her various oil leaks tended to... Driveshaft seals and diff housing to name a couple.
Also the clutch appears to have an issue, I'm struggling to select any gear in the mornings. Once it's in gear and underway it's okay. So I'm thinking either the clutch isn't releasing correctly, or at 45k miles, the original clutch plate may just be overly worn. Of course it could also be the clutch needs bleeding, or a master cylinder... We shall see.
Oh the fun of getting a little old car ready for a long slog across Europe.
I didn't manage to get of a photo of us with the little car at the weekend, but here are a few from the last time Liz and I did 'the job' back in 2009.
Liz and I with my Cooper S in Rome, 2009
The old banked circuit at Monza...
Minis on the Lingotto Rooftop Test Track, Turin
Motion shot on the Lingotto
I'm hoping to take the little Mini to the Blenheim Palace Sunday Service, if her leakages and clutch are resolved....
Also the clutch appears to have an issue, I'm struggling to select any gear in the mornings. Once it's in gear and underway it's okay. So I'm thinking either the clutch isn't releasing correctly, or at 45k miles, the original clutch plate may just be overly worn. Of course it could also be the clutch needs bleeding, or a master cylinder... We shall see.
Oh the fun of getting a little old car ready for a long slog across Europe.
I didn't manage to get of a photo of us with the little car at the weekend, but here are a few from the last time Liz and I did 'the job' back in 2009.
Liz and I with my Cooper S in Rome, 2009
The old banked circuit at Monza...
Minis on the Lingotto Rooftop Test Track, Turin
Motion shot on the Lingotto
I'm hoping to take the little Mini to the Blenheim Palace Sunday Service, if her leakages and clutch are resolved....
Mr Peel said:
Well done for doing this. I'm no BMW-hater, but the Italian Job is an event you really ought to tackle in a classic IMO.
The late Rover Coopers cruise a bit more comfortably than earlier ones. I drove one to Budapest and back a few years ago - 75mph all day no problem. Good luck!
I agree... It was fun in a new one, but not a real challenge. I'm looking forward to doing it in the classic The late Rover Coopers cruise a bit more comfortably than earlier ones. I drove one to Budapest and back a few years ago - 75mph all day no problem. Good luck!
lucido grigio said:
Thanks for a close up of the impressive roof sticker ,must've cost a bit ,which leads me to my next question.
Are you going to leave it on the car permanently ?
I know I would....
Designed it myself, so was free in that respect, and about £50 to have it printed for me Are you going to leave it on the car permanently ?
I know I would....
I fitted it myself.It will stay on there for a good while
Greendubber said:
Brilliant.
I have fond memories of my two Coopers, a 1991 Cooper RSP and a 2000 Cooper Sport 500 (one of the last classics made) although it was always going back to get fixed under warranty
I had a 1991 RSP as well in around 2000, when I was 18. Verified first owner, John Cooper's grandson. Apparently John spec'd it himself so it had everything! Miss that car, should never have got rid. Mine was H696 CKP,I have fond memories of my two Coopers, a 1991 Cooper RSP and a 2000 Cooper Sport 500 (one of the last classics made) although it was always going back to get fixed under warranty
Fantastic buy OP, I hope you know a good physio 😄!
Sounds great, will look into this for next year with my R53 track car project. What's the entry costs?
Maty said:
I had a 1991 RSP as well in around 2000, when I was 18. Verified first owner, John Cooper's grandson. Apparently John spec'd it himself so it had everything! Miss that car, should never have got rid. Mine was H696 CKP
Fantastic buy OP, I hope you know a good physio ??!
Sounds great, will look into this for next year with my R53 track car project. What's the entry costs?
I also have an RSP, H159 CPP which is currently undergoing restoration. I bought that one last year to do 'the job' in, but was too far gone. So it's having a total rebuild. Fantastic buy OP, I hope you know a good physio ??!
Sounds great, will look into this for next year with my R53 track car project. What's the entry costs?
Entry costs are £995 per person, which covers everything while you're on the Italian Job - luxury hotels, breakfast and dinner, lunch most days too. All the tracks, museums, police escort through Turin, and the black tie gala dinner when we return to the UK.
On top of that you have your hotels on the way down and back, fuel, insurance, breakdown cover and beer money.
If you factored £1500 each based on a team of two sharing hotels, that would be about right.
Off the back of that you're expected to raise at least £1500 per car in sponsorship, which all goes to kids charities
Sounds like a great trip.
From your description (and subsequent photo) it is clear that you and I are of similar physical, erm, prowess? stature?
And yet I've never tried to buy a Mini, I just really feel I ought to own one at some point, it must be a rite of passage to be British I would have thought.
This thread gives me hope that I can fulfil my dream!
From your description (and subsequent photo) it is clear that you and I are of similar physical, erm, prowess? stature?
And yet I've never tried to buy a Mini, I just really feel I ought to own one at some point, it must be a rite of passage to be British I would have thought.
This thread gives me hope that I can fulfil my dream!
Shakermaker said:
And yet I've never tried to buy a Mini, I just really feel I ought to own one at some point, it must be a rite of passage to be British I would have thought
As standard you won't fit, I drove the car back from Blackbushe to Farnborough with the standard setup and that nearly killed me. You can buy brackets off the internet which move the seat back by around 2.5 inches, but I have further extended these with my own fabricated brackets so the seat goes back 4.5-5 inches. That is pretty much the limit of what you can do before it fouls on the rear storage bins. It's still by no means comfortable, but to jump in to and go for a blat, it's pretty epic.
Morning all, bit of an update for you....
The Mini had the clutch done, and has been running brilliantly since, no further issues. It's now just 33 days till we set off, coming round so quickly!
Fundraising efforts going well, had a £250 sponsorship cheque in, and a BBQ I hosted at the local pub for my birthday last week raised another £186, so we're nearly up to £3.5k for Variety, The Children's Charity.
Our travel bags have just arrived - fit perfectly in the boot of the Mini (with 10" to spare for shoes, toiletries etc), and they're custom designed with photos from the last IJ we did back in 2009, and images of the classic Mini.
They look awesome, now just have to negotiate over packing space with my lady co-pilot
Moderator edit: no canvassing for charity donations please.
The Mini had the clutch done, and has been running brilliantly since, no further issues. It's now just 33 days till we set off, coming round so quickly!
Fundraising efforts going well, had a £250 sponsorship cheque in, and a BBQ I hosted at the local pub for my birthday last week raised another £186, so we're nearly up to £3.5k for Variety, The Children's Charity.
Our travel bags have just arrived - fit perfectly in the boot of the Mini (with 10" to spare for shoes, toiletries etc), and they're custom designed with photos from the last IJ we did back in 2009, and images of the classic Mini.
They look awesome, now just have to negotiate over packing space with my lady co-pilot
Moderator edit: no canvassing for charity donations please.
Edited by jeremyc on Tuesday 19th September 11:59
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