Christmas puzzle 2018

This has become a real classic since 2010: the Maximum Mini Christmas puzzle. For this year you won't find any Mini based car in the pictures below, not even details. However, all the vehicles seen do link directly to a Mini based creature. And you guessed it: I want the names of the cars seen and the links to the Mini derivatives in all detail. The first who all the answers right wins a picture to choice from the Maximum Mini archives, printed in a large size. Send your answers via the comments below up until December 31 of this year. Good luck!

Maximum Mini Christmas puzzle 2018

Maximum Mini Christmas puzzle 2017

Since 2010 you can find the traditional Christmas puzzle here, so this is number 8. The theme for this year: rear ends. Below you can see a selection of 25 of them and he or she who knows the full name of all of them wins. There is a tie break question below in case more then one competitor come up with the right answers. The first who has them all right wins a copy of Maximum Mini 2 or 3. Send your answers via the comments below up until December 31 of this year. Good luck!

Tie break question: which Mini-based car was restored over the last couple of years, only to be finished in 2017, after which it was put in an exhibition and made it to several magazine articles?

Happy 2017! Winners announced

Maximum Mini Find of the Year 2016: the 1966 Le Mans Mini Marcos

Picture Jeroen Booij

I have to admit that it's no big surprise that the Mini Marcos Le Mans car won the title of Best Find of 2016 with 89% of the votes. As you will know the car is owned by your's truly and I will keep you updated on the project of bringing it back to its former glory: that of the Summer of 1966, when it was famously raced at the circuit de la Sarthe. In the meantime, I have been totally overwhelmed with reactions, some of them leading to more information about the car's checkered history or even to parts that were fitted to it originally. Thanks also for voting, not in the last place to the brave people who chose for one of the other four cars that made it to this year's poll.

And then there was the traditional Maximum Mini Christmas puzzle. Won once again by Neil Kilbane. Congratulations, Neil, a book is on its way. Just let me know what I can sell to you as you are costing me far too much! The right answers were:

1. Peter Hanman, Cadwell Park, 1975
2. Hans Casteleyn (Algemeen Racing Team), Zandvoort, 1969
3. William Dulles, Nürburgring 500 kms race, 1966
4. John d Green, Brands Hatch, 1966
5. Geoff Mabbs, Weston Super Mare Speed Trials, 1965
6. Claude Swietlick and Johnny Rives, Paris 1000 kms, 1966
7. Adam Potocki and Claude Swietlick, Paris 1000 kms, 1966
8. S. Hemley, Silverstone, 1965
9. Jean-Louis Marnat and Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Paris 1000kms 1966
10. António Batista, Vila Real, 1981
11. Tim Lalonde, Le Mans test day, 1967
12. Jackie Bond-Smith and Joey Cook (FLIRT), Nürburgring 1,000 kms, 1967
13. Guy Edwards and Peter Anslow, Nürburgring 1,000 kms, 1967
14. Andreasson / Lundberger (Babea Racing), Targa Florio, 1967
15. Roy Johnson and Guy Edwards, Gran Premio del Mugello, 1966
16. Andy Barton, Rufforth Airfield, 1967

Christmas puzzle 2016

Since 2010 you can find the traditional Christmas puzzle here, so this is the 7th. With the Le Mans Mini Marcos still in my mind, this year's theme is... racing Mini Marcoses! Below you can see a selection of 16 such cars and what you need to find out is the venue they raced, and preferably also the year, with all extra information such as drivers and qualification as bonus material. There is a tie break question below in case more then one competitor come up with the right answers. The first who has them all right wins a copy of Maximum Mini 3, the new book that came out earlier this year. And I'll sign it for you and give it a little extra designation! Send your answers via the comments below up until December 31 of this year. Good luck!

Maximum Mini Christmas puzzle 2015

Time for tradition. The theme for this year's Christmas puzzle is: derivatives doors. I don't think it's too difficult and so there is a tie break question below in case more then one competitor come up with the right answers. The idea is simple as always: you give the full name and model designation of the 25 cars that these doors belong to and the first who has them all right wins a copy of Maximum Mini 2 plus a Maximum Mini poster. Send your answers via the comments below up until December 31 of this year. Good luck!

Tie break question: which three Mini based cars were raced at Brands Hatch during Boxing Day in 1962, 1963 and 1966 respectively?

2015 is here and we have two winners

Happy new year!

