But that's no reason to write about it here, is it? Nope. Miguel Plano from Canada alerted me about Petit St. Vincent's means of transport. You guessed it: Mini derivatives. In fact the very few cars that made it to the island's shores are plain simple Mini based Moke style vehicles with fairground-like bodies, undoubtly made of fibreglass. I understand they are used by the resort's room service to zoom around bringing cocktails and lobsters to guest's cottages. I love it!
Reader Paul Wylde adds to it: A lot of kit cars went to St. Vincent and the Grenadines as steel cars out there only lasted 3 years. The islands are only miles wide and get salt spray from all directions. There should be a few Stimson Minibugs over there too." Is there a reader who's ever made it to this side of the world to confirm this?
Roomservice Petit St. Vincent style. Sump and suspension confirm Mini base
Picture courtesy www.petitstvincent.com
And there is a hardtop, too. For shadow rather then rain reasons I may assume
Picture courtesy www.petitstvincent.com
There are 22 cottages and villas on the island. I'd love to explore it with that car
Picture courtesy www.petitstvincent.com
Oops! Forgot the cocktails. Reader says more fibreglass Mini kits made it to Grenadines
Picture courtesy Conde Nast Traveler
Wind coming from all directions gives salt spray. It makes steel cars rust rapidly
Picture courtesy www.flickr.com
Who ever visited these islands and knows about more Stimsons or other Mini derivatives here?
Picture courtesy www.petitstvincent.com
I built those bodies in the early eighties for the previous owner of PSV, Haze Richardson. I modified the original Moke shape to make it more suitable for moulding in fibreglass, also stretched it slightly and narrowed the box sides to give more internal width. I would have modified it even further but Haze wanted to keep the original "Moke" look. (Cole Beadon)
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful to hear of you! Could you drop me a line on jeroen at jeroenbooij dot com ?
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