Let's start 2015 with the announcement of the 'Best Find of 2014'.
You voted for the Mini engined Méan Sonora, which resurfaced last year in a Belgian garden. The car is currently under restoration by Louis Lempereur who is very happy with the results of the poll. 57% of the 131 voters chose his car as the Find of the Year. Louis wrote: "That is good news! The Méan friends here in Liège will also be very happy! I am busy now and my son who helps me with the project is currently in China, so there is not too much time for the Méan currently… But I promise to send you some info and pictures within 2 or 3 weeks. Thanks again for your support!" Looking much forwards to that, of course.

The Méan 'BMC Mini' Sonora when it was brand new back in 1967

Picture Maximum Mini archive

Meanwhile, we have another winner here, as I have had a good look at the answers that came in for the Christmas Puzzle. Only 4 of you decided to give it a go and among them Paul Wylde, once more, was the one with most right answers! Paul, let me know if you want another Maximum Mini 2 book, or somethings else. Of the 50 questions Paul gave 11 fault answers. Runner-up was Dean Renwick, who had 15 faults, but to my surprise he answered the more difficult questions perfectly right and made mistakes with the (in my opinion) easy ones! Arunas Racelis made 20 faults and Mikael Pettersson 21. All the right answers are listed below.


1. Which comical 1970 film featured a Unipower GT?
'Crimen Imperfecto'

2. In which television series a Siva Buggy was used frequently?
'The Perishers'

3. What 1968 James Bond parody featured a Mini Moke based vehicle?
'Salt & Pepper'

4. Which television series used not one but two Stimson Mini Bugs?
'The Freewheelers'

5. The 1964 movie ‘Beach Blanket Bingo’ features which Mini based one-off?
(Ed Roth's) Surfite

6. What kind of equipment was once fitted to the Nimbus Don Parker Special’s engine?
A Wade supercharger

7. What carburettor(s) ran the Deep Sanderson 301 at Le Mans in 1964?
A 45DCOE Weber

8. What is the main (technical) difference between the Cox GTM and Heerey GTM?
The subframe holding the Mini engine made place for a space frame

9. What special cylinder head is fitted to the Fisher Spider?
An Arden 8-port head

10. What was unusual about the chassis construction of the Sekura Mini?
It was made of steel profiling for the tractor industry, allowing super-slim pillars with no welding

11. What was the price that a Beach car fetched last August at an auction in California?
$165,000 ($181,500 with the auction fee on top of it)

12. What was the original selling price for the MiniSprint Traveller?
£750

13. What was the base price of the ‘Hustler in Wood’ in 1980?
£595

14. What was the price that Peter Sellers supposedly paid for his coachbuilt Hooper Mini?
£2600

15. What was the base price of the Wildgoose conversion on an existing Mini Van?
£425

16. What was the nickname of the Le Mans Mini Marcos in 1966?
'La Puce Bleue' (the blue flee)

17. The Unipower GT initially had another name. What was that name?
Hustler GT

18. What was the nickname of the original Deep Sanderson prototype?
Perfume Delivery Wagon

19. The Roamer was built under at least two more names. Which ones?
Arrividerci Winchester and Moons Moke

20. What was the name of the Dutch-built Stimson Mini Bug?
Barclay Mini Bug

21. Which British newspaper gave away a Broadspeed GT in a very easy contest?
The Daily Express

22. The only British-built Nota Fang does not survive. What happened to it?
A Friesian bull decided to sit on it!

23. What was the only colour available for the Status 365 and why?
Yellow - it was the cheapest ready mixed (marine) gelcoat that the makers could get

24. Which famous Italian designer offered a coachbuilt version of the Mini saloon in 1966?
Bertone (the Bertone Mini Minor VIP)

25. Which other Mini based vehicle was designed by Scamp instigator Robert Mandry?
The RTV (Rough Terrain Vehicle)

26. What happened to the roof moulds of the Ecurie de Dez?
They were destroyed by Des Higgins himself, who soon regretted doing so!

27. The Gecko was developed by a one-model specialist? What model did they specialize in?
The VW Beetle

28. Before the Butterfield Musketeer, Richard Butterfield (re)designed which car?
A Triumph TR3 named 'Mulsanne'

29. The Fletcher GT features a redesigned Ogle rear with light clusters of which car?
The Austin 1800

30. In which Mini derivative was the Minister for Interior of Uganda supposedly interested?
The ASD Hobo

31. In what kind of premises was the Lightspeed Magenta built?
In a former British Railways goods shed

32. In what kind of premises was the mould of the Taylorspeed MiniJem made?
In a surfboard factory

33. In what kind of premises was the Ranger Cub built?
In a former Cinema theatre (which was supposedly haunted...)

34. In what kind of premises was the Libra Magnum built?
In a barn next to the house of Trevor Foxen's mother

35. In what kind of premises was the first AF Spider built?
In Alexander Fraser's kitchen

36. How many records did Allan Staniforth set with his original Terrapin in October 1968?
9

37. How many records that the TransXL Mini Marcos broke stand to this day?
4

38. Which Mini derivative amassed 10 sidecar records in one year?
Owen Greenwood's Mini 'sidecar'

39. Which 3-wheeler is said to have driven round Malory Park at under the lap record?
The ABC Tricar

40. Which car set a record at Bathurst, Australia, when it was clocked at 127.8 mph?
The Broadspeed GTS by Brian Foley

41. How many inches shorter than a standard Mini saloon was the Gordon Mini?
14.6 inches

42. How many Mini powered Davrians were officially built?
10 (5 Mk7s and 5 Mk8s)

43. How many years did it take Robert Lawther to build the Lawther GT?
5 years

44. What is the number of Camber GTs and Maya GTs tracked down for this blog?
10 (5 of each)

45. What was the capacity in ccs of the Kingfisher Sprint's engine in Turbosport guise?
1480cc

46. How many Ogle SX1000s were built?
69

47. How many Codford Minis were built?
3

48. How many Foers Nomads were built by John Foers?
164

49. What is the kerb weight in kgs of the Hrubon Phaeton?
220kgs

50. What was the age of Desmond ‘Dizzy’ Addicot when he passed away in 2005?
83 years

Christmas puzzle 2014

It's time for the traditional Maximum Mini Christmas puzzle!
Last year there weren't too many of you giving it a go, and so I decided to make this year's puzzle easier. Now with questions rather than photographs that need to be recognized. Most information needed can now be found on the pages of this blog, so everyone with some time at hand (hey, it's Christmas…) should give it a try. The idea is as simple as it always has been: you give the answers to the 50 questions below and the one with the most and /or best answers wins a specially signed copy of that brand new book 'Maximum Mini 2'. Send your answers via the comments below or via email - jeroen@jeroenbooij.com - up until December 31 of this year. Good luck!


Film & TV

1. Which comical 1970 film featured a Unipower GT?
2. In which television series a Siva Buggy was used frequently?
3. What 1968 James Bond parody featured a Mini Moke based vehicle?
4. Which television series used not one but two Stimson Mini Bugs?
5. The 1964 movie ‘Beach Blanket Bingo’ features which Mini based one-off?

Still from Beach Blanket Bingo

Tech

6. What kind of equipment was once fitted to the Nimbus Don Parker Special’s engine?
7. What carburettor(s) ran the Deep Sanderson 301 at Le Mans in 1964?
8. What is the main (technical) difference between the Cox GTM and Heerey GTM?
9. What special cylinder head is fitted to the Fisher Spider?
10. What was unusual about the chassis construction of the Sekura Mini?

Don Parker's Nimbus Special. But what is that thing?

Money

11. What was the price that a Beach car fetched last August at an auction in California?
12. What was the original selling price for the MiniSprint Traveller?
13. What was the base price of the ‘Hustler in Wood’ in 1980?
14. What was the price that Peter Sellers supposedly paid for his coachbuilt Hooper Mini?
15. What was the base price of the Wildgoose conversion on an existing Mini Van?

MiniSprint Traveller. What did it cost new?

Names

16. What was the nickname of the Le Mans Mini Marcos in 1966?
17. The Unipower GT initially had another name. What was that name?
18. What was the nickname of the original Deep Sanderson prototype?
19. The Roamer was built under at least two more names. Which ones?
20. What was the name of the Dutch-built Stimson Mini Bug?

This Deep Sanderson had an unusual nickname

Trivia 1

21. Which British newspaper gave away a Broadspeed GT in a very easy contest?
22. The only British-built Nota Fang does not survive. What happened to it?
23. What was the only colour available for the Status 365 and why?
24. Which famous Italian designer offered a coachbuilt version of the Mini saloon in 1966?
25. Which other Mini based vehicle was designed by Scamp instigator Robert Mandry?

Which newspaper gave away a Broadspeed GT?

Trivia 2

26. What happened to the roof moulds of the Ecurie de Dez?
27. The Gecko was developed by a one-model specialist? What model did they specialize in?
28. Before the Butterfield Musketeer, Richard Butterfield (re)designed which car?
29. The Fletcher GT features a redesigned Ogle rear with light clusters of which car?
30. In which Mini derivative was the Minister for Interior of Uganda supposedly interested?

Fletcher GT: where are these rear lights sourced from?

Places

31. In what kind of premises was the Lightspeed Magenta built?
32. In what kind of premises was the mould of the Taylorspeed MiniJem made?
33. In what kind of premises was the Ranger Cub built?
34. In what kind of premises was the Libra Magnum built?
35. In what kind of premises was the first AF Spider built?

Where was this Taylorspeed Jem mould made?

Records

36. How many records did Allan Staniforth set with his original Terrapin in October 1968?
37. How many records that the TransXL Mini Marcos broke stand to this day?
38. Which Mini derivative amassed 10 sidecar records in one year?
39. Which 3-wheeler is said to have driven round Malory Park at under the lap record?
40. Which car set a record at Bathurst, Australia, when it was clocked at 127.8 mph?

The TranXL Mini Marcos on its way to another victory

Numbers

41. How many inches shorter than a standard Mini saloon was the Gordon Mini?
42. How many Mini powered Davrians were officially built?
43. How many years did it take Robert Lawther to build the Lawther GT?
44. What is the number of Camber GTs and Maya GTs tracked down for this blog?
45. What was the capacity in ccs of the Kingfisher Sprint's engine in Turbosport guise?

One of how many Mini powered Davrians?

Numbers 2

46. How many Ogle SX1000s were built?
47. How many Codford Minis were built?
48. How many Foers Nomads were built by John Foers?
49. What is the kerb weight in kgs of the Hrubon Phaeton?
50. What was the age of Desmond ‘Dizzy’ Addicot when he passed away in 2005?

A rare Codford Mini. How many were made?

Christmas puzzle 2013: Name the Frame

Time for tradition. We've had Christmas puzzles focussing on rear lights (here); head lights (here) and on 'Faces & Places', believed to be too difficult (here). The theme for this year is: Name the Frame. Is it easier? I think so. The idea is simple as always: you give the full name and model designation of the 25 cars that these chassis frames belong to and the first who has them all right wins a cool prize. This year that prize is an extremely rare press pack for the William Towns designed TXC Tracer of 1985. I have never seen another, and this one is signed by the late Towns himself, too. Send your answers via the comments below up until December 31 of this year. Good luck!

UPDATE 2 January 2014: Not easy, and only one player. Come on guys! Anyway, the frames are named and they are: 1: Coldwell GT, 2: Nimbus Don Parker Special, 3: Maya GT, 4: Landar R6, 5: Whitby Warrior, 6: Deep Sanderson 105, 7: Biota Mk1, 8: Greenwood 'sidecar', 9: Hustler 4, 10: TXC Tracer, 11: Gecko, 12: Status Minipower, 13: Siva Buggy, 14: ABS Freestyle, 15: Andersen Cub, 16: Unipower GT, 17: Ranger Cub, 18: Jiffy, 19: Boro GT, 20: Stimson Mini Bug, 21: Mean Sonora, 22: Onyx Tomcat, 23: Jackson Sportster, 24: Lolita Mk2, 25: Sauter Special.

Name the Frame - click for a bigger image

Christmas puzzle 2012

Regulars out here know that I always cook up a little puzzle when Christmas nears and this year is no exception to that tradition. The only difference is that I based my puzzle not on front or rear bits of Mini derivatives like I did in 2010 and 2011. This year the theme is 'faces and places' with not one but two puzzles. It's has the same simple principle though. There are 9 faces and 9 places, and all of them can be associated directly to a Mini derivative. The question is which face/place belongs to which car. I'd like full names and model designations of the cars and the first who cracks it wins a copy of Maximum Mini volume 2 as soon as it is there (yes, yes, it will be there in the end). Send your answers via the comments below up until December 31 of this year. Good luck!

UPDATE 2 January 2013: Well well, this proved to be one step too far! I received little answers, of which Paul Wylde (via email) once again had most right, but with just 7 out of 18 it was not enough to win (he did so last year, so never mind). Next year's puzzle will be slightly simplified again! Anyhow, the right answers would have been:

Faces:

1. Christopher Lawrence - Deep Sanderson 105 and -301

2. William Towns - Hustler, Minissima, Tracer, Elswick Envoy

3. Ralph Broad - Broadspeed GT

4. Ferris De Joux - De Joux Mini GT

5. Bill Needham - Coldwell GT

6. Gianfranco Padoan - Minimach GT

7. Desmond 'Dizzy' Addicott - DART

8. Jem Marsh - Mini Marcos

9. Keith Lain - Phoenix and McCoy

Places:

1. Peel shipyard, Isle of Man - Peel Viking GT

2. Ogle Design & Development, Letchworth - Ogle SX1000

3. Custom Moulds, Andover - Nimbus Coupe

4. Paynes Lane, Nazeing, Essex - Butterfield Musketeer

5. Nostalgia Cars UK Ltd., Taunton - Nostalgia NC1000 

6. Whitby Engineering Ltd, Haslington, Crewe - Whitby Warrior

7. 12 Aintree Road, Perivale, London - Unipower GT

8. BMW Testcentre Nurburg (former BMW Martini garage) - Mini Martini

9. Siva Engineering, Enefco House, The Quay, Poole - Siva Buggy

Faces... (click for a bigger view)

...and places (click for a bigger view)

Maximum Mini Christmas puzzle 2011

This time of year is full of traditions. So let's continue that theme here with our Christmas puzzle. It's like last year's (click here) but this time focusses on head lights rather then rear light clusters. The brief is simple: you give the full name and model designation of the cars that these lights belong to and the first who has them all right wins a copy of Maximum Mini volume 2 as soon as it is there (once again: don't hold your breathe - it will be there in the end). Send your answers via the comments below up until December 31 of this year. Good luck!

UPDATE 31 December 2011:
And we have a winner! Paul Wylde of Brierley Hill, a.k.a. 'Mini Buger', cracked the puzzle within a day! Congratulations Paul - you will be one of the very first to have a copy of Maximum Mini volume 2. The solution is: 1. ABC Tricar; 2. Zagato Mini Gatto; 3. Fletcher GT; 4. Midas Bronze; 5. Peel Viking Minisport; 6. McCoy (or Birchall McCoy or McCoy GT); 7. Davrian Mk8; 8. Mini Marcos Mk3 (but visually similar to other Mk1 and Mk2); 9. Stimson Mini Bug Mk2; 10. Kingfisher Sprint; 11. Cox GTM; 12. Sabre Sprint Mk2; 13. Elswick Envoy; 14; Status 365; 15. Landar R6; 17. Maya GT; 18. Davenport Special; Hustler Hellcat (but visually similar to many more Hustler models); 19. Phoenix Estate; 20. Sarcon Scarab; 21. Alto Boxer; 22. Gecko (or Autobarn Gecko); 23. ASD Minim; 24. Nimbus Coupe; 25. Biota Mk2.

Click on the picture to see it bigger

Maximum Mini Christmas puzzle 2010

Christmas time nears. Time of mirth and melancholy and of, well, hanging around.
So why not try and crack this puzzle and win a great prize?

There are 25 rear ends of 25 Mini derivatives. But which is which?
The mission is simple: you give the full name and model designation of the cars shown on the pictures below (click up for a bigger version); the first who has them all right wins a copy of Maximum Mini 2 as soon as it is there. Don't hold your breathe though as I am working slowly (but surely) on it, and I don't think I will finish it of before Christmas next year. But patience of the Mini derivative connoisseur of 2010 will surely be rewarded in the end. Apart from earning this prestigious title, that is.

Oh! Some of the rear ends pictured are of cars that are featured in 'Maximum Mini' so a copy of that book will surely help you identifying them, but others aren't and you will have to find out what they are. Send in your answers via the comments below up until December 31 of this year. The challenge is on.

UPDATE 2 January 2011:
And they are...:
1. TiCi; 2. Biota Mk2; 3. Unipower Mk1; 4. Deep Sanderson 301; 5. Coldwell GT; 6. Landar R6; 7. AF Spider (or Alexander Fraser Spider); 8. Alto Duo (or Automotive Concepts Duo); 9. Domino HT (or Domino HardTop); 10. Jiffy Tipper (or Jiffy Pick Up); 11. Radford Mini De Ville Mk3; 12. Bulanti Mini; 13. DART (or DART reproduction); 14. Lolita Mk1; 15. Anderson Cub; 16. Stimson Mini Bug Mk2; 17. Camber GT; 18. Siva Mule; 19. Grantura Plastics Yak (or 'GP Yak' or 'Grantura Yak'); 20. ESAP Minimach GT; 21. Hustler Harrier; 22. AEM Scout; 23. Elswick Envoy; 24. Status 365; 25. Mini Jem Mk2